The non contract method of substrate decoration is called "Digital Printing". Images, colors and patterns can be created by this method, using computer driven ink-jet nozzles or charged drums. The process of directly printing the textile dyes onto pre-treated fabric, is called as Digital Textile Printing. Digital Textile Printing is quite different from Traditional Textile Printing, and it is considered to be the next generation printing. The only requirement of the Digital Textile Printing is that the fabrics which have to be used must be pre-treated to confirm about their ink holding capacity. A wide range of colors can be obtained through the pre-treatment process.

Literally, we can reproduce the digital images on physical surfaces through Digital Printing. The physical surfaces can be a common paper, a photographic paper, cloth, plastic, film, etc. Through digital printing, thousands of impression of the same object can be drawn from one set of plates. The specialty of Digital Printing is that, unlike ordinary printing, the ink is not absorbed into the paper. Instead of absorption, the ink forms a layer on the surface.

The Dyes which are commonly used for digital textile Inks are as follows: Acid Dye Inks, Reactive Dye Inks and Disperse Dye Inks.

Acid Dye Inks for Digital Textile Printing
Acid Dye Inks are mainly used on wool, albumen fiber, silk and polyamide textile. The printer used for these inks are piezoelectric printers and thermal printers. These dye inks don't block the printer head, have high color saturation and good color fixation. These properties assure us about to get vigorous color.

Reactive Dye Ink for Digital Textile Printing
Reactive Dye Inks can be used on textile of fabric, cotton, silk, wool, nylon and chemical fiber. The printer used for this purpose is mainly of piezoelectric type.

Disperse Dye Ink for Digital Textile Printing
The inks formed from dispersed dyes, are able to generate shinny and reproducible colors in polyester fibers. These inks have excellent and complete end-use properties. The various fixation methods which are used in the conventional methods of textile printing, are also used for the fixation process of disperse-inks in the digital textile printing method. These dispersed inks for digital textile printing, are formulated in the same way as these are formed for the conventional methods of printing. Post processing is required for these Disperse-inks to produce vibrant and colorfast results during their uses in digital textile printing method. These inks are very reliable for long term operations.

Primarily, the digital textile printing enables us to produce very quick prototyping of fabric designs and related products. These reduce the requirements of the traditional methods which are time consuming and expensive. The advantages of Digital Textile Printings are as follows:

• The digital design can be controlled by the customers and they can even watch the digital printing process from remote positions.
• Screen printing takes long time and more money. Digital printing has reduced that time and required cost.
• Now a days, the Just In Time (JIT) delivery is possible along with quick responses.
• It becomes easier to store, transmit and print the computer files.
• It is a cost-effective process for proofing in short run.
• Time which is required for proofing has also been reduced.
• This process is easy to customize, alter and personalize.

An array of opportunities has been opened in front of the designers, merchandisers and sales persons due to the digital printing concept. For this new concept, today it becomes possible that the customers can take a sample of the original digital textile printing before the actual purchase. It enables both the buyers and suppliers, to get satisfied. We don't have to make any screens to print our sample yardage, signs or banners, when we work with digital graphics and textile printing. We can rethink about the use of the design files also if it is required. These make the digital textile process very effective and time saving.

The specifications of DTPT lie in its coloring process. The requirement for screens or rollers to be engraved are eliminated because of the preset colors. In DTPT, a design on textile does not require any set repeat size. Also, there is no color restriction regarding the number of colors. Any graphic that is created on a paper for printing purpose, can be printed on fabrics. The Photographic and Tonal graphic which are created with the help of million of colors in the photoshop, can be also applied on fabrics.

Latest development which has taken place in ink products, color management software and substrates, has enabled users to produce a wide color range and finer printing quality. Addition of a new set of colors, consists of orange, blue green etc. to the conventional process colors of CMYK, has become the new standard for process color. Simultaneously, the development of color management software helps in managing all those complex color systems. DTPT also follows the Drop on Demand Technology. That has permitted to short run production on a variety of substrates with minimum down time. All those factors are responsible for the development of a new look of digitally printed fabrics in the high-end fashion design market.

During the Digital Fabric Printing, it is advisable to choose such a printer, which has an ink delivery system. This system is called as "Piezo". Another advisable step that we should follow is that instead of heating to force out the ink or dye, we should use electro-potential charge. In this new technique, a piece of metal is moved and consequently, it moves out the ink onto the surface to be printed.

This technique is useful for us because in this technique, we can use any dye out of the dyestuff for cotton. Today, pigment dyes have become very popular for digital textile printing. These new pigment dyes don't form a stiff film on the fabric that has to be printed. Other benefits from the use of these pigment dyes are: the users don't have to pre-treat, steam and after wash these, as these things are occurred with other kind of dyes like reactive, acid and disperse dyes. The advancement of the pigment dyes, makes it possible to introduce nice range of colors. The introduction of jewel tones and dark colors, has boosted-up the digital textile printing process.