Direct-to-garment

I suspect the term ‘sign-maker’ is a bit of an anachronism for many readers as the relentless march of digital technology has broken down the barriers between the print for pay sector and those involved in creating indoor displays, outdoor signage and décor.

So much of ‘signage’ starts life as a digital image and is then printed on a wide format device before it is fitted or installed. But why stop at printing that digital image on self-adhesive vinyl or banner? If you are already creating impressive branding and advertising products for your customers why not offer them printing onto garments and other cotton-based products as well? This is where a ‘direct to garment’ or DTG printer such as the Epson Surecolor SC-F2100 comes in. Creating an exciting & impactful graphic and then managing the colours is the hard part so if you already have this skill-set covered, printing direct to cotton garments is child’s play.

Standard corporate workwear is an easy starting point but if the idea is to promote the customer’s business why not suggest utilising more of the garment to create a bigger impact at events and trade shows. With the F2100 you can produce a stunning full colour printed graphic onto a white T-shirt in just 30 seconds. For coloured T-shirts, you will need to pre-treat the garments or buy them already treated to get the best results.

To ensure longevity utilise a heat press after the print process and the wearer will get performance from the garment similar to goods bought in the high street. The printing process and ink is also fully certified by OEKO-TEX as being 100 percent safe for wearing next to your skin. The F2100 has an RRP under £11k and was built from the ground up utilising Epson’s renowned ink chemistry expertise and patented Piezo printhead technology.

Vibrant colours

Using a direct-to-garment pigment printer allows you to print onto a wide selection of natural fabrics, however, it’s worth discussing the many benefits of using an alternative option for putting graphics onto garments, such as dye sublimation. Using dye sublimation to print onto transfer paper and then heat transferring onto a polyester-based garment (or a wide variety of other items too) using a heat press does keep your options open and here’s why. Cast your net wide, Mimaki’s dye sublimation printers, such as the TS300P or the TS30 can be used for a wider array of applications beyond simply garment printing with soft signage, advertising, mugs and promotional items just to name a few. A broader application offering will really set your print business apart and ensure that when you’re not using your printer for garment marking, you’ll be able to keep it going with a raft of other work, essentially future-proofing your business.

For durability, direct-to-garment printers use pigment inks to place a surface print onto a garment. The process of dye-sublimation leads to the ink dyeing the fabric and so the ink is in the fabric and not on it like with pigment printing, creating a much longer lasting print. This is important for clothing that needs to stand up to long term wear and washing and for higher end garments that promise quality. Couple this with Mimaki’s peerless print quality of sublimation options such as the JV150 or JV300 printers that are compatible with sublimation inks and the print quality creates a stunning end result.

Without a doubt, using a sublimation transfer onto a garment will produce a vibrant and colourful print, where the colours stand out, even after repeated washing. Mimaki’s fluorescent sublimation inks add another string to your garment printing bow, allowing you to diversify into the booming sportswear market.

Polyester technology is improving and historically, a draw-back of using sublimation over direct-to-garment was that the selection of polyester garments you could use was limited. However, textile technology is changing dramatically, and a new generation of polyester garments are now available that are comfortable, breathable and sought-after.

High-tech results

Firstly, and perhaps most significantly of all, the sign-maker needs to consider whether they are prepared or skilled in providing a same-day, personalised service. Direct-to- garment printing technology allows for a mix of different designs to be produced – for example, ten of one type of T-shirt design, and 25 of another. This contrasts with screen technology, the alternative garment printing technology, which enables the mass production of one particular type of design. People are prepared to pay a premium for personalisation, therefore sign-makers should think about whether there is a customer base asking for this type of service, or whether they are looking for a shift in business to offer it. If there is demand for small volumes of personalised prints, then direct-to-garment printing is the best option.

When looking to move into the market of direct-to-garment printing, another consideration is how complex the technology is and its operating environment, and how people are prepared to handle this kind of technology. Ultimately, the technology isn’t complex. It’s very simple to operate and reliable, so long as it’s in a conditioned, stable environment. A sign-maker needs to ensure the machine is kept clean, and that there’s no risk of it overheating. It works at its best when stationary, so no distress should be caused to it if it does have to be moved about.

Lastly, the quality of the garment materials needs to be considered. This needs to be a high, if not total cotton content, as this will properly absorb the ink put down on top of the garment, ensuring it stands out on the fabric. Synthetics and polyesters aren’t recommended and sometimes incompatible, since the ink is rejected on these materials and won’t absorb into the material properly. Typically, failure to use cotton will result in the ink fading rapidly when washed. At Ricoh, our quality of supplied materials ensures garments can be washed between 20 to 40 times without fading.

Dye sublimation

As someone working in signage, the world of garment printing might be a bit of a mystery to you. If you’re moving from creating banners and signs to making T-shirts and other apparel, it’s easy to assume that this will require a new printer designed specifically for printing directly to fabric. The customised garment market is indeed lucrative but committing to a large investment in a strange new field can be something you’d rather put off doing.

The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to change your entire setup if you want to dip your toes into garment customisation. There are lots of ways to break into this market using the equipment you already have. At Roland, we’ve seen several customers branching out with their printers. For example, Alex Liggett of The Vinyl Guys bought his TrueVIS SG-540 to create vehicle graphics and signage and now, with a small investment in a heat press, he sells branded T-shirts to his customers.

Dye sublimation is another technology worth investigating if you want to leave your options open without specialising in garments only. With a wide-format dye sublimation printer like our Texart RT-640, you can create apparel of all kinds from sportswear to fashion, but you’re not limited to clothes alone. The same printer can be used to create soft signage, letting you offer new products to your existing sign customers. You can also use it to brand merchandise like phone cases and mugs, or design fabric for interior décor.

If your garment business takes off, you can always invest in a DTG printer further down the line, but if you just want to test the waters, there are things you easily do right now without breaking the bank.

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