A Guide to Reactive Printing Process

Last updated on January 22nd, 2026 at 05:46 pm

The printing process by which application of colour or dye to fabric in a definite design or pattern is done with the help of reactive dye is called reactive printing. After the application of reactive print paste to fabric, the colour creates a bond with the cellulosic fibre and helps to resist washing and friction and also creates the fastness properties.

Reactive Print Paste Preparation Ingredients

1. Sodium hexametaphosphate.
2. Sodium alginate
3. Urea
4. Sodium bicarbonate
5. Resist salted
6. Ecaltex police
7. Kollasol CDA
8. Kerpshin emulsion
9. Water

Sodium hexametaphosphate is used as a sequestering agent to remove hardness of water.

Sodium alginate is used as a thickener. It is also used in reactive print as a thickener to make printing paste.

Urea is used to increase the solubility of the dyes in water and thereby enhance the brightness and intensity of the dyes used.

Sodium bicarbonate is used as soda ash to increase the fixation of dyestuff into fibre molecules.

Ecaltex pol is used as printing oil to increase the softness, and it also helps to pass printing paste through the screen mesh.

Kollasol CDA is used as a defoaming agent. It reduces the produced foam during the making of print paste.

Process Flowchart of Reactive Printing

Fabric washing

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Drying

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Printing (Printing paste and fabric preparation)

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Steaming

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Washing

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Stentering

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Compacting

Importance of Fabric washing & drying

• Increase the absorbency of fabric.
• Helps to remove the oil, wax, and impurities from fabric.
• Increase the penetration of chemicals.
• Helps to control the pH of fabric to increase the dye uptake percentage.

Reactive Printing Procedure Step by Step

Fabric washing and drying before printing

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Gumming cutting need to be do if their scope of gumming cutting allowance

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Before production shade match the fabric with standard fabric

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Screen check

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Color check according to design

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Make window before printing to match the colour with approval

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Print 2-meter fabric to colour check before starting bulk production. Then steaming and washing, then colour matching with approval; if any correction is needed, then do it and go to bulk production.

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Check design with approval and also settings if there any m/c setup problem

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Everything is ok, and then production starts.

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Steaming

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Washing

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Finishing

Some Relative Terms

Steaming

Steaming of reactive print is done at 102 degrees, and the middle time may be 10 to 20 minutes according to shade and design.

Washing

Washing is done to remove unfixed dye and to increase the colourfastness properties. Normally TS as a wetting agent and CRD as a detergent are used.

Finishing

Finishing is done to control dia, GSM, shade, hand feel and having great quality.

Washing Procedure of Reactive Printing   

Cold wash for 5 minutes

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Normal hot wash at 70 degree for 5 minutes

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Hot wash at 80-90 degree for 5 to 10 min with soap/detergent like TS/CRD 2-3 g/l

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Shade check

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Normal hot wash at 50 degree for 5 minutes

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Neutralization by acetic acid for PH=4

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Fixing agent 2 g/l

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Unload

Finishing Procedure

During finishing process, there is a need to check the requirement according to approval

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Need to check required dia, gsm, shrinkage, shade, and have to set up according to required parameters.

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Softeners need to be use according to print type, shade condition and required softness

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Need 2 metres of finished fabric according to this parameter as trial

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Need to check all requirements; if all ok, then start bulk finishing

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If need any correction, then change m/c settings or recipe according to required parameter

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If all is ok, then unload

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Start compacting according to required parameter

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Quality check

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Fabric delivery