Write on Digital Polyester, What works and how to remove it without taking off toner

[inkworksfc]

We have a few customers that have switched over from laminate to digital polyester. Some of these customers are writing on the digital polyester. They are putting dates, prices, and other information that they want to wipe off and change later. Most of the markers they use will smear and wont come off with water alone. They end up trying a heavy cleaner that takes off the toner. Is there a marker, pen, or other writing utensil that works best with this material? Or is there a cleaning product that will take off the marker and not the toner? We use Nekoosa Coated Thermanent Digital Polyester and printed on our KM C1085. With these certain customers we end up going back to laminate but I would like to figure out a way to keep them on Digital Polyester. Any help is much appreciated!

 

[dabob]

You might want to try a dry erase type of pen . . .

 

[inkworksfc]

We have tried dry erase. It almost becomes a permanent marker on the Thermanent. Kind of seeps into the material and doesn't come off with dry rubbing like it should. We can get it to come off with some vigorous rubbing, our finger nail, and some water but it also removes the surrounding toner.

I attached a sample of what we are working with (blurred out the contact info). You can see the toner/text next to the area he writes comes off with rubbing. Also the residue that gets left behind when we do. With laminate the dry erase comes right off and the text is protected since it is sealed. Just wish there was something I could do with the polyester to make it work as well.

 

[old guy]

we do some poliprint 14 mil and uv coat it for a menu that gets washed in the dishwasher at the end of the day but i dont know if they write on it.

 

[namelessentity]

Have you tried wet erase markers? The kind you use on overhead projectors.
https://www.amazon.com/Wet-Erase-Overhead-Transparency-Markers-Assorted/dp/B00006IFGW

 

[gordo]

Have you tried laminating it so that surface becomes the one you write on?

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

Just remember "like dissolves like" when thinking about polar and nonpolar substances. Toner is nonpolar, along with alcohols. We have a store in the area that cleans bathrooms and buildings and doubles as a cleaning supply store, I would ask them what their thoughts are in regards to cleaning toner-based menus.

 

[inkworksfc]

-Did not try the wet erase, I'll give that a go.
-I want to try and stay away from laminating. We have a pouch laminator and the time it takes to warm it up and run them through is so much of a hassle compared to just printing on the polyester. Also if we cut the seal our laminate starts peeling away from the substrate after some use, especially if it gets water on it.
-UV coating also sounds like a good idea but we currently don't have a machine and would have to run it over to a another printer to coat it. Good idea to keep in mind if the customer runs it through a dishwasher, never thought about that.

I purchased a grease pencil/china marker and that did come off with just a few rubs without taking off the toner. It came out pretty light so not my favorite but could be left outdoors since it won't come off with water. I'll try the wet erase tomorrow.
Also talked with Nekoosa and she recommended the dry erase, which has not worked for us, but she was going to talk with someone else and get back to me if there was anything that would work.

I feel kind of lazy about this, telling the customer to purchase a specific pen/marker rather than providing a product that would work with common pens and marks. I just feel this would save the client some money and save on labor on our end.

 

[gordo]

I feel kind of lazy about this, telling the customer to purchase a specific pen/marker rather than providing a product that would work with common pens and marks. I just feel this would save the client some money and save on labor on our end.

No. You're not being lazy at all. You're trying to solve your customer's problem. And that's exactly the right thing to do.

 

[Craig]

We print quite a bit of poly. It's not the end all to lamination that it is sold as. Try putting buffalo wings sauce over the print and see what happens. I don't even recommend it for menus anymore.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

I don't even recommend it for menus anymore.

Same here. Mohawk keeps pushing it in their emails, but menus are literally the worst application for the material when printed on with toner. I'm a much bigger fan of soft-touch or textured matte laminate. All of my customers have come back with at least one negative, where there are none with lamination (or just printing extra menus and letting them degrade).