1
Printing
Print the sublimation ink onto the polyester socks.
Watch the Production Process in Action
See how different ink types work on their matching sock materials.
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Polyester Socks Printing Production Process
Printing Workflow by Ink & Material
Each material requires a different pre-treatment and post-printing process to fix the ink properly. Select an ink type to see its matching material and step-by-step workflow.
2
Drying
Dry the printed socks in a heating oven to sublimate the ink into the fiber.
3
Package
The process is complete; pack the finished socks for delivery.
1
Soaking
Soak the cotton socks in the pretreatment liquor so the fiber can absorb the reactive ink evenly.
2
Spin-dry
Spin-dry the soaked socks to remove excess liquor and keep the fabric uniformly damp.
3
Printing
Print the design onto the cotton socks with reactive ink on the sock printer.
4
Dry
Dry the printed socks to remove surface moisture before steaming.
5
Steaming
Steam the socks so the reactive dye reacts with and bonds to the cotton fiber.
6
Washing Finishing
Wash off unfixed dye and residual chemicals from the socks.
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Dry
Dry the socks again after washing.
8
Package
The process is complete; pack the finished cotton socks for delivery.
1
Soaking
Pre-treat the cotton or cotton-blend socks by soaking to improve pigment ink adhesion to the fiber surface.
2
Spin-dry
Spin-dry the soaked socks to remove excess liquor and keep the fabric uniformly damp.
3
Printing
Print with pigment ink onto the cotton or cotton-blend socks.
4
Drying
Dry the printed socks to remove moisture.
5
Color Fixation (Optional)
When required, cure the socks to fix the pigment firmly onto the fiber surface; this step is optional.
6
Package
The process is complete; pack the finished socks for delivery.
1
Soaking
Pre-treat the nylon socks by soaking to prepare the fiber for ink adhesion.
2
Spin-dry
Spin-dry the soaked socks to remove excess liquor and keep the fabric uniformly damp.
3
Printing
Print with acid ink onto the nylon socks.
4
Dry
Dry the printed socks to remove surface moisture.
5
Steaming
Steam the socks so the acid dye reacts with and bonds to the nylon fiber.
6
Washing Finishing
Wash off unfixed dye and residual chemicals from the socks.
7
Dry
Dry the socks again after washing.
8
Package
The process is complete; pack the finished nylon socks for delivery.
How Custom Socks Are Printed
Taking polyester socks as an example, the following is the complete production process of using a sock printer to print custom polyester socks — from preparing the design file to packing and delivering the finished product.
1
Design
Adjust the personalized image in Photoshop (PS) to the correct sock-printing size, preparing it for the subsequent printing process.
2
RIP
Input the adjusted image into the RIP software and process it to completion for color separation and output preparation.
3
Launch the printing software, open the processed RIP file, and start printing onto the polyester socks.
4
Finish
Once the printed socks have been dried in the heating oven, the ink is fully set and the entire process is complete.
5
Pack & Deliver
The custom socks are finished and ready to be packed and delivered to the customer.
Ready to Print Your Custom Socks?
Contact us today for a free consultation and let our experts help you find the perfect printing solution for your business.