阅读说明：本技术 转印印染法 (Transfer printing and dyeing method ) 是由 五十岚宏二 于 2018-04-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供一种满足通用性、简便性、固定性、发色性及精细性的转印印染法。通过下述转印印染法解决了课题,所述转印印染法具有：准备转印用纸的工序(1)；在所述转印用纸上使用颜料墨形成图案而得到转印纸的工序(2)；使所述转印纸与被印染介质密合并进行加热及加压的工序(3)；在使转印纸与被印染介质保持密合的状态下进行加热处理但不进行加压的工序(4)；以及,从被印染介质除去转印纸的工序(5),其中,依次具有所述工序(3)、所述工序(4)及所述工序(5)。(A transfer printing method satisfying versatility, convenience, fixability, color-developing property and fineness is provided. The problem is solved by a transfer printing method comprising: a step (1) for preparing transfer paper; a step (2) of forming a pattern on the transfer paper using a pigment ink to obtain a transfer paper; a step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing and heating and pressurizing the transfer paper; a step (4) in which the transfer paper is heated without being pressed while keeping the transfer paper in close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing; and a step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing, wherein the step (3), the step (4), and the step (5) are provided in this order.)

1. A transfer printing method comprising: a step (1) for preparing transfer paper; a step (2) of forming a pattern on the transfer paper using a pigment ink to obtain a transfer paper; a step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing and heating and pressurizing the transfer paper; a step (4) in which the transfer paper is heated without being pressed while keeping the transfer paper in close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing; and a step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing, wherein the step (3), the step (4), and the step (5) are provided in this order.

2. A transfer printing method comprising: a step (1) for preparing transfer paper; a step (2) of forming a pattern on the transfer paper using a pigment ink to obtain a transfer paper; a step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing and heating and pressurizing the transfer paper; a step (4) of releasing the pressure and performing heat treatment without applying the pressure while keeping the transfer paper and the medium to be subjected to printing in close contact; and a step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing, wherein the step (4) is performed after the step (3), and the step (5) is performed after the step (4).

3. The transfer printing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a step (6) of washing the medium to be printed with water is provided after the step (5).

4. The transfer printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating temperature in the step (3) is 120 ℃ or more and 200 ℃ or less, and the time for heating and pressing is 0.2 seconds or more and 10 seconds or less.

5. The transfer printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the step (4), the temperature of the heat treatment is 120 ℃ or more and 200 ℃ or less, and the time of the heat treatment is 30 seconds or more and 180 seconds or less.

6. The transfer printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of heating is 120 ℃ to 200 ℃ inclusive and the time for heating and pressing is 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds inclusive in the step (3), and the temperature of heat treatment is 120 ℃ to 200 ℃ inclusive and the time of heat treatment is 30 seconds to 180 seconds inclusive in the step (4).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a transfer printing method for forming a pattern on a medium to be printed such as a fabric using transfer paper.

Background

As a method for forming a pattern on a fabric or the like, the following transfer printing method is known: the ink-bearing surface of the transfer paper on which a pattern is formed by the sublimation type printing ink containing the sublimation dye is opposed to the surface to be printed on the medium to be printed, such as a fabric, and heated in this state, whereby the pattern is transferred to the medium to be printed (see, for example, patent document 1). The pattern of the transfer paper is formed by a printing method such as a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, an electrophotographic printing method, and an inkjet printing method. In many cases, the pattern is formed by an inkjet printing method, because the degree of freedom of the ink used is high.

A direct printing method is known in which a pattern is directly formed on a medium to be printed by an inkjet printing method or the like (for example, see patent document 2.

Printing inks for the direct printing method include dye inks and pigment inks. In printing using dye ink, since there are color material compounds corresponding to various colors, a pattern having excellent color development and color tone can be formed on a medium to be printed. However, the dye ink may not sufficiently fix the medium to be printed. There are also cases where the fineness of the pattern is reduced due to insufficient fixation. Therefore, the dye ink requires complicated post-treatment such as a fixing treatment of the medium to be subjected to printing with a pattern formed thereon in order to reinforce fixation. On the other hand, pigment inks are inferior to dye inks in color development and hue, but superior to dye inks in light fastness and water resistance. In addition, the direct textile printing method using the pigment ink is superior to the dye ink in terms of fixation to the medium to be subjected to textile printing, and therefore, it is not necessary to perform complicated post-treatment on the medium to be subjected to textile printing.

For this reason, direct printing methods using pigment inks are receiving attention.

However, it is difficult for the medium to be printed to receive the dye ink or the pigment ink directly and well. Therefore, in order to improve the receptivity of the medium to be subjected to printing with respect to the dye ink or the pigment ink, in many cases, the pretreatment of the medium to be subjected to printing is required in advance. Therefore, there are disadvantages that the pretreatment is troublesome, the cost is high, and the style of the medium to be subjected to printing is changed.

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The following transfer printing method is available: a transfer paper having a pattern formed using sublimation type printing ink is brought into close contact with a medium to be printed and heat-treated, thereby transferring the ink from the transfer paper to the medium to be printed. However, the medium to be subjected to printing with the sublimation printing ink is limited to a medium to be subjected to printing made of polyester fiber, and cannot be subjected to printing with a medium to be subjected to printing made of other fiber such as cotton or nylon.

The following transfer printing method is available: a transfer paper having a pattern formed by using a disperse dye ink containing a dye which is a dye hardly soluble in water in a state in which particles are dispersed with a dispersant in general is brought into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing, and heat treatment is performed to transfer the ink from the transfer paper to the medium to be subjected to printing. However, the medium to be subjected to printing that can be printed with the disperse dye ink is limited to a medium to be printed that is made of hydrophobic fibers such as polyester fibers, acetate fibers, and triacetate fibers.

The present inventors have focused on pigment inks excellent in fixing to various media to be subjected to printing, and have studied a transfer printing method in which a pattern formed on a medium to be subjected to printing can satisfactorily develop color and fineness, based on a transfer printing method in which the medium to be subjected to printing easily receives ink, and have completed the present invention.

The present invention aims to provide a transfer printing method using pigment ink and having the following characteristics.

The medium to be printed is not limited to polyester fiber (general purpose)

Without pretreatment of the medium to be printed (simplicity)

The pattern formed on the medium to be printed is sufficiently fixed (fixability)

The pattern formed on the medium to be printed has sufficient color development (color development property)

The pattern formed on the medium to be printed is sufficiently fine (fineness)

Means for solving the problems

The present inventors have conducted extensive studies to solve the above problems, and as a result, the object of the present invention is achieved as follows.

[1] The invention provides a transfer printing method, comprising: a step (1) for preparing transfer paper; a step (2) of obtaining a transfer paper by forming a pattern on the transfer paper using a pigment ink; a step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing and heating and pressurizing the transfer paper; a step (4) in which the transfer paper is heated without being pressed while keeping the transfer paper in close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing; and a step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing, wherein the step (3), the step (4), and the step (5) are provided in this order.

[2] The transfer printing method according to [1], which comprises a step (6) of washing the medium to be printed with water after the step (5).

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, a transfer printing method having versatility, convenience, fixability, color developability, and fineness can be provided.

Detailed Description

The present invention is described in detail below.

The invention provides a transfer printing method, comprising: a step (1) for preparing transfer paper; a step (2) of obtaining a transfer paper by forming a pattern on the transfer paper using a pigment ink; a step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with a medium to be subjected to printing and heating and pressurizing the transfer paper; a step (4) in which the transfer paper is heated without being pressed while keeping the transfer paper in close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing; and a step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing, wherein the step (3), the step (4), and the step (5) are provided in this order.

In the present invention, "transfer paper" means: paper in a blank state before a pattern to be transferred is printed for use in a transfer printing method. The "transfer paper" means: the transfer paper is printed with a pattern to be transferred to the medium to be printed.

The transfer paper is not particularly limited as long as it can print a pattern to be transferred. As the transfer paper, any of non-coated paper having no coating layer for reducing the production cost and coated paper having a coating layer for receiving ink well on a paper support can be used. As the non-coated paper and the coated paper, various printing papers generally used for printing methods such as an offset printing method, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, an electrophotographic printing method, and an inkjet printing method can be used.

The step (1) of preparing the transfer paper is: a step of obtaining a transfer paper by producing a non-coated paper or a coated paper by a conventionally known method; alternatively, a step of obtaining various printing papers such as commercially available coated paper and non-coated paper to obtain transfer paper.

Examples of the uncoated paper include paper made from paper stock of at least one kind selected from chemical Pulp such as LBKP (Leaf Bleached Kraft Pulp), NBKP (Needle Bleached Kraft Pulp), GP (ground wood Pulp), PGW (pressure group wood Pulp), RMP (Refiner Mechanical Pulp, wood chip Pulp), TMP (thermo Mechanical Pulp), CTMP (ChemiThermoMechanical Pulp ), CMP (ChemiThermoMechanical Pulp, ChemiThermoMechanical Pulp), CGP (ChemiMechanical Pulp), and old paper Pulp such as dipp (ChemiMechanical Pulp, deinked paper Pulp, 1, and if necessary, various fillers such as calcium carbonate, talc, clay, and kaolin, and various additives such as a sizing agent, a fixing agent, a retention aid, a cationizing agent, and a papermaking reinforcing agent. The non-coated paper may include coated paper (japanese painting ossein) obtained by calendering paper, surface sizing with starch, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like, or surface treatment. Further, the non-coated paper also includes coated paper which is subjected to a surface sizing treatment or a surface treatment and then to a calendering treatment.

Paper making is performed by adjusting the paper stock to be acidic, neutral or alkaline and using a conventionally known paper machine. Examples of the paper machine include a fourdrinier machine, a twin-wire machine, a combination machine, a cylinder machine, and a yankee machine.

As other additives, one or more selected from pigment dispersants, tackifiers, fluidity improvers, antifoaming agents, foam inhibitors, mold release agents, foaming agents, penetrants, coloring dyes, coloring pigments, fluorescent brighteners, ultraviolet absorbers, antioxidants, preservatives, mildewcides, water resistance agents, wet paper strength enhancers, dry paper strength enhancers, and the like may be appropriately blended in the paper stock within a range that does not impair the desired effects of the present invention.

The coated paper has a coating layer on at least one side of a base paper, for example. The coating layer may be provided on the base paper by applying a coating layer coating liquid on the base paper and drying.

The method of providing the coating layer on the base paper is not particularly limited. Examples thereof include: a method of coating and drying using a coating apparatus and a drying apparatus which are conventionally known in the field of papermaking. Examples of the coating device include: size press (japanese: サイズプレス), gate roll coater, film transfer coater, knife coater, bar coater, air knife coater, comma coater, gravure coater, bar coater, E-bar coater, curtain coater, and the like. Examples of the drying device include: hot air dryers such as linear tunnel dryers, arch dryers, air circulation dryers, sinusoidal air flotation dryers, infrared heating dryers, dryers using microwaves, and the like.

The base paper is, for example, a paper produced by making a paper stock of at least 1 kind selected from chemical Pulp such as LBKP (LeafBleached Kraft Pulp), NBKP (Needle Bleached Kraft Pulp), GP (Groundwood Pulp), PGW (Pressure group wood Pulp), RMP (Refiner Mechanical Pulp), TMP (thermo Mechanical Pulp ), CTMP (ChemiThermoMechanical Pulp), CMP (ChemiThermoMechanical Pulp), CGP (ChemiMechanical Pulp), Mechanical Pulp such as ChemiMechanical Pulp and spent Pulp such as DIP (inlet Pulp), and if necessary, various fillers such as calcium carbonate, talc, clay, and kaolin, and various additives such as a sizing agent, a fixing agent, a retention aid, a cationizing agent, and a papermaking reinforcing agent. The base paper also includes coated papers obtained by subjecting papermaking papers to a calendering treatment, a surface sizing treatment with starch, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like, or a surface treatment or the like. Further, the base paper also includes coated paper which is subjected to a surface sizing treatment or a surface treatment and then to a calendering treatment.

Paper making is performed by adjusting the paper stock to be acidic, neutral or alkaline and using a conventionally known paper machine. Examples of the paper machine include a fourdrinier machine, a twin-wire machine, a combination machine, a cylinder machine, and a yankee machine.

As other additives, one or more selected from pigment dispersants, tackifiers, fluidity improvers, antifoaming agents, foam inhibitors, mold release agents, foaming agents, penetrants, coloring dyes, coloring pigments, fluorescent brighteners, ultraviolet absorbers, antioxidants, preservatives, mildewcides, water resistance agents, wet paper strength enhancers, dry paper strength enhancers, and the like may be appropriately blended in the paper stock within a range that does not impair the desired effects of the present invention. In the case of a coated paper having a coating layer, a resin sheet support may be used instead of the base paper as long as printing can be performed by, for example, an inkjet printing method.

The coating layer is not particularly limited. The coating layer preferably contains a resin binder and, if necessary, a white pigment and/or various additives known in the art for coating paper. Examples of additives include: a dispersant, a fixing agent, a thickener, a flow improver, a defoaming agent, a mold release agent, a foaming agent, a penetrant, a coloring pigment, a coloring dye, a fluorescent brightener, an ultraviolet absorber, an antioxidant, a preservative, a mildewproofing agent, and the like. The coating layer may contain various additives conventionally known in the transfer printing method as needed. The auxiliary agent is added for optimizing various physical properties of the coating liquid for the coating layer, for improving the dyeing properties of the pigment ink to be transferred, or the like. Examples of the auxiliary agent include various surfactants, humectants, wetting agents, pH adjusters, alkalinizing agents, deepening agents ( stainers), degassing agents, and anti-reducing agents.

Examples of the resin binder include: starch and various modified starches, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose, natural polymer resins or derivatives thereof such as casein, gelatin, soybean protein, pullulan, gum arabic, karaya gum and albumin, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and various modified polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylamide and polyethyleneimine, examples of the resin include thermosetting synthetic resins such as polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, maleic acid resin, acrylic resin, methacrylate-butadiene copolymer resin, styrene-butadiene copolymer resin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, functional group-modified copolymer resins based on a monomer having a functional group such as a carboxyl group, melamine resin, urea resin, and the like, polyurethane resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polyvinyl butyral, and alkyd resin latex.

Examples of white pigments include: inorganic white pigments such as calcium carbonate, kaolin, talc, satin white, lithopone, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, silica, alumina, aluminum hydroxide, activated clay, and diatomaceous earth, and organic white pigments such as plastic pigments.

The step (2) of forming a pattern on transfer paper using pigment ink to obtain transfer paper is a step of: a pattern is printed on a transfer paper using a pigment ink by at least 1 printing method selected from a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, an inkjet printing method, and the like, to produce a transfer paper on which a pattern to be transferred to a medium to be printed is formed. In the method of printing a pattern on transfer paper, an inkjet printing method is preferred from the viewpoint of high image quality and high degree of freedom of ink used.

The pigment ink is an ink in which a color material is a pigment. The pigment of the color material is usually in a dispersed state with respect to the solvent of the pigment ink. The pigment ink of the present invention may contain a pigment as a coloring material, and various solvents such as water and alcohol, and may further contain conventionally known pigment dispersants, resins, and various additives such as penetrants, humectants, thickeners, pH adjusters, antioxidants, and reducing agents, which are used as necessary.

As the pigment of the color material, a pigment coated with a resin can be used. The resin is preferably a resin containing a monomer having at least an anionic group such as acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. The method for obtaining the resin-coated pigment is, for example, as follows. The pigment is dispersed in an aqueous solution in which a resin is dissolved in the presence of a basic compound to obtain a dispersion liquid. The resin is precipitated from the dispersion onto the pigment surface by an ion exchange means or the like. A pigment ink containing a pigment coated with a resin is preferable because of its excellent dispersibility in the ink and excellent fixing properties to a medium to be subjected to printing.

The pigment of the color material can be further broadly classified into an inorganic color pigment and an organic color pigment. The color material may be any of these. Pigments of Color materials are registered in a Color index international database and the like in the form of "c.i. pigment". Typical examples of the pigment as the coloring material include: carbon black, metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal sulfides, ferrocyanides, metal chlorides, and the like. Further, as the organic coloring pigment, there can be mentioned: azo pigments, phthalocyanine pigments, quinacridone pigments, isoindolinone pigments, dioxazine pigments, perylene pigments, perinone pigments, thioindigo pigments, anthraquinone pigments, quinophthalone pigments, and the like.

Examples of pigments of 4 primary colors (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) generally used in the inkjet printing method include c.i. pigment black 7 as a black ink, and c.i. pigment blue 1, c.i. pigment blue 2, c.i. pigment blue 15: 3. c.i. pigment blue 16, etc., and examples of the magenta ink include c.i. pigment red 5, c.i. pigment red 48: 2. c.i. pigment red 57: 1. c.i. pigment red 112, c.i. pigment red 122, c.i. pigment violet 19 and the like, and examples of the yellow ink include c.i. pigment yellow 1, c.i. pigment yellow 3, c.i. pigment yellow 13, c.i. pigment yellow 74, c.i. pigment yellow 83, c.i. pigment yellow 128 and the like.

Sublimation type printing inks composed of sublimation dyes and disperse dye inks composed of disperse dyes belonging to "c.i. disperse" in databases such as Color Index International do not meet the pigment ink of the present invention.

From the viewpoint of fineness, the average particle diameter of the pigment of the color material is preferably 50nm or more and 300nm or less. The pigment dispersant is generally a dispersant used in preparing a dispersion liquid, and is, for example, a polymeric dispersant or a surfactant. As the resin, for example: acrylic resins, styrene-acrylic copolymer resins, fluorene resins, polyurethane resins, polyolefin resins, rosin-modified resins, terpene resins, polyester resins, polyamide resins, epoxy resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resins, and the like.

The step (3) of bringing the transfer paper into close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing and applying heat and pressure is a step of: the surface of the transfer paper on which the ink is formed is brought into close contact with the medium to be subjected to printing, and the medium is heated and pressurized in the close contact state.

The method of heating and pressing is not particularly limited as long as it is a condition that can achieve adhesion and transfer the pigment, which is a color material of the pigment ink, from the transfer paper to the medium to be subjected to printing. The pressing is preferably 1kg/cm in the case of the hot pressing method described below²Above and 12kg/cm²Hereinafter, more preferably 5kg/cm²Above and 10kg/cm²The following. In the case of the roller nip method, the linear pressure is preferably 10kg/cm or more and 150kg/cm or less, and more preferably 20kg/cm or more and 70kg/cm or less. The reason for this is that the transfer of the pigment ink can be achieved without damaging the medium to be subjected to printing. The temperature of heating is preferably 105 ℃ to 220 ℃, and more preferably 120 ℃ to 200 ℃. The reason for this is that the transfer of the pigment ink can be achieved without damaging the medium to be subjected to printing. The time for heating and pressing is preferably 0.05 seconds or more and 15 seconds or less, and more preferably 0.2 seconds or more and 10 seconds or less. The reason is that the medium to be printed is not damaged and the color can be realizedAnd (4) transferring the ink.

More preferably, the heating temperature is 105 ℃ to 220 ℃ inclusive, and the heating and pressurizing time is 0.05 seconds to 15 seconds inclusive. More preferably, the heating temperature is 120 ℃ to 200 ℃ inclusive, and the time for heating and pressurizing is 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds inclusive.

The adhesion can be achieved by, for example, a hot pressing method such as a flat plate type hot press, or a roller nip method (japanese: ロールニップ) such as supercalendering and soft calendering. The heat can be adjusted by the pressing temperature or the roller temperature. The pressurization can be adjusted by pressing pressure or clamping pressure.

The step (4) of heating without pressing while keeping the transfer paper and the medium to be subjected to printing in close contact is a step of: the transfer paper and the medium to be subjected to printing in a state of close contact are heated without being pressurized.

Examples of the method of performing the heat treatment include: hot pressing under non-pressurized conditions including light pressing to the extent that it cannot be generally referred to as pressurization, hot roll apparatus (Japanese: ヒートロールセット method), steam method, thermosetting method, and the like. Examples of the heat source for the heat treatment include an infrared lamp, high-temperature steam, and a metal heater. The temperature of the heat treatment may be a temperature at which the medium to be subjected to printing is fixed with a pigment, which is a color material of the pigment ink, without damaging the medium to be subjected to printing. The temperature of the heat treatment is preferably 105 ℃ to 220 ℃, and more preferably 120 ℃ to 200 ℃ from the viewpoint of not damaging the medium to be subjected to printing. The heat treatment time is preferably 10 seconds to 300 seconds, and more preferably 30 seconds to 180 seconds, as an example.

More preferably, the temperature of the heat treatment is 105 ℃ to 220 ℃ inclusive, and the time of the heat treatment is 10 seconds to 300 seconds inclusive. More preferably, the temperature of the heat treatment is 120 ℃ to 200 ℃ inclusive, and the time of the heat treatment is 30 seconds to 180 seconds inclusive.

In addition, the step (4) can be realized by a method of stopping the pressurization while the heating is performed in the step (3). For example, in the case of the hot press system, the following method is used: a method of heating the transfer paper and the medium to be subjected to printing in a state of close contact under a non-pressurized condition including a light press which is not generally known as a pressurized condition; in the roller nip method, the transfer paper and the medium to be subjected to printing in a state of close contact are brought into contact with the heat roller without applying a nip pressure. In the roller nip type, the minimum nip pressure necessary for conveying the product can be understood as "non-pressurization".

The heat treatment in the step (4) may be at the same temperature as or at a different temperature from that in the step (3). The preferable temperature and time are a temperature of 105 ℃ to 220 ℃ inclusive and a time of 0.05 seconds to 15 seconds inclusive for heating and pressurizing in the step (3), and a temperature of the heat treatment is 105 ℃ to 220 ℃ inclusive and a time of the heat treatment is 10 seconds to 300 seconds inclusive in the step (4). Further preferably, the heating temperature is 120 to 200 ℃ inclusive and the heating and pressurizing time is 0.2 to 10 seconds inclusive in the step (3), and the heating temperature is 120 to 200 ℃ inclusive and the heating time is 30 to 180 seconds inclusive in the step (4). In addition, the temperature in the step (3) and the temperature in the step (4) are preferably the same. The reason for this is that the pattern formed on the medium to be subjected to printing is fixed uniformly.

The step (5) of removing the transfer paper from the medium to be subjected to printing is a step of: the transfer paper is physically peeled from the medium to be printed. The method of removal is not particularly limited, and conventionally known methods are used.

The transfer printing method of the present invention includes the step (3), the step (4), and the step (5) in this order. That is, the step (4) may be performed after the step (3), and the step (5) may be performed after the step (4). Other treatments may be performed between the respective steps as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

The transfer printing method of the present invention preferably includes a step (6) of washing the medium to be printed with water after the step (5). By the step (6), unnecessary components of the pigment ink are removed from the medium to be subjected to printing, resulting in good fixing properties and fineness. The method of washing with water is a conventionally known method and is not particularly limited.

The printing target medium can be patterned by transferring the pigment ink from the transfer paper to the printing target medium, and the printing target medium is not limited to polyester. In addition, pretreatment of the medium to be subjected to printing is not required, and the process can be simplified. It is difficult to physically transfer the pigment ink from the transfer paper to the medium to be printed. However, by providing the step (3) and the step (4) of the present invention and providing the step (5) after the step (4), it is possible to transfer the pigment ink from the transfer paper to the medium to be subjected to printing, with color developability and fineness.

In the present invention, the medium to be printed is not particularly limited to fibers. Examples of fibers include: plant fibers such as cotton and hemp, and animal fibers such as silk, wool, alpaca, angora rabbit hair (Japanese: アンゴラ), cashmere and mohair; regenerated fibers such as rayon, cuprammonium fibers and polynosic fibers; semi-synthetic fibers such as acetate fibers, triacetate fibers and promixol; synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester fibers, acrylic fibers, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane. The structure of the fibers may be a single, blended, mixed or interlaced structure of a knitted fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or the like. Further, these structures may be combined.