Where the white layer has to work.
| Route | Interface to evaluate | Check the finished result |
|---|---|---|
| DTF | Ink on coated film, then powder and transfer adhesive | Release, edge quality, adhesion and durability after transfer |
| DTG | Ink with the actual fabric, surface finish and pretreatment | White underbase, colour edges, cured-film handle and garment durability |
| Corrugated | Ink with the liner, any coating or primer, and drying system | Rub resistance, stacking behaviour, folds and converting quality |
DIRECT TO FILM
DTF: follow the white layer through the transfer.
Evaluate the printed film and the transferred garment as separate stages. A smooth white layer on film does not, by itself, establish transfer durability.
- Film and ink laydown: check wetting, coalescence, colour-to-white registration and coverage on the film coating being used.
- Powder and heating: evaluate powder pickup, even melting and removal of excess powder. Record the powder, film, heating equipment and ink laydown together.
- Transfer and release: follow the film's specified peel method, then inspect edges, adhesion, stretch and washing performance on the intended garment.
Do not adopt one universal temperature or dwell time. Epson's DTF Film Printing Guide illustrates how conditions depend on the film, powder, equipment, fabric and ink amount. For the broader workflow, see our DTF printing process article.
DIRECT TO GARMENT
DTG: qualify the fabric and pretreatment together.
The fabric is part of the ink system. Build the trial around the actual fibre blend, garment colour and surface finish, rather than assuming a result on one cotton shirt transfers to every garment.
- Pretreatment: where required by the printer and ink process, compare application uniformity and amount. Inspect staining, uneven white coverage and pooling rather than judging only initial brightness.
- White underbase and CMYK: compare edge definition, bleed and colour reproduction at the intended white laydown. Keep the substrate and pretreatment constant when comparing formulations.
- After curing: assess washing, dry and wet rubbing, cracking and handle using agreed methods. Include dye-migration screening where the garment and process make it relevant.
Brother's GTX pretreatment guidance explains why both excessive and insufficient pretreatment can affect appearance and durability in that system. Its settings are not an S701 formulation recipe.
CORRUGATED PACKAGING
Corrugated: first establish whether white ink is needed.
Check the liner colour, any existing white coating, the artwork and whether the press supports a white channel. Do not assume every corrugated workflow needs or can print an additional white layer.
- Surface interaction: compare the actual liner and coating or primer. Record absorption, ink holdout and the appearance of the dried print.
- Drying at production speed: evaluate the proposed white laydown with the available dryer, then check rub resistance and set-off during stacking.
- Converting: inspect adhesion and damage after scoring, folding and other intended finishing. Agree on packaging-use requirements before the trial; a colourant choice alone is not a compliance certificate.
The HP PageWide C550 process overview is an example of a specific aqueous corrugated system. It is not evidence that S701 is compatible with that press.
Bring a process-specific trial brief.
Record the printer and printhead, fluid-path requirements, substrate identity, binder or ink vehicle, production speed and drying or curing equipment. For DTF, add film and powder details; for DTG, the garment and pretreatment; for corrugated, the liner, surface treatment and converting route.
Keep a reference ink or approved print as the benchmark, and agree on the test methods and acceptance criteria before comparing samples. For the dispersion itself, use the AIC-WHITE S701 product information and TDS.
INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL LITERATURE
What TiO₂ surface-modification research can tell us.
Wang and co-authors compared silica-coating morphologies and silane grafting on TiO₂ pigments for cotton printing pastes. The study provides a useful research example of how surface structure, dispersibility and optical performance interact.
Its scope matters: the experiments concern binder-containing textile printing pastes, not AIC-WHITE S701, a particular inkjet printhead, DTF transfer or packaging compliance. The paper is background literature, not an AIC product test report or proof of an identical formulation.
Reference: Lei Wang, Guangyuan Xie, Xiang Mi, Bin Zhang, Yu Du, Qiuyu Zhu and Zhicheng Yu. Surface-Modified TiO₂@SiO₂ Nanocomposites for Enhanced Dispersibility and Optical Performance to Apply in the Printing Process as a Pigment. ACS Omega, 2023, 8(22), 20116-20124. Read the publisher's article · DOI 10.1021/acsomega.3c02679 ↗
This section contains AIC's own brief commentary and a link to the original publication. No full article text, figures or translated full-text download is hosted here.
Process references and their limits.
The Epson, Brother and HP sources linked above describe their own equipment and materials. They help identify evaluation variables; they do not establish AIC-WHITE S701 compatibility, operating settings, approval or certification. Follow the relevant OEM and consumable-supplier instructions for the actual system.