A fabric processing method of the present disclosure includes an attaching step of attaching a carboxylic anhydride to a fabric containing cellulose, and an esterification step of esterifying a hydroxyl group of the cellulose, in which, in the esterification step, the carboxylic acid is introduced into the cellulose through an ester bond. A molecular weight of the carboxylic anhydride preferably is 1000 or less.

The invention relates to a transfer paper (4) for use for transferring a print of ink onto a fabric, said transfer paper comprising: i) a base paper (2); ii) an additive (8) comprising a starch component, and a binding agent; wherein said starch component being a starch selected from the group comprising: unmodified starch or a modified starch or a mixture thereof; and wherein said binding agent being a binding agent selected from the group comprising: an alkyl ketene dimer, a tall oil/fumaric acid copolymer, a styrene/acrylate copolymer and an alkenyl succinic anhydride and a mixture thereof; wherein said base paper (2) comprises an amount of said additive by being impregnated therewith; and wherein said base paper (2) having a water uptake as defined by a Cobb-45 value of 10-100 g/m.sup.2 and a having a Gurley porosity of 10-140 seconds. The present invention furthermore relates to uses of the transfer paper (4).

A method of producing a photochromic resin body includes a first step, a second step and a third step. In the first step, a sublimable photochromic dye having sublimability is applied to a base body so as to obtain a function-adding base body. In the second step, the function-adding base body obtained in the first step is set to face a resin body, the function-adding base body is heated to sublimate the sublimable photochromic dye applied to the function-adding base body, and the sublimable photochromic dye is deposited on the resin body. In the third step, the resin body on which the sublimable photochromic dye is deposited in the second step is heated to fix the sublimable photochromic dye on the resin body.

Provided are dye sublimation ink compositions, methods of preparing dye sublimation ink compositions, and methods of printing with dye sublimation ink compositions. Methods of printing with dye sublimation ink compositions includes printing on natural fabrics. Dye sublimation ink compositions comprise one or more latexes; a humectant composition; a surfactant composition; a biocide composition; a buffer composition; and a solvent.

A process for producing a colorfast thermal appliqué using a polyester knit fabric blank, dye-sublimation printing a graphic image on the fabric blank, and laminating a triple-layer polyurethane adhesive on another side of the printed fabric blank. The triple-layer adhesive comprises a first layer of clear ink resistant polyurethane adhesive followed by a white-pigmented ink resistant polyurethane adhesive and a third clear layer of ink-resistant polyurethane adhesive. The first layer of the triple-layer adhesive is fused under combined temperature and pressure to the polyester blank until said first and second layers impregnates into said fabric blank. The fabric blank is then cut into a discrete finished appliqué that does not substantially change the physical and visual characteristics of a performance fabric substrate to which the appliqué is applied.

The present application provides a sublimation ink which is capable of being transferred to natural fiber fabrics, such as cotton and linen, in addition to synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, nylon, etc., and shows significantly improved color fastness. The sublimation ink may include a resin containing at least one active hydrogen, a crosslinking agent having at least two isocyanate (—NCO) groups, and one or more colorants. The sublimation ink may also include one or more carriers, binders, thickeners, and/or solvents. An image can be printed on a transfer medium (e.g. paper) at room temperature with the sublimation ink using conventional offset printer so that the sublimation ink remains inactive. The image can be subsequently transferred onto any desired fabrics under heat and pressure, in which the sublimation ink is activated and bonds the colorant to the fabrics with excellent color effect.

The invention relates to a thermal sublimation paper which can be printed with inks containing a sublimatable dye, in particular ink-jet inks, in which paper a hydrophilic thermal transfer layer to be printed is formed on a porous base paper. Thermoplastic particles with an average particle size of between 0.3 and 5 μm and a melting point of between 35° C. and 190° C. are present in the thermal transfer layer. This thermal sublimation paper can be advantageously produced as follows: an aqueous coating slip is applied to a porous base paper having a Cobb value of between 55 and 150 g/m.sup.2, in particular between 70 and 150 g/m.sup.2, in a paper-making or coating machine, online or offline, said aqueous coating slip containing thermoplastic particles and constituents suitable for forming a hydrophilic thermal transfer layer, and a drying step is subsequently carried out in order to obtain the thermal sublimation paper. The thermal sublimation paper can be used advantageously to mint flat materials, in particular films and textiles.

A double-sided sublimated article and method for producing the same is provided. The article may be a golf flag and is made up of a single piece of a three layer twill weaving fabric. The fabric is woven such that horizontal threads are visible and a vertical thread is not visible. Each side of the article may be simultaneously sublimated with an ultraviolet resistant ink to produce a double-sided sublimated article having images on each side in a correct orientation.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for transferring an image onto a textile substrate using dye sublimation, the apparatus comprising: a flat support structure on which the textile substrate is laid with an ink transfer substrate; a heating element that rotates and applies heat while pulling the textile substrate and ink transfer substrate from the flat support structure towards the heating element; and a chevron-shaped brush with the vertex of the chevron pointing away from the heating element wherein the textile substrate and ink transfer substrate pass under the chevron-shaped brush before contacting the heat element. Also provided is a method for transferring an image onto a textile substrate using dye sublimation.

There is provided an ink jet ink set for sublimation transfer, including: a first ink composition containing a first disperse dye and a first dispersant; and a second ink composition containing a second disperse dye and a second dispersant, in which the first disperse dye is the same as the second disperse dye, the content of the first disperse dye in the first ink composition is equal to or greater than the content of the second disperse dye in the second ink composition, the ratio A of the content of the first disperse dye in the first ink composition to the content of the first dispersant in the first ink composition is equal to or greater than the ratio B of the content of the second disperse dye in the second ink composition to the content of the second dispersant in the second ink composition.