An appliqué of the invention comprises a disposable carrier film onto which a release layer and PU inks are printed using layering techniques. The ink layers can be multicoloured and each colour is applied sequentially using a conventional screen-printing method. A back-up, a lacquer layer, and an adhesive layer are printed in sequence over the ink layers. The ink includes reflective particles providing the optical effect of a 3-dimensional appliqué. The artwork is created by overlapping design layers to controlled specification sequences. The ink, because of the additives, creates a desired colour tone, and this may be enhanced by layering of the ink in an overlapping region. Thus, there are three main regions, namely a central region with reflective ink, a “shoulder” region with overlapping matt and reflective inks and an outer region with only matt ink.

[Problems] Provided is a discoloring body which is discolored by application of water and has high glossiness and is excellent in applicability to various fields such as a toy field, a decoration field, and a design field.

[Solution] A discoloring body including a supporting body, a porous layer in which a low refractive index pigment is fixed in a dispersed state by way of a binder resin, and a glossy resin layer, in which an occupancy area ratio of the glossy resin layer is 1% to 95% with respect to a 1 cm square at any position in the porous layer.

Apparatus and method for pre-treatment of synthetic fabrics, for example brushed polyester fabric, prior to printing to prevent fibrillation effects of the fabric on the print quality. The apparatus comprises a printing pre-treatment location where fabric is treated prior to printing and a heat source applying heat to a predefined printing area on the fabric at the printing pre-treatment location. The heat applied is sufficient to fuse outwardly extending fibers of the fabric back into the fabric using thermoplastic deformation, thereby to produce a treated printing area for printing. The apparatus may be online with a printer or may be offline and the heat treatment may optionally be combined with spraying.

Apparatus and method for pre-treatment of synthetic fabrics, for example brushed polyester fabric, prior to printing to prevent fibrillation effects of the fabric on the print quality. The apparatus comprises a printing pre-treatment location where fabric is treated prior to printing and a heat source applying heat to a predefined printing area on the fabric at the printing pre-treatment location. The heat applied is sufficient to fuse outwardly extending fibers of the fabric back into the fabric using thermoplastic deformation, thereby to produce a treated printing area for printing. The apparatus may be online with a printer or may be offline and the heat treatment may optionally be combined with spraying.

Decals with dimensional offsets are disclosed. The decals may be part of a decal kit or may be applied to an article. The decals include an overlay having multiple dimensional spacers. When applied to an article, the decal overlay bonds to the article, securing the dimensional spacers between the overlay and the article creating dimensional offsets. The dimensional offsets are positioned on an interior surface of the article so that contact with a wearer's skin is minimized, reducing the perception of cling.

Decals with dimensional offsets are disclosed. The decals may be part of a decal kit or may be applied to an article. The decals include an overlay having multiple dimensional spacers. When applied to an article, the decal overlay bonds to the article, securing the dimensional spacers between the overlay and the article creating dimensional offsets. The dimensional offsets are positioned on an interior surface of the article so that contact with a wearer's skin is minimized, reducing the perception of cling.

Provision of an article such as a garment made of a textile fiber product, which article bears a desired transferred printed image, while maintaining its essential properties, such as texture, to the maximum possible extent; a manufacturing process for the article; a transfer material for the transfer; and a material for obtaining the transfer material. The transfer material is produced by forming hot melt adhesive layer portion on specified post hoc printing areas in a specified face of a substrate so that it can be removed from the substrate, forming a post hoc printed image layer for showing a desired image on the adhesive layer portion by plateless printing. Heating the adhesive layer portion and post hoc printed image layer of the transfer material and pressing them against the object article for fusion bonding of the adhesive layer portion to the object article, to fix the adhesive layer portion and post hoc printed image layer to the object article upon cooling.

A golden effect heat transfer label includes a carrier and a golden effect design layer on the carrier. The golden effect design layer is formulated from an ink having a golden effect pigment present in a concentration of about 5 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the ink. The golden effect heat transfer label is transferred from the carrier to a target object as a golden effect feature and the golden effect feature exhibits a robust golden effect on the target object. The golden effect feature exhibits no adhesion failure and no visual change after being subjected to standard testing. The golden effect heat transfer label can be transferred onto target objects including apparel items, plastics, metals and carbon fiber objects.

A golden effect heat transfer label includes a carrier and a golden effect design layer on the carrier. The golden effect design layer is formulated from an ink having a golden effect pigment present in a concentration of about 5 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the ink. The golden effect heat transfer label is transferred from the carrier to a target object as a golden effect feature and the golden effect feature exhibits a robust golden effect on the target object. The golden effect feature exhibits no adhesion failure and no visual change after being subjected to standard testing. The golden effect heat transfer label can be transferred onto target objects including apparel items, plastics, metals and carbon fiber objects.

There is provided a process for manufacturing a firefighter protective garment. The process includes providing an outer shell material having an exposed surface; printing one or more reflective features directly on the exposed surface of the outer shell material; cutting the outer shell material to define outer shell panels; and assembling the outer shell panels to form an outer shell of the firefighter protective garment with the reflective features facing outwardly of said garment. There is also provided a firefighter protective garment, including an inner liner and an outer shell made from a flame-resistant material, the outer shell extending over at least a portion of the inner liner. The outer shell has an outermost surface, the outermost surface including reflective features printed directly thereon, the reflective features facing outwardly of said firefighter protective garment. The garment may be a firefighter protective coat and/or firefighter protective pants.