Transferdruk

Transferdruk, meaning transfer printing, is a printing method in which a design is transferred from an intermediate carrier onto a final substrate. The carrier can be a decal sheet, a printed film, or a relief engraved plate, and the transfer is usually achieved by moisture, pressure, or heat. This technique enables detailed and multicolored patterns to be reproduced across large quantities.

In ceramics and porcelain, transferdruk is most closely associated with ceramic decals. A pattern is first printed or engraved on a decal sheet with glaze-like enamels, then dried. The decal is soaked in water, released from its paper backing, and applied to the unfired or already glazed surface of a ceramic item. After firing, the decoration fuses with the glaze, becoming durable and part of the surface. This process allowed complex patterns to be widely distributed and used on dinnerware, tiles, and ornamental wares.

Transferdruk is also used for textiles, glass, and metal objects. In heat transfer applications, a colored design is printed on a carrier and then transferred to fabric or other substrates using heat and pressure. In glass and metal applications, engraved plates or films carry the design and facilitate mass production of repeated motifs.

Historically, transfer printing gained prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries as a means to produce intricate designs at scale, particularly on ceramics. Over time, it complemented and gradually yielded to other methods such as screen printing, lithography, and digital textile printing, though it remains an important concept in decorative arts and manufacturing.