Page 18 - Print21 Nov-Dec 2019

Textile Printing
Digital garment printing 101
Digital garment printing is a hot market right now, and Jake Nelson has your guide to the two technologies that dominate the sector – and why you should consider them.
In digital garment printing, two technologies serve a growing market: direct-to-garment (DTG), which is suitable for natural fibres like cotton and is used for applications such as
T-shirts, jumpers, bags, and tea towels; and dye sublimation, suitable for synthetic fibres like polyester, and used for applications
such as athletics wear, football jerseys, and interior furnishings.
For commerical and franchise printers, DTG systems are available for less than five figures, although you can pay 100 times that for industrial systems. The opportunity to offer a new set of products for a relatively modest outlay that will give you entry into
The DTG process:
1The file is created on a computer and sent to the printer.
3The pre-treated item is placed by hand onto the DTG unit and printed.
a huge market is one of the most attractive on offer in print today. Companies such as Brother, Epson, Ricoh, and Roland DG offer desktop garment printers that will get you in the market, and they have the kit to scale you up. Others like Kornit offer industrial scale digital production and the opportunity to print on hitherto unavailable materials such as the polyester so beloved of sports teams. The roll-to-roll dye-sub printers from the likes of Durst, EFI, Epson, Mutoh and Mimaki take a bit more thought, but offer a greater range of options.
According to Ryan Warby at Epson, which supplies both direct-to-garment and dye sublimation printers, garment printing is
2The item (t-shirt, tote bag) is pre-treated either manually, or in an auto system.
4The printed garment is dried in a heat press or a tunnel dryer.
a great industry for commercial printers to consider getting into. “It’s a great time to enter the market – technology is strong in both DTG and dye sublimation. If you’re not in this space it’s the perfect opportunity to expand your product portfolio for existing customers and attract new ones.
“Do your research – investigate total
cost of ownership on the products you’re considering, check for support and backup structures from supplier and manufacturer, and discuss with clients to investigate what opportunities may exist,” he says.
Below is our guide on the process, pros and cons, and suppliers for both DTG and dye sublimation, to help you make up your mind.
DTG advantages:
• Can print white ink base onto dark-coloured garments.
• Ability to do short runs, down to a single garment.
• Low initial investment.
• Low skills training.
• Garments are ready to go
as soon as the ink is dry.
To consider:
• Less viable for longer run lengths.
• Largely works only on natural or at least 65 per cent natural fibres.
• Limited range of products.
• Requires drying in
heat press or tunnel dryer.
DTG printers:
• Brother – GTX
• Epson – SureColor F2160
• Impression Technology – G4 series • Kornit Digital – Storm HD and
Avalanche HD series, plus Avalanche
Poly Pro for synthetic materials
• Ricoh – Ri100, Ri3000, and Ri6000 • Roland DG – VersaStudio BT-12
18 Print21 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019