Transfer printing process for hydrophilic fibrous material or blends of hydrophilic and synthetic fibrous material, with reactive disperse dyes

In a transfer printing process for dyeing or optically brightening a hydrophilic fibrous material or a blend of a hydrophilic and a synthetic fibrous material which comprises bringing a treated and dried carrier into contact with the material to be dyed or optically brightened and applying heat to effect transfer of dye or optical brightening agent from the carrier to the said material, the improvement according to which the carrier bears at least one sublimable organic reactive disperse dye or fluorescent optical brightening agent which, during the heat treatment of the transfer printing process, has a vapour pressure higher than 10.sup.-5 Torr at temperatures above 160.degree. C. or transfers to an amount of at least 50% onto the said fibrous material during a time period of from 1 to 120 seconds and wherein, prior to the heat transfer step, the fibrous material to be printed is pretreated with

• (a) at least two compounds which are inert to the dyes, brighteners and fibrous material during the transfer, the first one of which has a boiling point higher than 120.degree. C. and a solubility or dispersibility in water, either directly or with the aid of an auxiliary solvent or dispersant, of at least 25 g/l at 25.degree. C. and which, under the conditions of transfer of the dyes or fluorescent brighteners is sparingly volatile, said first compound being selected from the group consisting of 2,6-dihydroxytoluene, resorcinol, glutaric anhydride, succinic anhydride, hydroquinone-bis-hydroxyethyl ether, butanediol glycidyl ether and methoxypolyethylene glycol, the other compound being an organic or inorganic acid acceptor, or
• (b) at least one compound inert to the dyes, brighteners and fibrous material during the transfer and which possesses the characteristics of both of the compounds under (a), and selected from the group consisting of amines, amides, imides, imines, unsubstituted and substituted ureas and thioureas or 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring compounds which contain as ring members at least one of the groups or atoms N, S, O, NH, CO, .dbd.CH, CH.sub.2 and which can be substituted by alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, OH, NH.sub.2, hydroxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms or halogen, said treated fibrous material being dried prior to contacting with the treated carrier.