OutdoorINK Info

Full Yard/Fat Quarter/Swatch

Unlike fabric cut from the roll, print on-demand offers you the flexibility of ordering by the full yard, fat quarter, or swatch. This way you minimize waste and get the most out of your outdoorINK® fabric purchase.

See below for a size comparison:

outdoorINK fabric size ordering guide

Put into words...

Full yard - Measures width of fabric x 36". Sometimes this is also called a "linear yard". Use with medium to large projects.
Fat Quarter - Measures half fabric width x 18". One-quarter the size of a Full Yard. Useful for small-medium size projects.
Swatch - Measures 8" x 8". Useful for checking out a pattern or looking at colors before buying yardage for a larger project.

Lead time

Please allow 3-5 business days for processing/printing of your outdoorINK® print order. For the most accurate and up-to-date shipping times, please visit our shipping time update page HERE.

Continuous cuts

We guarantee a continuous piece of fabric for all full yard orders less than 10 yds. Due to the print process, we cannot guarantee a continuous piece for any full yard orders greater than 10 yds.

Note that only Full Yards will be printed continuously (i.e. no gaps). For example, if you order (2) Fat Quarters or Swatches, you will receive (2) separate prints.

Please see our FAQ and continuous cut policy to make sure you receive cuts that work for your project.

Estimated shrinkage

A small amount of shrinkage may occur during the processing and printing of your outdoorINK® fabric order. The exact amount of shrinkage depends mainly on the fabric and then to a lesser degree on the amount of ink used and environmental conditions at the time of printing. See below for total estimated shrinkage:

1.6 oz poly box ripstop - 2-3% in length and <1% in width
1.6 oz HyperD - 2-3% in length and <1% in width
1.1 oz Silpoly - <1% in length and width
1.0 oz Noseeum Mesh - 2-3% in length and <1% in width
MEMBRANE 15 poly taffeta - 1-2% in length and <1% in width.

Read below for more info on OutdoorINK®, print on-demand, fabric selection, pattern details, and ordering/shipping.

OutdoorINK

Ripstop by the Roll print division

What is outdoorINK®?

Production

All of our printed fabrics are designed and digitally printed on-site at our facility in Durham, North Carolina. Having in-house print capability is critical for a couple reasons:

1. It allows us full control over the process and workflow. Producing the highest-end digital textile prints requires careful attention to detail on everything from base fabric selection/testing, artwork design, color management, equipment maintenance/tuning, and Q/A checks. This is something we take incredible pride in and work to perfect each and every day. For us, in-house print capability is a MUST.

2. It simplifies the supply chain. With in-house print capability, we keep production costs low and lead times short. Fast, simple, and cost-effective.

High-End Digital Printing

Our digital printed fabrics utilize a process called "dye sublimation" to create full-color, high-resolution images on polyester and poly-blend fabrics. When we started developing this process in the summer of 2015, the technique hadn't been widely used on the types of outdoor ripstop and taffeta that we specialize in at RBTR. In some cases, particularly for the lightweight and ultra lightweight fabrics (e.g. 15D and 40D), dye sublimation to our knowledge had never been attempted.

For the next six months, we worked both internally and with industry experts to come up with a system that could reliably produce high-end digital prints on our specialty outdoor fabrics. The result is the print division at RBTR.

Performance

Color Palette - Modern digital printing offers a great amount of flexibility when it comes to color. Unlike screen printed goods, you can reproduce any number or combination of colors in a single print. Truly continuous tones can also be achieved.

Color Brilliance -The dye sublimation print process allows extraordinary color brilliance due to the ink's molecular-level bond with the transparent polyester fibers.

Color Fastness - By nature of the dye sublimation process, ink is permanently bonded to the polyester yarn at a molecular level. That's fancy speak for "it won't come off". This means that our printed fabrics are incredibly color fast. They will resist fading and discoloration even after washing and sun exposure.

Image Resolution - Our high-end digital print method can support image resolution of up to 1440 dpi. This number represents the "Dots Per Inch" in the image/pattern file and is an indicator of image resolution (higher the better).

After the image is printed to fabric, our tests have shown there to be no discernible difference in clarity beyond 300 dpi. Thus, we mandate that any pattern or image we print be at least this resolution. This ensures clean lines and a high-resolution end result for your printed fabric.

Digital vs Screen Printing

Screen printing is a common textile print method that uses a series of drums and molds to transfer ink to fabric. There are a couple drawbacks to screen printing:

1. Limitation on number of colors. Screen printing has an upper limit on the number of colors that can be used in a pattern. Depending on the sophistication of the print setup, this is typically 4-11 colors. In contrast, digital printing has no limit on colors that can be used in print artwork. Gradients, photos, and complex artwork are no problem for digital. Coupled with the latest equipment to produce high-end resolution, the design possibilities are only limited by imagination.

2. Time consuming and costly to setup. With screen printing, molds must be made and processes adapted to reliably run EACH new print. This is both time consuming and costly. With digital printing, we can run a myriad of different designs all in the same day with little to no setup time between.

3. Susceptibility to cracking, fading, and peeling. On a basic level, screen printing creates patterns on fabric by laying down a topical coating of ink in a defined area. This can leave the print susceptible to cracking, fading, and peeling over time. By contrast, dye-sublimation digital printing makes a bond to the polyester yarn at a molecular level. This makes the ink transfer nearly permanent under normal conditions.

How does print on-demand work?

Print on-demand means that each order we receive is printed custom, just for you. Not keeping stock inventory allows us to keep costs down and expand the variety of materials and patterns we offer you.

In a nutshell, print on-demand means more options and maximum creative firepower for your DIY project or product development.

Choosing your fabric

Need help selecting a fabric for your application? Check out the specs and suggested uses for all our current print fabrics/materials below.

1.6 oz HyperD

HyperD is our custom developed line of lightweight diamond grid ripstop nylon. Designed for superior performance and feel compared to standard square grid ripstop, HyperD is incredibly strong yet still very soft to the touch.

At 1.6 oz, this fabric fills the void between 1.9 oz and 1.1 oz weights when you're looking for something lighter while retaining maximum strength/durability.

The premium choice fabric for projects such as hammocks, stuff sacks, synthetic quilt/comforter shells, breathable/lightweight garments, or lightweight bags.

Fabric Details
Width	60'' (*58" guaranteed usable)
Weight	1.6 oz/yd ²(*printing typically adds 0.05-0.1 oz /yd ²)
Denier	40D x 40D
Weave	diamond grid ripstop
Thread Count	193 x 114 (warp/weft)
Thickness	0.09 mm
Print shrinkage (length)	~2-3%
Print shrinkage (width)	< 1%
Finish/Coating	Breathable with DWR, uncalendered
Downproof	NO

1.6 oz Polyester Box Ripstop

outdoorINK 1.6 oz HyperD diamond ripstop

Breathable, uncalendered 1.6 oz polyester ripstop with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish. Natural UV resistance (i.e. resists color fading), low bias stretch under load, and quick drying qualities of polyester.

This fabric is specifically finished to give the softest possible hand feel for polyester. A high-thread count also increases strength and makes hemming easier when sewing.

Typical applications include hammocks, synthetic quilts, synthetic pillows, flags, stuff sacks, lightweight bags, and lining material.

Fabric Details
Width	60'' (*58" guaranteed usable)
Weight	1.6 oz/yd ²(*printing typically adds 0.05-0.1 oz /yd ²)
Denier	40D x 40D
Weave	box grid ripstop (3mm x 3mm)
Thread Count	195 x 130 (warp/weft)
Thickness	0.07 mm
Print shrinkage (length)	~2-3%
Print shrinkage (width)	< 1%
Finish/Coating	Breathable with DWR, uncalendered
Downproof	NO

1.1 oz Silpoly

The 1.1 oz Silpolyused for OutdoorINK is the third generation of our market first silicone double coated polyester ripstop.

In addition to excellent waterproof/windproof characteristics, Silpoly offers lower water absorption and increased UV resistance compared to Silnylon. Particularly useful in outdoor applications to minimize sag/stretch when wet and color fade over time.

Great for projects such as tarps, tents, ponchos, gear sacks, pack covers, or any application where durable waterproof/windproof fabric is needed.

Fabric Details
Width	58'' (*56" guaranteed usable)
Weight	1.1 oz/yd ²(*~1.3 osy finished weight)
Denier	20D x 20D
Weave	Mini grid 1 x 1 mm ripstop
Thread Count	220 x 175 (warp/weft)
Thickness	0.05 mm
Print shrinkage (length)	< 1%
Print shrinkage (width)	< 1%
Finish/Coating	Silicone impregnated (coated both sides)
Hydrostatic Head (i.e. waterproof rating)	> 2000 mm

1.0 oz Noseeum Mesh

Fabric Details
Width	54'' (*52" guaranteed usable)
Weight	1.0 oz/yd ²(*added weight of ink is negligible)
Denier	20D
Weave	tricot knit
Thread Count	TBD
Thickness	TBD
Print shrinkage (length)	~2-3%
Print shrinkage (width)	< 1%
Finish/Coating	None
Downproof	NO

MEMBRANE 15 poly taffeta

outdoorINK MEMBRANE 15 polyester taffeta

MEMBRANE 15 is our ultralight 15 denier taffeta polyester. Similar to our MEMBRANE 10 nylon taffeta, MEMBRANE 15 combines breathability, wind/water resistance, and exceptional downproofing with the softest hand feel on the market.

To make MEMBRANE 15, we start with a custom woven, high thread-count polyester base material. In addition to adding durability, this reduces moisture absorption compared to a nylon base.

Combined with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating, the result is significantly less weight gain and improved comfort (i.e. no clammy feeling) when the fabric is subjected to rain or highly humid environments.

All this makes MEMBRANE 15 excel in a variety of applications including quilts, jackets, sleeping bags, garments, pillows, linings, and more.

Fabric Details
Width	58'' (*56" guaranteed usable)
Weight	0.9 oz/yd ²(*printing typically adds 0.05-0.1 oz /yd ²)
Denier	15D x 15D
Weave	taffeta (non-ripstop)
Thread Count	220 x 170 (warp/weft)
Thickness	0.035 mm
Print shrinkage (length)	< 1%
Print shrinkage (width)	< 1/4"
Finish/Coating	Breathable with DWR, calendered
Downproof	YES

Ordering/shipping info

Ordering/Shipping
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Shipping Availability	USA and International
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