So what is the difference between standard dye-based ink and pigment ink and how does it affect me? Let from four points to know their difference.
In order to fully understand the differences between dye and pigment inks, it is important to know how they structurally differ from one another.
Dye inks can be thought of as a sugar solution dissolved in water. Pigments on the other hand, are more like flour suspended in a liquid. These fundamental differences in structural design lead to marked differences in resistance, quality and price.
Water Resistance
As you now know, dye-based inks dissolve readily in water whilst pigment inks do not. Because of this difference, dye-based inks flow through printers more readily, making them the de facto standard for many inkjets. However, if water comes into contact with your labels when printed using dye-based ink, it will come undone from the media causing the ink to run. There are ways of mitigating this effect with the appropriate material choice, but it is important to understand that it cannot be eliminated.
Pigment particles differ in the sense that instead of being absorbed into the media, they become intertwined within the label fibres. Thus, pigmented inks are more water resistant than dye-based inks. Typically, only about 5-10% of the ink will re-flow from the media when it comes into contact with water.
Fade Resistance Pigment UV Resistance
On a molecular level, dye-based inks are spread out. You can think of them when on paper as similar to a beach covered with sand. The ink is laid in a predominately flat fashion creating a high surface area. Because of this, dye-based inks tend to fade quicker, since all of the molecules are exposed to the light, causing the chemical reactions which inevitably lead to a fading effect in as little as 6-12 weeks. However, if your labels are protected from sunlight, they can last up to several years.
New Technology by Epson and others in the industry has been developed in order to reduce the effect light has on dye ink. With the right combination of ink and media, it is possible to achieve resistance somewhat comparable to pigment based inks, although this is challenging to achieve.
Print Quality
Dye-based inks excel at producing high colour vibrancy and saturation with exceptional image detail. If you are looking to achieve colours with a wide gamut and high Dmax (density of black), then dye is the choice. However, it is important to remember that dye-based inks are water soluble, so if they were to come into contact with water, the ink will run from the media.
Pigment based inks, on the other hand, typically don’t produce as vibrant colours as dye, although they can still produce great quality prints. Where pigment inks do stand out is their durability.
When it comes to selecting your inks, it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons against your current requirements in order to find a solution that is ultimately going to work well for you. No two applications are identical.
Pigment vs Dye Price
So now you know the pros and cons of each type of ink, the fundamental question I am sure you are asking is which is cheaper? Typically, dye-based inks come out on top with pigment not too far behind. However, as you know,you are trading away durability for print quality so it depends on what your requirements are. Also, in reality, many ink manufacturers combine various proportions of ink and pigment so it is not strictly speaking a zero sum game regarding your decision. Simply use the points discussed as a guide in order to steer you in the right direction.
Okay, after reading this article, now you have knew the differences of dye based ink and textile pigment ink. If you have any other needs or questions welcome to contact us at any time. We will provide you the best quality product and service. Hope my article can be useful to you. Thank you for your reading.
