Sodium alginate has a long history of application in in textile warp sizing, dyeing finishing and printing paste, of which the last one is the main leading application. As the paste of reactive dyes, sodium alginate has unique properties. The chemical reaction generated between fiber and reactive dyes helps fix the dye to fiber, and consequently this makes the dyed fiber hard, brittle and not so good in color. However, when sodium alginate acts as the printing paste, it won’t impact the dying process between reactive dyes and fiber and can print out clear and bright decorative patterns, both high in color yield and good in hand feel. Sodium alginate can be used in printing of not only cotton but wool, silk and synthetic fiber.  

Sodium alginate with medium or low viscosity can be used in the printing paste from screen printing to roller printing. In fact, sodium alginate with low viscosity helps to make the printing relatively stable and this makes it possible to prepare the printing paste with higher content. The printing paste of this kind helps to produce a compact film during the drying process and to increase the coloring yield.