GB2535733A

GB2535733A - A decal and a method of manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: GB2535733A
Application number: GB1503137.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenny Patrick; Kenny Don
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-02-25
Filing date: 2015-02-25
Publication date: 2016-08-31
Also published as: GB201503137D0

Abstract

A decal comprises a fusible woven polyester substrate pre-impregnated with sublimation dye. A method of manufacturing the decal comprises printing a decal pattern 37 onto a fusible, woven polyester substrate (31, Fig.3a) with a sublimation dye, and laser cutting the decal pattern out of the polyester substrate. There is also disclosed a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle. The method comprises the steps of (i) placing a decal with the pattern 37 onto the receptacle (41, Fig.3f), the decal comprising a fusible, woven polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye; (ii) covering the decal with an application carrier 43, 45; and (iii) applying heat and pressure to the decal through the application carrier until the polyester decal has bonded to the receptacle. By using the decal and the method to print onto fabric material, a richer image constructed from an extensive colour palette may be printed onto the fabric receptacle. Furthermore, the printed article will have improved tactile, aesthetic and aging properties compared to conventional printing methods.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GII1503137.0 RTM Date:27 July 2015 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Epson Surecolor Mimaki Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk /ipo "A decal and a method of manufacturing same"

Introduction

This invention relates to a method for sublimation dye transfer printing of manufactured products made from natural and synthetic fibres and of any base colour. The invention further relates to the manufacture of a decal and a method of manufacturing the decal.

For the purpose of this document, we define a decal as a prepared material containing a picture which will permanently stick to a fabric when heat pressed. The decals are to be supplied to end users for thermosetting onto finished fabric products, mainly garments, by using a heat press.

Sublimation dyes chemically bond with polyester fabric to produce colourfast vibrant garments when thermoset in a heat press of rotary calander with heat and pressure. To date, this method of fabric printing has been used almost exclusively to print rolls of white polyester for the cut and sew industry and home decoration fabrics industries. The great difficulty in the past has been the inability to print cotton and other natural fibres by sublimation transfer. Furthermore, it has not been possible to print on dark colour fabrics, even polyester.

It is desirable to be able to use sublimation dyes on natural fabrics because of their colour vibrancy and fastness (wash and wear durability). Currently, there are some methods of sublimation on natural fabrics. Some involve spraying a liquid polyurethane coating onto the fabric and then thermosetting the sublimation dyes to this coating. This is only usable on white fabrics and negatively affects the feel and drape of the garment. Other methods involve using a polyester fabric or flock on an adhesive layer. These are typically very heavy and stiff fabrics and because of this their use is limited to small size decoration on garments. These are also expensive to produce due to the manufacturing process involved.

There are a number of techniques for printing indicia onto articles such as screen printing, vinyl printing and sublimation printing. However, there are pros and cons with each of the known techniques. For example, screen printing is relatively simple to -2 -perform and the inks used in screen printing are inexpensive. However, screen printing is prohibitively expensive for small runs as there are significant set up costs incurred preparing suitable screens. Furthermore, screen printing is typically restricted to low definition images and limited colour palettes. Vinyl printing overcomes the problems of low definition images and limited colour palettes experienced with screen printing techniques and allows for more vibrant and complex images to be printed on the articles. However, vinyl printing techniques are also not entirely satisfactory due to the fact that the vinyl will crack over time leading to a product that does not age well and will become unsightly over time. Furthermore, images printed using vinyl printing techniques are not breathable and are considered uncomfortable to wear, particularly if the image is large.

In addition to the foregoing, vinyl images can adversely affect the drape of a garment. Finally, sublimation printing techniques have been used in limited circumstances. Sublimation printing results in a high definition, high quality end product however due to the fad that sublimation printing is only used with polyester garments, it has had limited application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of printing an article that overcomes at least some of the problems with the known methods. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decal and a method of manufacturing a decal that can be used subsequently in the printing of an article.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide decals ready for thermosetting by the end user and the manufacture of such decals.

Statements of Invention

According to the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle comprising the steps of: placing a decal with the pattern onto the receptacle, the decal comprising a fusible, woven polyester substrate pre-impregnated by direct to fabric printing with a sublimation dye; covering the decal with an application carrier; and -3 -applying heat and pressure to the decal through the application carrier until the polyester decal has bonded to the receptacle.

By having such a method, it is possible to use a full palette of colours and provide more defined images and indicia than was heretofore the case with screen printing techniques. Indeed, it is possible to use full digital printing. Advantageously, the method does not suffer from the numerous shortcomings of vinyl printing techniques such as cracking of the substrate or fading of the print. By virtue of the fact that the polyester decal and sublimation dye bond with the fabric receptacle and effectively become integral therewith, the shape, feel, elasticity and breathability of the fabric receptacle will remain largely unchanged, leading to an article that is more hardwearing, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the method comprises the initial step of removing a release silicon sheet from the decal prior to placing the decal onto the receptacle.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle comprising the subsequent step of removing the application carrier once the heat and pressure have been removed and the polyester decal has bonded to the receptacle.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the step of placing a decal comprising a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye onto the receptacle comprises placing a multi-layered polyester substrate onto the receptacle. This is seen as a particularly advantageous aspect of the present invention. By using a multi-layered polyester substrate decal it will be possible to use the current technique to print on coloured articles.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a receptacle in which the step of placing a decal comprising a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye onto the receptacle comprises placing a fusible -4 -polyester substrate onto the receptacle. By using a fusible polyester substrate, it will not be necessary to provide an additional layer of adhesive or perform an adhesive application step.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the step of placing a decal comprising a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye onto the receptacle comprises placing a woven polyester substrate onto the receptacle. Woven polyester is preferred due to its mechanical strength. The woven polyester will not have a tendency to crack and deteriorate over time. The woven polyester also has a naturally pleasing texture.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the step of placing a decal comprising a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye onto the receptacle comprises placing a polyester substrate with a weight of no more than 80 grammes per square metre onto the receptacle.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the step of placing a decal comprising a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with a sublimation dye onto the receptacle comprises placing a polyester substrate with a weight of no more than 40 grammes per square metre onto the receptacle. This is seen as a preferred embodiment. By using this weight of material, the weave in the polyester material will not be too prominent. Therefore, it will not detract from the texture or the appearance of the printing.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the receptacle is constructed from a natural fabric material.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the receptacle is constructed from a cotton material.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the receptacle is a finished garment. -5 -

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the receptacle is a T-shirt.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of printing a pattern onto a fabric receptacle in which the receptacle is a towel, t-towel, apron, scarf, hat, bag, flag.

The main advantage of the method according to the invention is that it uses a widely available fabric which provides a cheap and reliable base substrate making the method more commercially viable. The base substrate is typically a pure white 40gsm (grammes per square metre) 100% polyester fusible woven interlining which has a PA or PES coating and double dot heat adhesive on one side and a smooth surface for printing on the other. Preferably, one layer of the material is used for white garments and two layers of 40gsm or a single layer of 80gsm interlining is used on dark garments. The fabric used for the substrate in the method also has these other advantages; easy to print with sublimation dyes, lightweight, soft feel, stretchable and superior wash and wear durability.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal for permanent pressing to an item at a later stage, comprising the steps of: printing a decal pattern onto a fusible, woven polyester substrate with sublimation dye; and laser cutting the decal pattern out of the polyester substrate.

This is seen as a very simple and efficient method of manufacturing a decal. The equipment used to print the decal is conventional and it will be possible to produce small quantities of decal patterns in a cost effective manner. It is envisaged, that by using this technique, third parties will be able to provide their decal designs to decal manufacturers in standard file formats and those designs can be realised without delay. The decals are then easy to transport as they are light, non-fragile and have a reasonable shelf life. By centralising the decal production, smaller print/manufacturing companies will be able to have their designs produced and delivered quickly for final thermosetting at their premises. -6 -

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal comprising the initial step of mounting the polyester substrate onto an adhesive paper backing sheet. The polyester substrate is preferably mounted in large rolls (typically 1 to 1.5 metres wide) onto the adhesive paper backing sheet using a standard large format laminating roller. For double-layered polyester substrates, the fabric is double layer mounted onto the backing paper by first hot laminating the two polyester layers together on the same laminating machine and then cold laminating onto the adhesive backing paper. By mounting the polyester substrate onto a backing sheet, the polyester substrate can be handled using conventional printing apparatus such as a normal 4 colour large format printer such as an Epson Surecolour T7000. Alternatively, a more specialized fabric printer such as a Mimaki Tx400-1800D of a specialized sublimation dye printer such as an Epson Surecolour F6070 can be used.

In one embodiment of the invention, the step of laser cutting the printed decal patterns comprises feeding the printed roll of printed polyester substrate on the adhesive backing paper into a rotary table CO2 laser cutting machine which is equipped with a CCD camera for auto recognition and plotting of the designs. The design outline shapes are accurately cut by laser which is necessary as the material requires non-contact cutting due to its light weight and the requirement that the laser thermo seals the cut edge to prevent fraying of the decal. The laser cutting also serves to bond the edges of multi layered fabrics in the case of the double layered decals.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal comprising the step of removing the decal pattern from the backing sheet after cutting and placing the cut decal pattem onto an application carrier. By placing the decal pattern onto an application carrier, it will be possible to transport the decal patterns without causing damage to the patterns during transit.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of placing the cut decal pattern onto an application carrier comprises placing the cut decal pattern onto baking paper. -7 -

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of placing the cut decal pattern onto an application carrier comprises placing the cut decal pattern onto a heat resistant flexible plastic sheet having an adhesive coating on one face thereof for releasable engagement of the cut decal pattern. This is seen as a useful way of preparing complex decal patterns with multiple components for transport and subsequent application onto an article. The adhesive on the application carrier will keep the elements of the complex decal in position relative to each other before and during their application onto an article. By heat resistant, what is meant is a plastic sheet with a melting temperature of the order of 250°C.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the application carrier further comprises a silicon sheet and in which the cut decal pattern is sandwiched intermediate the flexible plastic sheet and the silicon sheet.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of cutting the decal pattern out of the polyester substrate comprises cutting the decal pattern out with a laser cutter. A laser cutter is seen as particularly useful as it will seal the periphery of the decal thereby obviating the possibility of fraying. Additionally, if a plurality of layers of substrates are used, the laser cutting step will anneal the edges of the layers together as well as preventing fraying.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal comprising the intermediate step of weeding the excess fabric after cutting the decal pattern out of the polyester substrate. In the case of simple patterns, the decals can be removed by hand (gloves recommended to prevent smudging) from the adhesive backing paper and stacked using baking paper or silicone paper to separate and protect the decals.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of applying the decal pattern onto a polyester substrate with sublimation dye comprises applying the decal pattern onto a polyester substrate with a weight of no more than 80 grammes per square metre. -8 -

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of applying the decal pattern onto a polyester substrate with sublimation dye comprises applying the decal pattern onto a polyester substrate with a weight of no more than 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which the step of applying the decal pattern onto a polyester substrate comprises applying the decal pattern onto a multi-layered polyester substrate.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a decal in which each layer of the polyester substrate has a weight of the order of 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle comprising a fusible, woven polyester substrate pre-impregnated with sublimation dye.

This is seen as another particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention. By having a decal constructed from a polyester substrate pre-impregnated with sublimation dye, the decal will be lightweight, simple to apply to an article and inexpensive to produce. Furthermore, the decal will blend into an article when bonded thereto.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the polyester substrate has an adhesive coating on one side thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the polyester substrate is a woven polyester substrate.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the polyester substrate has a weight of no more than 80 grammes per square metre. -9 -

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the polyester substrate has a weight of no more than 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the polyester substrate has a plurality of layers.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which each layer of the polyester substrate has a weight of the order of 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which there is provided an application carrier.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the application carrier comprises a sheet of baking paper. By providing a sheet of baking paper as the application carrier, after performing its function protecting the decal during transportation, the baking paper can then be used in the printing of the decal onto the article.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the application carrier comprises a sheet of heat resistant flexible plastic.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the sheet of flexible plastic has an adhesive coating on one face thereof for releasable engagement of the polyester substrate.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which there is provided a silicon sheet and in which the decal pattern is sandwiched intermediate the flexible plastic sheet and the silicon sheet.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided a decal for printing onto a receptacle in which the double dot adhesive coating on the polyester substrate is one of Polyphenylethersulfone (PES) and Polyamide (PA) adhesive. These coatings will improve the drape and durability of the fabric. Typically, PA has a higher water repellence and washability than PES. A double dot adhesive pattern at the back of the fabric is added separately and uses the PA or PES in that process.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture comprising a fabric material having a decal bonded to a minor portion thereof, and in which the decal comprises a polyester substrate impregnated with a sublimation dye.

This is seen as a preferred aspect of the invention. The article of manufacture will have superior aesthetic and tactile properties compared to articles of manufacture printed using alternative techniques.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the fabric material is a natural fibre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the fabric material is cotton. Cotton is seen as a comfortable, breathable and affordable material to use and is a popular choice among consumers. The article manufactured from cotton with the polyester decal will assume these properties and will also be comfortable, breathable and affordable.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the polyester substrate has a weight of no more than 80 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the polyester substrate has a weight of no more than 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the decal has a plurality of polyester layers.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which each layer of the polyester substrate has a weight of the order of 40 grammes per square metre.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the fabric material is a coloured fabric material.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the article of manufacture is a finished garment. The finished garment may be a T-shirt.

In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the article of manufacture is a hat, cap, towel, t-towel, bag, flag, scarf etc. In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an article of manufacture in which the polyester substrate is a woven polyester substrate.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a decal; Figure 2 is a flow diagram of a method of applying a decal to a fabric article; Figures 3(a) to 3(f) are diagrammatic representations of the steps for printing decal and mounting the decal on a fabric article; Figure 4 is a side view of a decal ready for transport; Figure 5 is a side view of a plurality of decals ready for transport; Figure 6 is a side cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of decal according to the invention; -12 -Figure 7 is a side cross sectional view of a further still alternative embodiment of decal according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a decal according to the invention. In step 1, a polyester substrate having a weight of 40 grammes per square metre is placed on an adhesive carrier paper. In step 2, the polyester substrate and carrier paper are passed through a printer and sublimation dye is applied to the substrate. A standard large format inkjet printer, such as an Epson Surecolor T7000, filled with sublimation dye can be used to apply the sublimation dye to the substrate. Once the decal pattern has been applied onto the polyester substrate, the decal pattern is cut out in step 3 and the excess substrate material and carrier paper are removed. Finally, in step 5, the decal is placed onto a suitable application carrier.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a flow diagram of a method of applying a decal to a fabric article. In step 21, the polyester decal is positioned onto a fabric article. Depending on the type of application carrier used, part of the application carrier may be removed in advance of the positioning of the decal on the fabric article, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 4 and 5. After the decal has been positioned onto the fabric article, heat and pressure are applied to the decal in step 22 so that the polyester substrate and the sublimation dye bond with the fabric article below and the decal pattern is printed on the fabric article. Typically, the decal is heated at a temperature in the region of 160°C to 180°C for 30 seconds and a pressure in excess of 1 bar. Once the decal pattern has been printed onto the fabric article, the application carrier (or at least part thereof depending on the type of application carrier used) is removed and discarded.

Referring to Figures 3(a) to 3(f), there are shown diagrammatic representations of the steps for printing a decal and mounting that decal onto a fabric article. In Figure 3(a), a polyester substrate, indicated generally by the reference numeral 31, is placed onto an adhesive backing sheet 33 to form a laminate sheet. The polyester substrate is ideally a 100% polyester fusible, woven interlining having a weight of less than 80 grammes per square metre and preferably 40 grammes per square metre. Preferably, the polyester substrate is provided with a double dot adhesive on the rear surface (i.e. the surface of the polyester substrate that abuts against the backing sheet). The double dot adhesive is preferably PA or PES. When combined together, the laminate sheet of polyester substrate and backing sheet are suitable for placement in a printer. In the embodiment shown, both the polyester substrate and the backing sheet are shown as discrete sheets however it will be understood that both the polyester substrate and the backing sheet will be provided on rolls and joined together from the rolls.

In Figure 3(b), the laminate sheet 35 has been passed through a printer and indicia have been applied thereto in sublimation ink. A decal pattern 37 is shown in dashed outline. In Figure 3(c), the decal pattern 37 has been cut out of the laminate sheet using a laser cutter (not shown) and the excess backing sheet and polyester surrounding the pattern has been weeded out. If desired, the decal 37 can be shipped in this format for subsequent application onto a garment or indeed the decal can be placed on a suitable application carrier. Before applying the decal to a garment, the backing sheet is removed from the cut pattern.

Referring to Figure 3(d), there is shown a rear view of the cut decal. It can be seen that the cut decal 37 has a double dot adhesive coating 39 on the rear surface thereof. In Figure 3(e), the decal is positioned onto a fabric garment 41. A protective layer (not shown) such as a sheet of backing paper or a sheet of PET plastic having a melting temperature greater than the sublimation printing heating temperature is used to cover the decal. Heat of 160°C to 190°C for 40 to 50 seconds and pressure are then applied to the decal 37 and garment 41 in order to print the decal onto the garment and bond the sublimation dye and polyester to the garment. In Figure 3(f), there is shown the finished garment 41, in this case a cotton T-shirt with the decal 37 printed thereon.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, there are shown various views of the decal patterns ready for shipping or storage. Referring specifically to Figure 4, there is shown a view of the decal pattern 37 sandwiched between a pair of application carrier layers 43, 45. Application carrier layer 43 comprises a sheet of clear plastic PET material with an adhesive coating on one side thereof, the side in contact with the decal 37. The other application carrier layer 45 is a silicon sheet that engages the side of the decal pattern with double dot adhesive coating 39 thereon. In this format, the decal pattern may be packaged and or shipped with ease. In order to print the decal onto a garment, the silicon sheet application carrier layer 45 is removed from the decal 37 and the other -14 -application carrier layer 43. The decal 37 and application carrier layer 43 are then placed onto the garment in the desired position before heat and pressure are applied to the decal and application layer to print the decal pattern onto the garment. Once printing is complete, the application carrier layer 43 is then removed. It will be understood that the PET sheet application carrier layer 43 will provide protection to the decal during printing of the decal onto the garment and will prevent the decal from being stuck to the heat press (not shown). Furthermore, advantageously, the clear plastic application carrier layer will allow precise positioning of the decal on the garment and the adhesive layer on the application carrier layer will allow complex, multi-component patterns to be printed onto a garment as the individual components will be held securely relative to each other.

Referring specifically to Figure 5, there is shown a stack of decal patterns ready for storage or shipping. In the embodiment shown, adjacent decals 37 are separated from each other by sheets of an application carrier layer, in this case provided by way of sheets of baking paper 51. The baking paper protects decal during storage and transportation. When it is desired to print the decal onto a garment, the application carrier sheet 51 is removed from the decal 37, the decal 37 is placed onto the garment and the baking paper 51 is placed above the decal to protect the decal from direct contact with the heating press (or heating iron if the decal is being applied at home).

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a side, cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of decal just after cutting by the laser cutter, indicated generally by the reference numeral 61. The decal 61 comprises a backing sheet 63 which will be removed prior to application of the decal and prior to packaging if desired. The decal 61 differs from the decals shown in previous embodiments in that the decal 61 comprises a pair of polyester layers 65, 67, one on top of the other. By having the plurality of polyester layers, the polyester substrate can be used to print onto coloured garments or other textile receptacles. The sublimation dye will be applied to the top layer of polyester 67 and some of the sublimation dye will typically pass through the fabric into the second layer of polyester 65. The two layers of polyester are preferably pre-bonded to each other during or before the polyester is applied to the backing sheet. For example, the two layers of polyester may effectively be sealed by laminating the layers on a hot laminating roller. It has been found that by having two layers of polyester fabric, the colour quality of the printed garment is improved further, particularly on coloured (i.e. non-white) garments or fabric receptacles.

Referring to Figure 7, there is shown a side, cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of decal just after cutting by the laser cutter, indicated generally by the reference numeral 71. The decal 71 is similar to the decal shown in Figure 6 with the exception that the decal 71 comprises three layers of polyester 75, 77, 79 stacked one above the other on a backing sheet 73. Again, this configuration with multiple layers of polyester will enable high quality printing on coloured receptacles.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, if in due course it is possible to source the fabric material pre-laid on a release layer, that would remove the need for the first step of the process of manufacturing a decal. Accordingly, it is envisaged that the alternative method of producing the decal would constitute the following steps: 1) printing the patterns in mirror image onto tack sublimation paper; 2) feeding the sublimation paper into a laser cutter with the pattern side up and placing the material in one or two layers on top with the smooth side down (glue side up); 3) cutting the pattern (fabric and Paper) through the fabric (the camera of the cutter can recognise the pattern through the material); 4) ideally, the cut edge of the paper and material layer(s) will have annealed together; 5) removing all layers together using the adhesive application tape at the back of the sublimation paper and the release paper at the glue side of the cloth. The decal can then be printed onto a fabric by carrying out the steps of: 6) removing the release paper prior to pressing, pressing; and 7) removing the application paper (which will also lift off the sublimation paper) after pressing.

In this specification the terms "comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" and the terms "include, includes, included and including" are all deemed totally interchangeable and should be afforded the widest possible interpretation.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described and may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.