Application of Traditional Anatolian Motifs to Knitted T-Shirts by DTG Digital Printing: Effects on Physical Performance, Color Fastness and QR-Based Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Traditional Anatolian motifs represent an important component of Türkiye's intangible cultural heritage. However, their integration into contemporary textile products through digital production technologies has been limited, and the influence of digital printing on the physical performance of knitted fabrics has not been comprehensively investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of traditional Anatolian motifs to knitted T-shirts using Direct-to-Garment (DTG) digital printing technology while examining the effects of the printing process on fabric performance.
Three traditional motifs, namely Elibelinde, Bereket, and Bukağı, were digitally redesigned and printed onto women's T-shirts produced from three different knitted fabric structures: 100% cotton single jersey, 50% modal/50% cotton single jersey, and 100% modal rib knit. Fabric mass, thickness, dimensional stability, bursting strength and color fastness properties were determined before and after printing according to relevant ISO standards. The experimental results were statistically evaluated using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (p < 0.05). In addition, QR codes were integrated into the garment labels to provide users with digital access to the historical and cultural background of each motif.