image from : www.grant.org/plewins/india2000/Artists/block.html

Block printing on cloth for the clothing market has been in circulation since the time of the Ancient Egyptians. India and China both too have rich histories in printing cloth to be worn as garments. In Peru, prior to the settlement of the Spanish in the sixteenth century, the Incan society had a highly developed method of printing. In the seventeenth century, with high society in Europe driving fashion trends, the popularity of hand painted and block printed calico from India increased rapidly. The superiority of fine fabric and bright designs from India lead to their ban in France and England until they were eventually lifted in 1759 as the European mills perfected the art of copies.

Mid eighteenth century saw the start of the industrial revolution and the introduction of new technologies. Block printing was replaced by mechanised roller printing. Mass produced textiles for both the home and for fashion began. Although the high volume of printed fabric tended to lessen the quality of the designs, it also made them far more affordable which in turn showed an increase in middle to lower class people wearing printed fashions.

Flatbed screen printing was introduced in the 1930’s with improvements in stencil application throughout the years. Fibre developments and metal verse wooden screens also saw dramatic improvements to the accuracy and multi coloured designs printed. The 1950’s mechanised flatbed printing and in 1962 rotary printing was introduced.

Digital textile printing in the late 1980’s radically changed textile design and production for the fashion industry. Dye sublimation printing furthered this impact in the 1990’s. The creative possibilities, aesthetics and photographic replication have considerably increased a designer’s choice for quality printed fashion textiles. This digital fabric printing technology is constantly being improved and modified; opening doors to all areas of innovative fashion design the world over.

Take a closer look in our other article on digital fabric printing prospects.