The Big Interview
with its customers, will result in the continued growth and development of the garment printing division. “Once our relationship with other manufacturers gets up and running, we will be able to provide our customers with a smarter, more complete offering.” At the moment Papergraphics is looking to help its current large format customer base make the move into garment decoration. “Garment decoration is a great-add for print service providers and sign makers. They’ve already got the customers, the equipment and the know-how so why not make the move?” he explains.
The Nepata film converting machine which is used to cut the rolls down
The most popular product in the range is Gimme5. This all-rounder product was created to provide garment decorators with a heat transfer vinyl that guarantees a long-lasting result alongside ease of use. It applies in just four seconds at 140°C, and with a wide colour selection there is sure to be a film to suit any design. It is fully opaque even on dark garments, and has an elegant matt finish. Thanks to its thickness of only 80 microns, Gimme5 is pleasant and soft on any garment. It has been product tested to last over 100 wash cycles at 90°C. “This is the most popular product in the range for a reason,” says Alistair. “It comes in a huge 65+ colours and has a nice soft feel. It really does tick all the boxes.”
B-Flex has other more niche products in its range, such as BF Windstop, a polyurethane heat transfer vinyl created specifically for application onto softshells at only 115°C, but from Alistair’s experience he says that customers prefer to work with an all-rounder HTV on the products they decorate. Following the initial success of introducing B-Flex into the UK market, Papergraphics is currently in discussion with well-known OEMs to offer hardware solutions such as white toner printers and eco solvent print and cut machines to their customers. Alistair hopes that the consultative relationship that Papergraphics’ fosters
Papergraphics’ garment printing demo room features some of Secabo’s heat presses The ultimate plan
But the ultimate plan is to target larger embroiderers and screen printers and help these types of garment decorators explore other viable application methods.
During my visit to Papergraphics’ showroom in March, I spotted an engineer tinkering away with an interesting looking machine in the corner. Alistair explained that Papergraphics is currently in the R&D stage of manufacturing its very own direct to film printer – a product that will sit nicely in Papergraphics’ product portfolio and offering to garment decorators.
“We have no firm release date for the DTF printer. It’s a case of it will be ready when it’s ready. We see DTF printing as the future of garment decoration,” says Alistair. When asked if Papergraphics will consider adding direct to garment printing to its portfolio in the future, Alistair says it’s not an area that they will explore any time soon. “It’s limiting, it’s not flexible and it’s expensive,” he adds. Papergraphics will very much maintain its focus on transfer printing for now. In the meantime, Alistair is focusing on building the customer base and adding relevant products to the garment printing division. A dedicated personalisation webshop and website for this market is currently in development, which Alistair hopes will be live by the end of the year. Concluding, Alistair says, “It’s been an interesting journey so far and I’m very intrigued for the future.”
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk May 2022 | 43 |
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