Decorator Profile very happy with the Storm Hexas, but
needed something that could give us the additional capacity. The Avalanche HD6s provide another level of quality to the prints and give an improved feel to the garments. They also provide us with a reduction in ink costs and allow us to print on a lot more fabrics.”
The HD6 reduces ink consumption by up to 30% compared to the Avalanche R-Series, which results in reduced cost per print. The volumes that are capable of being printed on the HD6 and the cost savings are now beginning to bring DTG printing in line with screen printing. Akil adds: “Although we still do UV printing on our Mimaki printers, we see the garment side of the business as our key growth area. We are currently looking for a new premises to move into, where we plan to install a third Avalanche HD6 as soon as we can.” Snuggleʼs 6,000sq ft unit sits on a trading estate on the edge of Peterborough. It houses the two Avalanche HD6s, an Eco- Tex dryer and some office space on the ground floor, while the top floor houses stock inventory, four Mimaki UJF-6042s and two Mimaki JFX200s. The plan is to move into a unit somewhere else within the city that will be approximately three times the size. Shabbir says: “You could describe our current premises as organised chaos. Space is really tight, which is why we are looking for a new unit.”
As well as a new unit, Snuggle is also on the hunt for new members of staff. The purchase of the two Avalanche HD6s means that the team needs to expand in line with the production capabilities of the printers.
Further growth
Once settled into the new premises, the guys have plans to grow the UV side of the business by replacing the four UJF-6042s with three new UJF-6042MkIIs. “Since the purchase of the Storm Hexas and now the Avalanche HD6s we have been typecast as a trade DTG printer. We want to change this image and further develop the UV printing side of the business,” says Akil. It is clear that in just seven years Snuggle has grown quite substantially, in terms of turnover and reputation. Next year will see the company expand again with further equipment purchases planned. This is one company to definitely keep your eye on. You can catch up with the Snuggle team at Printwear & Promotion LIVE! in January.
One of Snuggle’s Mimaki JFX200s
Perfecting the art of poly-cotton printing A
s with every technological development, advancements are made each and every
day. Direct to garment printing onto 100% polyester fabrics, in particular bright red and royal blue, has been seen as notoriously difficult, with many DTG users giving up at the first hurdle. However, given said advancements, the previously unachievable is now becoming reality. The reason printing onto 100% polyester has been deemed as seemingly impossible is due to the chemical changes that occur in the fabric at temperatures necessary for DTG printing. This reaction causes the fabric to appear discoloured and burned. Also, the nature of the fibres is to wick moisture away, which is not great when using water-based inks as it potentially causes images to appear dull and lifeless. Other negative effects of printing onto polyester include; dye migration, ink bleeding and poor print durability. But, with a lot of time, patience and practice, Snuggle has perfected the art of printing bright and vivid prints onto Just Cool by AWDisʼ Cool T (JC001) using the Avalanche HD6s. Shabbir explains: "We see that there is a big demand and a big market for DTG printing onto synthetic-based sportswear. We have wash tested our prints time and time again, with no issues. “We have worked out the exact pre-treat and print settings on the printers and the exact temperature on the dryer to achieve the Holy Grail. We are ready to roll this out and show our customers.”
A bright print produced on a 100% polyester- based T shirt
We were very happy with the Storm Hexas, but needed something that could give us the additional capacity. The Avalanche HD6s provide another level of quality to the prints and give an improved feel to the garments. They also provide us with a reduction in ink costs and allow us to print on a lot more fabrics.
– Shabbir Maimoon, director | 56 | Ocotober 2018 , Snuggle
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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