Sodium alginate has already been used in warp sizing, trimming paste and printing paste for a long time in history while mainly in the printing paste. It has specific function when used as active paste and color paste. Fibre has chemical reactions with active dyestuff to fix it onto the fibre. In dyeing process, the printing paste used should not disturb or join in the chemical reactive linkage otherwise it will be fixed onto the fibre, which makes the dyed fibre feel stiff and fragile and the color is not good.

Middle and low-viscosity sodium alginates are all fit for the paste requirements from sieve-style printing to barrel-type printing. Actually, printing made from low-viscosity sodium alginates is more stable, which makes high-content printing paste possible.