Benefits of Starch Ethers for Textile Printing
At Chemstar we have been serving the textile printing industry for nearly 30 years. Carboxymethyl starch, also known as starch ether, is an important component of thickener systems for continuous run printing of textiles on rotary or flatbed screen printers. It is also a natural extension of our product lines.
When we first got started in the textile industry much of the U.S. textile manufacturing resided in the Carolinas. As the mills began to shut down, we were introduced to a company called AMERITEX Corporations. They knew our product, knew the applications it worked best for and had strong connections with mills in Pakistan, Turkey and certain regions in Asia. It’s through this connection with AMERITEX that we continue to serve the global textile printing market today.
The Role of Starch Ethers in Printing Paste Thickeners
The thickener system is a crucial component of a print paste and serves two purposes. First, the thickener gives the print paste the proper rheology or flow characteristics so the color can be applied uniformly and evenly. Second, it holds the color in place so that one color paste can be applied adjacent to another without the colors bleeding.
Overview of GlucoStar® C-500 Series
Our product line includes GlucoStar C-500, C-500 HV, and C500 HV+. Available in flake form for ease of mixing and lump free solutions, they provide a stable viscosity point, rinse out easily and provide a smooth finish. Matched to the type of dyestuff and to the fabric to be printed,
GlucoStar starch ethers help create vibrant colors, sharp print edges, as well as penetrated color when desired. The series works particularly well on camouflage prints with vat dyes; with disperse dyes on various weights of polyester, and with most discharge processes.
Our unique process allows us to modify C-500 in a way that assures complete and total solubilization of the starch. The absence of insolubles is crucial as to not plug the printing screens during operation. In fact, many customers have said competitive products have struggled to meet the performance of C-500 in terms of color retention and solubility.
Global Solutions
There have been indications that textile manufacturing is slowly returning to the United States, which would be a welcomed sign for the U.S. economy. But our partnership with AMERITEX allows us to serve textile mills around the world or in our backyard. If you would like to discuss your textile printing needs in greater detail, please let me know. Or contact our associates at AMERITEX Corporations.
-Cory Bernu