Heat-Curing vs Self-Drying Suede Silicone Ink for Textile Screen Printing
Suede effect silicone printing can be produced using different drying and curing systems.
XG-866ART is designed for heat-curing textile screen printing, while XG-20ART is designed for self-drying production.
Both systems can create a soft, fine suede-style silicone surface, but their formulations and production methods are different.
For the complete product overview, see Suede Effect Silicone Ink For Textile Screen Printing.
XG-866ART Heat-Curing Suede Silicone
XG-866ART is intended for factories using heat during the silicone screen-printing process.
The main formulation is based on:
- XG-866ART + XG-866B-2 + Pigment + XG-128AH
The listed mixing ratio for the main silicone system is:
- 100:2
- XG-866B-2 is normally added at approximately 2–3%.
- XG-128AH thinner can typically be adjusted around 10% according to printing requirements.
Typical Heat-Curing Process
A general printing sequence may be:
Base Silicone → Flash Dry → Suede Silicone → Flash Dry → Additional Suede Layer if Required → Final Oven Cure
The exact drying and curing conditions depend on:
- Fabric type
- Silicone thickness
- Number of printed layers
- Production equipment
- Complete silicone formulation
Specific curing parameters should therefore be confirmed through production testing.
XG-20ART Self-Drying Suede Silicone
XG-20ART is designed for production where a self-drying silicone system is preferred.
Its listed mixing ratio is:
- 10:1
Available additive systems include:
- XG-MB-1
- ZB-1
- KB-1
- TMB-1
The additive level is typically about 10%, depending on the selected formulation.
XG-128AH can also be used to adjust printing viscosity.
Typical Self-Drying Process
A basic structure may be:
Base Silicone → Dry → XG-20ART Suede Layer → Dry → Additional Layer if Required → Complete Drying
Actual drying behavior depends on the additive system, workshop environment, print thickness and textile substrate.
Color Options
Both systems can be combined with silicone pigments.
Available standard pigment references include:
- XG-102 White
- XG-501 Black
- XG-302 Red
- XG-203 Yellow
- XG-408 Blue
Other colors can be developed according to the required design.
Which System Should You Choose?
The main selection factor should be the production line.
Choose XG-866ART when:
- Heat curing is already part of production
- Flash drying equipment is available
- Final oven curing is used
- The factory already operates a heat-curing silicone printing system
Choose XG-20ART when:
- Self-drying production is required
- The workflow does not rely on the same heat-curing process
- The selected additive system matches the required drying conditions
- The products should not be treated as interchangeable without confirming the complete formulation.
Printing Layers Still Need Testing
Selecting the curing system does not automatically determine the correct number of suede layers.
One or two layers can be evaluated as a starting structure, while additional printing may be used according to texture and thickness requirements.
For detailed guidance, read How Many Printing Layers Are Needed for Suede Effect Silicone Ink?
Consider the Final Textile Application
Different products place different demands on the print.
Garment graphics, socks, elastic webbing and raised decorative structures do not necessarily use the same screen configuration.
For clothing applications, see Suede Effect Silicone Printing for Garment Logos, Patterns and Textile Graphics.
For narrow textile components, see Suede Effect Silicone Printing for Socks, Webbing and Textile Accessories.
Before bulk production, confirm the silicone model, pigment, additive system, thinner ratio, printing passes, fabric and drying method through sample testing.