Is it safe to use a fabric to discharge printing paste?

Most discharge printing pastes are made of zinc, formaldehyde, hyposulfite (ZFS), so people naturally care about its toxicity. In fact, the discharge printing paste is safe to use, but there are some considerations in production that should be kept in mind.

Discharge printing pastes produce harmful, irritating odors when heated, so they must be removed from the printing site when cured. This odor is usually no more harmful than the odors encountered in everyday life. However, because they are irritating to the nose and respiratory system, it is necessary to exclude them from the printing site. In the discharge printing process, there are some byproducts that may be released into the air, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and oxides of sulfur and zinc. There is a very simple dual filtration device that can easily discharge airborne pollutants outdoors. Many companies have conducted air quality tests to bring the air to normal levels. Some reports indicate that the use of discharge printing paste is very safe if it is handled in accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer of the discharge printing paste and is guided by material safety data (Material Safety Data Sheets, abbreviated as MSDS). The safety data for the printing paste has shown that it is a stable compound and has no obvious hazards. It has not been listed as a carcinogen by any organization.

In summary, it is very safe to use environmental protection measures properly when using printing paste. Potentially harmful residues such as formaldehyde may be involved in the printing process, as is the case with any printing process. Manufacturers of printing pastes tested the printed fabrics and found that the formaldehyde content was much lower than the normal 5/1000 standard in the general apparel industry. It is worth noting that in the production of fabrics, formaldehyde is a common material and not only used in the discharge process. For this reason, people should understand that all clothing should be cleaned before it is worn.

Another thing to note is the security of the device. It is advisable to use a gas drying box when curing, instead of using infrared drying equipment. Most discharge printing pastes are water-based, and when solidified, water is released from the ink into the gas in the drying oven. The gas drying box is sufficient to dry the moisture therein, and the electronic drying box may rust after being used for a long time.