An Interview with Eileen Muckenhirn, Market Manager at Elkem Silicones
The demand for technical fibers and textiles is increasing growing in a very wide range of areas, be it consumer goods or specialist applications. Product designers and manufacturers are constantly seeking solutions to develop innovative high-performance textiles that add performance features as well as guarantee durability, comfort and safety.
Elkem Silicones offers a robust range of materials for creating ready-to-use silicone textile printing inks through their BLUESIL™ TCS (Textile Coating Silicones) bases for textile printing. The goal of offering these ready-to-use materials is to offer functional base and catalyst systems that limit the number of materials needed by ink formulators when creating full ranges of pigmented textile printing inks.
Recently we interviewed Eileen Muckenhirn, Market Manager at Elkem Silicones to share about their textile coating silicone solutions and how these solutions add enhanced functional efficiency, comfort and safety in several applications. Let’s hear from her.
#1 - What are the primary markets/applications for this product range?
The Elkem Silicones’
BLUESIL™ TCS System for Textile Printing are 2-part silicone elastomers optimized for use in
formulating inks for textile printing in fashion, sportswear, and protective garment applications. This system is a proven solution for printing via manual and automatic presses through a range of mesh sizes.
Screen printing is most widely used for apparel embellishment. Advancements in Elkem’s offering for silicone inks make it advantageous to use this well-established process to apply elastomeric silicone pattern coatings in applications beyond apparel embellishment such as compression garments, wearable devices, and protective wear.
#2 - What are the chief benefits of using this system for your customer?
The screen-printing industry has historically used plastisol, PVC, or water-based PU inks when printing onto fabrics used in fashion & sportswear. An increasing demand in screen-printing on performance wear and specialty applications has driven the industry to find a higher performance printing ink. Printers and ink formulators are seeking inks that are
environmentally friendly and provide high-performance features required for the latest printing needs.
Our silicone system for textile printing is not only environmentally sustainable, but also provides the high-quality performance features screen printers and formulators are looking for:
- Easy to process & clean
- Customizable
- High elongation so printed images do not crack on high stretch fabrics
- Excellent durability to last through wash cycles and harsh conditions
- Environmentally sustainable
#3 - How do your materials stand out from their competition?
Elkem’s silicone system for textile printing addresses all the performance needs of formulators and printers. Unlike competitive materials, including PVC or PU, silicone-based printing inks are environmentally friendly and offer higher performance features to keep up with the demands in the industry.
The system is designed with viscosity and rheology needs in mind, so formulators can provide inks for printing 3-Dimensional images without stringing or an image with a very low profile and soft hand. The work-life of the system after being catalyzed is >16 hours,
allowing printers flexibility in production.
Other key performance factors include:
- Low cure temperatures to prevent dye migration
- Fast cure at elevated temperatures
- Long work time (>16hours) at room temperature
- Viscosity and thixotropic properties can be used in a variety of screen-printing methods and mesh sizes
- Easily customized with pigments and fillers
- Excellent adhesion onto textiles including polyester, cotton, nylon, and blends
- High bond strength without primer on textiles from different origins
- Durable Finish - Washable
- Heat resistant
#4 - Why choose Silicones for textiles printing inks?
Elkem Silicones has developed a dynamic product offering to support the application needs of the textile printing industry. Our range includes several bases as well as specialty additives. The silicone system provides formulators and printers with a toolbox to
develop the print effect that meets their specific requirements.
Advancements in Elkem’s offering for silicone inks make it advantageous to use this well-established process to apply elastomeric silicone pattern coatings in applications beyond apparel embellishment such as compression garments, wearable devices, and protective wear.
Silicone Inks for Textile Screen Printing
Elkem Silicones for Textiles
View all the commercially available
Elkem silicones for textiles, analyze technical data of each product, get technical assistance or request samples
About Eileen Muckenhirn
Eileen Muckenhirn is a Market Manager at Elkem Silicones focused on textile coating and LSR markets. Trained as a chemical engineer, she has over 10-years of experience in the silicone industry. Prior to her roles in marketing, Eileen was a technical service representative for Elkem’s healthcare product range leading product development and servicing customers.
Eileen’s enthusiasm for delivering innovative silicone solutions to the customer lead her to marketing where she is developing go-to-market strategies for new silicone innovations that meet the market's evolving needs.