Disperse printed fabric is a form of digital printing where the dyes used are dispersed into the fibres during the print process. This is a less environmentally friendly method than reactive printing, as the dyes themselves contain invasive chemicals that "bite into" the fibres and permanently modify them.

In addition, the dispersed dyes are typically more expensive than pigment inks, and there is a much higher risk of pigment migration. This is especially true when you print with polyester, which has a very high surface tension and is easily migrated by the pigments in the dyes.

Proper selection of thickeners is essential to achieving the desired level of fastness and quality when printing polyester with disperse dyes. This requires a good understanding of the specific requirements of the printing method and the fixation process for the dye. The thickener should be able to adhere well to the fabric and produce an elastic film, which is easy to remove in the after treatments.

Temperature is also an important factor in the dyeing of polyester fabrics with disperse dyes. This is because disperse dyes are water insoluble, but their solubility increases with increasing temperature.

The temperature of the dyeing bath is regulated by a combination of citric acid (to control pH), Na-Alginate to reduce viscosity and hygroscopic agents. Then the fabric is padded with a dispersed dye and steam dried at 900-1000C.

During the steaming, the dye is dispersed into the fibres by a chemical reaction between the dye and the carrier. This causes the synthetic fibres to swell and open, receiving the dye particles and encapsulating them within their structure. This results in a very fast color transfer. It's a process that's very similar to sublimation, except that the inks aren't heated during the process.