From raw material to the finished scarf – insight into production in Italy
Visit to Como
Many different steps are necessary to turn a white fabric into finished scarves “Made in Italy”. The production facility is located in a village south of Como in northern Italy. GetYourScarf works exclusively with this textile printing specialist.
Although large machines are at work, a lot of manual labor goes into the production of a scarf.
The following story briefly summarizes all the steps in the process.
Impressions of Como and surroundings
Data check
During the data check, the digital print templates are checked on the monitor. To get an optimal print result, the resolution of the image file must be large enough. During this step, changes can also be made to the print template, e.g. color adjustments can be made.
Data check: The print template is checked
Pretreatment of the substance
The raw material must be pre-treated for textile printing. To ensure that the ink applied does not run later during the printing process and can be absorbed well into the fabric, the base material must be prepared in a bath.
After the bath, the fabric is brought to the final width by pulling (“stenter frame”) and rolled up. Now the fabric panel is either stored as a reserve or goes straight on to the printing process.
Preparation and stenter frame: Pretreatment and setting the size
The printing process itself represents the main part of the production: now comes color on the scarf! The most common method is inkjet printing. This also allows small quantities to be produced.
The principle works very similarly to a printer at home. The prepared white fabric panel is inserted into the back of the printer. Fabric is now unrolled step by step and pulled forward. At the top, the print head moves in strips over the flatly laid-out fabric. Thus, step by step, the motif is printed on the raw material. At the bottom, the printed fabric is rolled up again.
Inkjet digital printing: the fabric is printed with the digital template
Steaming & Fixing
In order for the printed ink to adhere to the fabric, the printed fabric panels are heat-fixed. This is done by means of steam at approx. 150°C.
Steaming: The color is fixed
Wash out
Now the fabric panels are washed out and dried. This ensures that excess paint and other residues are removed.
Aftercare
Similar to the preparation, the fabric panels are now finished with the same machine. This means: bath for post-treatment and pulling/stretching for final shape.
Washing out: Removal of any residues
Quality control
Quality control inspects the fabric and printing. A certain tolerance must be granted. This is in the nature of things – textiles are “fluid” and cannot be printed within a fraction of a millimeter like a piece of metal.
Quality control: inspection of printing and processing
Confection
In the konfection, the fabric panels are cut first. The scarves are cut out of the fabric panel, so to speak. Experienced seamstresses then process the edges of the scarves either by machine or by hand. In addition, the label with the fabric information is applied in the konfection.
Shipping
Each scarf is packed individually in a plastic bag. Now everything is ready for shipping. By DHL the scarves arrive from Italy to the customers in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany or Austria.
Confection: cutting and sewing the edges
