Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is a process of printing ink directly onto garments using specialized inkjet printers. This type of printing is becoming increasingly popular as it offers a number of advantages over traditional screen printing methods.
One of the main advantages of DTG is that it allows for full-color printing. This means that you can print any photorealistic image or design onto a garment, regardless of its complexity. This is not as easily done with screen printing, which is limited to a single color or a limited number of colors. Another advantage of DTG is that it is a very versatile process. It can be used to print on a wide variety of cotton garments, including t-shirts, hoodies, or wool/canvas caps.
This is also a very fast process. Once the design is created, it can be printed onto a garment in just a few minutes. This is much faster than traditional screen printing, which can take hours or even days to complete. Finally, DTG can be a more cost-effective option depending on the total quantity of items being printed. The cost of printing a single garment using DTG is often lower than the cost of printing the same garment using traditional screen printing. This is because DTG printing does not require the use of expensive screens or other equipment.
Many customers explain their dislike or aversion to DTG because of previous experiences with other printers. We don't cut corners when it comes to DTG. We use top quality pretreat, run our printers at optimal print quality settings and use a belt dryer to cure the ink properly so it looks and feels better as well as lasts longer. We also have years of experience when it comes to knowing which graphics will print best on which garments and can guide you for the optimal outcome.
If you are looking for a high-quality, full-color printing process that is fast and cost-effective, then DTG is the perfect solution for you. Contact Us today to learn more about our DTG printing services.
Printing on cotton shirts is easiest and allows for photographic images to be replicated on an area up to 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall (if the shirt size allows). When choosing a shirt for DTG, the smoother the texture and the tighter the knit of the fabric, the better the print will look and feel overall. The final result is also highly dependent on the quality of the artwork provided. An image that was created at 300 dpi or higher will print much better than a random graphic taken from the internet.
Images on the internet are usually less than a third of the quality required for print. We have had some success printing lower resolution images, but a good rule of thumb is to make sure your graphic is the highest resolution possible to ensure the best possible final result.
Sweatshirts can be a tricky substrate for DTG since they are rarely 100% cotton. For best results, we suggest printing on a sweatshirt with a 100% cotton shell which means the outermost layer is cotton and will allow for the best print possible.
There are several blank apparel brands that offer sweatshirts with a cotton shell such as Cotton Heritage or Independent Trading Company. As with any fabric, the density of the knit will affect the texture of the print. If the sweatshirt fabric is loosely knit, the final print may show that texture and reveal very small gaps in the final print.
This type of printer cannot easily print over seams, pockets or zippers very easily so the print size will be limited to the garment you're printing on. Most pullover hooded sweatshirts like the one shown below allow for a print area of 10 inches wide by 12 inches tall. Thinner fabric may be able to be pressed flat to allow for a larger print but the uneven surface may result in a print that is sharp in some places and blurry in others.
Canvas or denim totes lend themselves to full color DTG printing fairly easily as the natural fibers soak up the DTG ink nicely and allow for images to come out nice and crisp. Print size may be limited based on the tote size and how the handles are sewn. Most standard size tote bags will allow for up to a 10 in wide by 12 inch tall print. Most plain totes will allow for the same size prints on both sides of the bag.
Melamine, nylon or other synthetic fabrics will not print using DTG. It is important to be certain of the fabric composition of any garment or item before deciding what print method works best.
