PREPARATION OF PATTERNED TABLEWARE

PURPOSE:To enhance productivity and to hold the sharpness of a pattern even when tableware is allowed to stand for a long period of time or repeatedly washed by forming the impregnated support layer due to a dispersion or solution of fluoroplastic to a tableware substrate made of polybutylene terephthalate before and/or after transfer printing. CONSTITUTION:Polybutylene terephthalate 80 pts. and barium sulfate 20 pts. are premixed and subsequently supplied to an extruder to be pelletized while the obtained pellets are subjected to usual injection molding to obtain a cup- shaped tableware substrate. Separately, an aqueous dispersion of fluoroplastic is prepared and the impregnated support layer due to the fluoroplastic dispersion is formed to the tableware substrate. A transfer sheet on which a pattern is printed using sublimable ink is brought into contact with the tableware substrate having the impregnated support layer formed thereto and subjected to thermal transfer operation at about 220 deg.C or 40sec to form a sharp and deep pattern to the tableware substrate. As a result, even when this tableware is allowed to stand for a long period of time, the sharpness and deep feeling of the pattern is extremely excellent.