Here are the common manufacturing processes for yoga MATS and the printing processes that may be involved:
Yoga mat production process
1. Raw material preparation: Common yoga mat materials include natural rubber, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and so on. The purchased raw materials are prepared according to the proportion of the formula, and additives such as plasticizer and anti-aging agent may be added to improve the performance.
2. Mixing: the raw materials and additives are put into the mixer or the open mixer for mixing, so that it is fully mixed and uniform, forming a plastic material or plastic with certain plasticity and uniformity.
3. Molding: Generally through molding or extrusion molding. Molding is to put the mixed material into the mold, and make it vulcanized or cured under a certain temperature and pressure; Extrusion molding is the extrusion of the material into continuous sheets or coils by the extruder, and then cut as needed.
4. Foaming: For some yoga MATS that need foaming, foaming treatment is carried out during or after molding. By adding foaming agent, bubbles are generated inside the material under heating and other conditions to form a foaming structure with certain elasticity and softness.
5. Surface treatment: The surface of the yoga mat after forming is treated, such as grinding, polishing, etc., in order to eliminate the burr and uneven surface, make it feel comfortable, but also conducive to subsequent printing and other processing.
6. Quality inspection: Test the size, thickness, elasticity, anti-slip and odor of the yoga mat to ensure that the product meets the quality standards.
7. Packaging: The qualified yoga mat will be packaged, usually according to different specifications and styles, using plastic film, paper boxes, etc., for transportation and sales.
Yoga mat printing process
• Screen printing: Through the extrusion of the scraper, the ink is transferred to the surface of the yoga mat through the mesh of the graphic part, forming the same graphic as the original manuscript. Suitable for printing bright colors, high contrast patterns and text, can achieve multi-color overprinting.
• Digital printing: Transfer digital files directly to the printing equipment, and spray ink or pigment directly to the surface of the yoga mat through technologies such as inkjet. Can achieve high precision, high resolution printing, can quickly achieve personalized customization.
• Thermal transfer: The pattern is first printed on the transfer paper, and then the pattern on the transfer paper is transferred to the surface of the yoga mat through high temperature and pressure. The pattern of thermal transfer printing is rich in color, high saturation, and has good wear and wash resistance.
Different manufacturers may make appropriate adjustments and improvements to the production process and printing process according to their own equipment, technology and product needs.
