What is the primary role of heat-setting in the printing process?

The primary role of heat-setting in the printing process is to enhance color durability. This technique involves applying heat to the printed fabric after the printing process is complete, allowing the dyes or pigments to bond more effectively with the fiber. This bonding is crucial for ensuring that colors remain vibrant and resist fading during washing and wearing. Heat-setting ensures that the printed design becomes an integral part of the fabric, resulting in better longevity and performance of the print.

Heat-setting serves a distinct purpose in comparison to other options. Cooling the fabric down is part of the process but does not directly contribute to the effectiveness of the print. While drying the fabric is essential in finishing, it mainly focuses on moisture removal rather than color integrity. Eliminating lint is related to fabric cleanliness but does not have a direct connection to the color durability that heat-setting provides. Thus, enhancing color durability through heat-setting is critical for maintaining high-quality printed textiles.