The DTGColumn
Unlock your DTG success with five important tips
Charlotte Darling, director at Amaya UK, examines the important tips for success in the DTG sector. D
irect to Garment printing has settled into the market as a game-changer in the world of textile printing and customisation. The ability to print directly onto fabric with fine digital detail, for one-offs and short run orders, with no set-up, minimal training or expertise, and at the same time be sustainable and kind to the environment, is available on entry level low investment systems as well as the big industrial solutions.
The initial teething problems of clogging ink, specifically white, poor-quality prints and bad washability are all a thing of the past, but some people are still concerned about these issues. Trust me, in today’s world these problems are not system or ink driven, they only occur if you don’t follow the basics of DTG printing.
Quality Artwork is non-negotiable What you put in is what you get out! Ensure that the digital design is created or converted into a resolution that guarantees sharpness and detail. Pay attention to factors like colour mode (RGB or CMYK) resolution (I recommend 300 dpi minimum) and file format (PNG works best with most RIP software)
Embrace your pre-treatment Pre-treatment is a crucial step in DTG printing that can significantly impact on the final output of the design and the washability of the garment. Pre-treating manually is successful once you master the art of using a spray gun, but I would recommend a pre-treatment machine so that you can set the amount of pre-treat used for particular fabrics and designs every time. The more advanced pre-treatment machines like the Pre-treater Pro, have the ability to store settings specific to fabrics, designs, and customers.
Choose the Right Fabrics DTG is traditionally successful on cotton- based fabric of at least 50% cotton. However not all fabrics are created equally,
| 54 | September 2023
prevent clogs and ink inconsistencies and if you are given a daily, weekly, monthly routine, follow them!
A well-maintained printer not only produces better prints but also extends the lifespan of your investment. The printhead tends to be the most expensive component in any of the machines on the market, and I have known a well- maintained printhead achieve over 15,000 prints, compared with a badly maintained one of only 1000.
and my biggest piece of advice is test and trial. If you are trying to achieve one brand and tshirt model in numerous colours for your customer, I suggest testing your pre-treat level, printing setting and then washability of the finished garment to be sure that you have a good result all the way through the life cycle.
Traditionally your best results will come from combed or ring-spun cotton garments, but these can vary across different brands, fabric weights, colours and even production lots. Printing on blends and synthetic fabrics may require a special pre-treat solution to achieve optimal outcomes.
When buying a DTG printer, remember it’s not toner based and a simple desktop printer. All DTG printers contain wet parts and therefore require regular maintenance to function at their best. Follow your supplier’s maintenance instructions to the tee – clean your print head, nozzles, and other components on a scheduled basis to
Aftercare of the printed garment Be sure to educate your end customer with how to wash their garment for the best results. All blanks in the market carry the standard washing instructions of 40 degrees, turn inside out if printed and no tumble dry. If you are selling B2C a nice touch is a branded care label with some simple instructions which you add to every garment you send out as a feature. I’d go with 30 degrees, inside out, no harsh detergents and lay flat to dry. This will give you the best results in terms of colourfastness of the print and fabric performance and lead to improved customer satisfaction. If it’s a bulk order you can add a flyer about the care instructions or simply rely on the garment label. Some of the above applies to most DTG printers on the market but not all.
Kornit Digital’s industrial systems function differently. Firstly, they offer the only system where the garment is pre-treated in the same machine as the printing, so a true one-step solution. Secondly, they offer the only real solution of DTG printing on polyester, mixed blends, and sportswear. If you are running a print-on-demand solution, or short to medium run printing this is something you should investigate further. DTG printing offers endless possibilities in customisation. As this technology continues to evolve, those of us who embrace it will undoubtedly stand out. At Amaya we are happy to answer any questions you have and help your business in anyway with garment decoration.
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
