The DTG Column
DTG sir? What to buy, why, and where to get it
With the DTG industry still growing at an alarming rate the minefield of configurations, consumables and range of printers can be daunting. In this two-part article Resolute DTG’s MD, Colin Marsh, shows often very hard to find public information to help you with your research.
P
robably one of the most frequently asked questions I hear is, what can direct to garment printing do? This is far easier to answer with what it cannot do.
Most DTG printers can print cotton, polyester and a good range of mixed fibres onto flat fabric of varying thickness. What a DTG printer cannot do is make the tea and toast or tell you where to buy the correct consumables and garments you require. Until recently this was normally not an issue as with a brand new DTG printer the consumables come from the company supplying the printer while under warranty. However, the pre-owned DTG printer market is now almost as large as the new one, leaving companies in the dark as to what they need and where to get it.
Which DTG is right for me?
This is one decision in the end you will have to make yourself. The following information clarifies some of the often overlooked important details. There are three definitive levels of DTG printers, all costing and performing differently. Letʼs start with what I call the middle market, the most commonly used DTG printers all with similar sized printing areas, single transport bed, varying print speeds and with a price tag of less than £50k. As dark garments are the most common any example figures quoted are all based on using white and coloured ink which of course at the moment requires pre-treatment in some shape or form.
So which ink can you use in which printer and where can you can you safely obtain it from? This simple chart shows the
information along with the advertised price per litre for the ink (prices were checked at the time of writing but could change). As we are looking at the UK only and based on Brexit I have not included inks that are imported by the reseller which are subject to fluctuating exchange rates and import duties.
The simple matrix below shows information from the public domain often hard to find, it also clarifies what you can and cannot use in various different DTG systems. Please note, some inks are branded by the reseller and may not be labelled as in the chart.
Why are some DTG inks a lot cheaper than others?
This subject crops up a lot. If your DTG printer uses a specific type of print head
with more than one brand manufactured, you have a choice. All the inks listed in the chart are industry recognised and proven to perform well. Remember the old Fairy Liquid adverts on TV, if ink costs more there is a reason. Normally that reason is it will go a lot further making it better value for money overall. There are many reasons to take into account when choosing which ink you use, especially if you are going to test an unknown or relatively new brand. As a general rule of thumb, think about the support you will receive if you run into problems. Where is the ink manufactured and how is it transported? DTG ink is temperature sensitive and if the wrong kind of air freight is used (more economical) to ship the product to the dealer it will surely suffer. Unfortunately, without expensive equipment it is impossible to detect if ink has been frozen once it thaws, which will be way before you receive it so tread carefully. Obtaining inks from authorised dealers can also be a good option, if your preferred garment supplier also sells DTG consumables you may save on shipping costs or gain other discounts when buying from them without affecting your printer warranty. Check with your printer supplier as they will be happy to confirm the details if the company you want to buy from are authorised resellers.
In part two, I will cover the fast growing entry level DTG/ DIY printers hitting the market and some added tips for successful DTG printing.
| 58 | October 2016
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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