There are key differences between dye and pigment printing. Pigments have no affinity for fibers and are insoluble in water, requiring a binder to fix them onto fibers. Dyes have affinity for fibers and are water soluble. Pigment printing uses a binder that is an aqueous emulsion copolymer which polymerizes during curing to form a strong film embedding the pigment and adhering it to the fiber. Suitable thickeners for pigment printing are emulsion or synthetic thickeners which do not interact negatively with the binder. Emulsion thickeners are prepared using oil, water, emulsifiers and other agents, while synthetic thickeners are high molecular weight copolymers that thicken when