Fabric Printing with Citra-Solv

Any photograph, image or design that looks good in black and white is a great candidate for printing with Citra-Solv. It's permanent, can be washed in the washer, takes about 2 minutes to do and it's cheap and easy. Once you start printing it's hard to stop because the possibilities are pretty endless.

Step 1 What you need:

1. Citra-Solv. They have an incredible website with product info, art stuff, oder info, go here. If you live in the States you can find it at just about any Whole Foods. But save yourself a trip and go to their website if you live far from town. There are great ideas there that I didn't know about until after I wrote this 'ible.
2. Small shallow bowl
3. Cheap 1" or larger paint brush
4. Fabric you want to print on (this should be the smoothest fabric you can find - usually that means a tight weave, but experiment - if you don't have a lot of detail such as a photo you can use a looser
weave fabric.
5. An iron
6. Access to a copier that uses toner (most do, like a Xerox or Cannon etc.)
7. Newspaper or something to protect your dining room table if need be
8. A big spoon, wooden or metal
9. Some pins
10. Images you want to print

Comments

[craftdesigns]

I've been transfering toner copies to fabric for over 15 years. One hot iron is all it takes...no chilling the fabric or the copy, just slap the copy, image side down, on the fabric and press the paper with a hot iron. DO NOT slide the iron around...pick it up to move from one area to another. Take a peak after all of the image area has been pressed...if the image is transfered, you're good to go. If the transfer is not complete, continue pressing. Do not launder for one week.

If you want to color the print, use markers that are labeld either Textile or Fabric; these markers are intended for fabric and are permanent after heat setting (cover with paper and press with a medium heat iron). To hold the fabric stable while coloring with the marker, press freezer paper to the wrong side of the fabric (shiny side of the freezer paper on the fabric; press on the paper side of the freezer paper with a medium hot iron to secure it to the fabric). After the marker has been heat set, remove the freezer paper (it pulls off easily).

Other options for coloring: fabric paints; acrylic craft paints with a Texile Medium; permanent stamping inks. All of these supplies are applied with a brush. Heat setting usually is required for permanency (that information will be on the label).

If you're determined to use some type of chemical to transfer the image to fabric...go to the drug store and get a fingernail polish remover pen. That cheapo (and easily found) gadget will transfer as well as anything. Be sure to wipe the marker over the back of the entire image area to ensure the transfer of the image to the fabric. When the transfer is complete, press on the wrong side of the fabric to ensure permanancy. Do not launder for a week.

[Light_Lab]

Are you sure you need the Citra-Solv? I have been doing this for years by just ironing the paper with a really hot iron. I mostly use laser printer printouts but they are made by exactly the same process as modern thermal photocopiers.
I am thinking that the Citra-Solv is just acting as a heat transfer medium because you get about the same amount of transfer as I do when I don't pre-chill the paper.
Here briefly is my best method (but I have had success with variations):
(1) Chill your print paper overnight in the fridge (wrap in plastic to avoid condensation).
(2) Print a mirror image of your design out on a B&W or colour laser printer while the paper is still cold.
(3) Re-chill the paper and take it out of the fridge just before ironing.
(4) The iron has to be very hot, it should yellow paper slightly, Make sure the steam setting is off and there is no water in the iron. (And old iron kept for the purpose is best.)
(5) Place the design toner side down onto the fabric on a good flat ironing board and make sure the fabric is flat (pre-iron if needed).
(6) Iron until your patience is gone or the paper goes yellow. At times I have sprayed the paper with water from a mister to try to increase heat transfer.
(7) If you are really lucky the paper will be stuck to the fabric by the fused toner and you will have to wash it off with water. That usually gives the best result. Other times it just falls off dry, that usually means some of the toner will be still stuck to the paper.

[Ninzerbean]

Wow, that sounds great, I assume it it then washable too? Thank you for sharing!

[Light_Lab]

They do fade a bit with washing. This is never a bold full contrast result but sort of rustic so if that is what you are after a bit of fading is OK. I did a black design on a handkerchief about 10 years ago; it has been used and washed hundreds of times and the design is very faded but still visible.
I have been thinking lately that one experiment I haven't tried is to iron from the fabric side. The melted toner should move toward the heat by fluid absorption. Next time!

[Ninzerbean]

Well that is the difference then, I guess the Cirtra-Solv 'melts' the toner during the transfer and because it is plastic it wont fade or wash out. I think your process is only transferring the ink from the image instead of actually embedding the toner into the fabric. Why not write up an 'ible on your technique - I'm sure it would be very popular, I know I would enjoy seeing it.

[Light_Lab]

Are you saying that the Citra-Solv prints don't fade with washing at all? How many times have you washed them? When I say "They do fade a bit with washing." I mean they start to look a little less intense after about 2 or 3 years of typical washing.
I guess I could do an Instructable on it, what would be cool would be to do a proper comparison of several methods to see what works best. I am not sure if I can get Citra-Solv here in Oz though.

[Ninzerbean]

No they don't fade at all with washing - I show that in the 'ible. Even bleach does not effect them - see photos in 'ible. Yes it would be great to see comparables! There is a link to the Citra-Solv site in the 'ibel so you can see if you can get it in Oz - where ever Oz may be. Are you like a munchkin or a witch or Toto or something? I think you can only get the stuff in the real world though. When I use this technique it gets run though so much stuff, like over-dying, bleaching, re-dying and such that even though when it is all finished I usually use the fabric in a quilt, I am not afraid that any more washing will fade it, though a typical quilt only gets washed as much as the cat lies on it and makes it worth washing.

We cold even print the same image - your way and my way and then wash however many times you want and post the results with photos.

[Light_Lab]

Oz = Australia, locals pronounce it Oz-trail-ya so Oz has become a standard in emails and SMS's. Even though I don't drink, there is a lot of beer drunk here and I imagine broom riding witches, dancing scarecrows and munchkins are seen quite often. i{^_^}
As far as the bleach goes; toner colours are predominately pigments not dyes so very resistant to bleach and sunlight; particularly the black. Fused toner is more likely to be lost from fabric by extensive mechanical agitation ie as the fabric fibres wear away. Hence most of my articles that have faded eg the handkerchief, is so threadbare now I would say it is just about had it's day. I really only keep it because it was my first experiment with toner.
I will definitely try to get some Citra-Solv. Actually I should really get serious and checkout exactly what polymer is used for the toner binder and see what appropriate solvents I can find around the lab.
I have to tell you though the "chill trick" pretty well leaves very little toner on the paper when I get it perfect. I suspect that any solvent will only make the lines more diffuse. This would be good for photos but perhaps not as good for text and logos.
Comparing results for the same image is a great idea, I am buried in projects at the moment though, I will take this up thoroughly as soon as I get time.

[Ninzerbean]

I think being that you are so far away (and in the real world) is only the more reason we should try this. We can do a collaborative 'ible, it's pretty easy, we can PM each other to set up the private stats to start it. I am as busy as you are but when the mood strikes you just PM me with an image you want to try and we can go from there. I can send you some fabric samples so we are both working with the same 'ground'.

When we are done we can post a link from this 'ible to our 'ible.

[mmomeny]

Yep, it's ink side down.....I read through all the posts too. I did read one post on another site that said not all toner copy machines are the same. I don't know what that means.....I thought toner, was toner, was toner! I don't feel like driving all over town and stopping to use every copy machine from here to timbucktoo.

[Ninzerbean]

I understand, you can always send them to me to copy and I will send them back to you to print with. Just PM me.

[mmomeny]

I tried this technique. I went to Staples AND to Kinkos to get toner based black and white copies made. I came home and followed this step-by-step and I have no image at all on my material. So I tried it on paper - still nothing!! What am I doing wrong??
I asked the guy at Kinkos if the copy machines were toner based and he said yes. I even peaked in side and saw the toner drum.......

[Ninzerbean]

Are you sure the paper is upside down? I am only asking 'cause there is no reason from what your wrote that this won't work. Have you read through all the comments for anything that may shed light on this? I am as mystified as you are.

[otakutheiii]

 So what machines will work for this, so far all the machines in my town are newer and they don't work for this. Do I need to use an older copier?

[Ninzerbean]

 Well I didn't think so, you have to use a copier that doesn't do anything except copy for one. If it prints also it is not going to use the carbon based toner and of course it must only copy in black and white, that's been covered. I would think that any small office or home based business would have one you may ask to borrow or pay to use. I did not think this was going to be hard but technology advances may have made it so. You are welcome to send my your images and I will copy them for you on mine, pm me.

[vcote]

You need to ask for a printer that uses "toner" if the person doesn't know what you're talking about ask them if the ink is powder or liquid. Powder=toner liquid=waterbased ink. Another way to tell is that usually toner cartriges are giant compare to ink. The print also come out of the copy machine or printer HOT. This is a toner printer.

Most all commercial printer and copy machine are toner printers.

[Ninzerbean]

Of Course! I never thought how simple it is to tell the difference, thank you!

[bradleypowell]

 A lot of small businesses have ink based "all-in-one" printers.  Laser printers and copiers use toner which has a small metal core coated with a substance that can melt (carbon mixed with polymer).  They work by having a laser draw the pattern on a drum, magnetically charging it, and the toner sticks to that charge.  Then the paper rolls against it while being heated, melting the coating on the paper.  This process is probably dissolving the paper fibers and allowing the toner coating to move to the shirt to be melted by the iron.  Since it isn't a stain, bleach wouldn't have any effect...

This is a really great idea!  Thank you very much for the post.

[Ninzerbean]

You are most welcome, but I have to disagree with your idea about the paper fibers because, well actually if you try it (I hope you will) you will just "feel" that that is not the case, but everything else you said is spot on correct. What I believe is happening is that the toner is "melted" away from the paper onto the other surface. Try it and see what you think afterwards.

[xhudaman]

nice ible i was just wondering since i'd like to try this where can i pick up citri solv i've never heard of it before and i dont think i know of stores that carry it so please tell me where in toronto i can pick it up...and 1 more thing i have an hp photosmart if i use the scanner on it to copy the picture will it work?(the comments left me a little confused lol)

[Toaster Muffin]

Check out the Citra-Solv website to find out where to buy it in Canada. No, your printer wont work, you have to use a copy from a carbon based toner copier. If in doubt go around town and get copies made from machines that only copy in black and white, make notes of where you got the copies and see which ones work. 

[xhudaman]

k thanks a lot u helped i will check their site

[vcote]

Canadian tire usually carry it.

[Ninzerbean]

I didn't know my son had logged on before me and I needed to sign out and in again but that answer was mine (the author's) just so you know so it is right, just in case you were thinking just anyone answered you.

[magali1211]

any copier shop where they have these http://media.nbc4i.com/wcmh/gfx.php?max_width=300&imgfile=images/uploads/Cartridge.JPG machines would work? or do i have to ask for the machine brand? hope ypou understood my question! thanks

[Ninzerbean]

I am not familiar with that machine but as long as it copies in black and white and does NOT have the capability to copy in color it should be OK. Check out all the comments here to get an idea. Obviously when I wrote this I thought finding the right machine was the easiest part of this project, but technology being what it is and all I guess it is hard now to find a machine that just does one thing. It may take a bit of trial and error to find a decent old no frills machine that does nothing but copy in black and white.

[vcote]

Actually, color toner prints should work too. the image tends not to be as clear though and sometimes the 4 colors toners do not transfer equally so the colors are distorted. It still looks cool though.

But table top printers print can't work with solvent. It needs to be toner.

[kferin]

I've successfully used this technique for the past year using color printers at my school on fabrics and moleskin notebooks, various types of paper from art stores as well.

[vcote]

Usually, schools buy laser printer because although they are more expensive up front, the cost of toner is much cheaper. Her school most likely had a toner printer, not an inkjet.

[Ninzerbean]

I guess your school's printer uses what is needed, in my experience printers could not be used but technology is changing every week so experimenting pays off, as long as you just make a few to see if they work, so as not to waste time and money. Thanks for the info!

[imshanedulong]

Is there a cleaner you can use instead of Citri-Solv? Any similar ones?

[Ninzerbean]

I think if you read the comments you will find something... probably more toxic so be more careful.

[uhsnamih]

Can we use a laser printer???

[Ninzerbean]

No you can't, you must use a carbon based toner COPIER, not a printer. For a better explanation of why, read through the comments.

[alice4kids]

This is an awesome project thank you for making it so simple! I am looking for summer projects and this is a perfect one to use with young high school girls!

[Ninzerbean]

Take pics and post them! Practice doing it yourself first so you know you have the right copies to work with. Read all the comments for help.

[JessG516]

[Ninzerbean]

 You did it! Looks so cool!

[JessG516]

I finally tried this out! I can't seem to figure out how to get images in my comments, so check out my library on my profile.

I didn't have a paint brush so I used a paper towel since my image was rather simple. 

The words seemed to run a bit. I don't know if that is because of my fabric, lack of brush, or something else.

Great ible!!! Thank you soooo much :) 

[JessG516]

What would be a good way to add some hints of color? What kind of paint could you use just to tint the picture?