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Getting to Know Your Digital Printing Choices. What to Consider Before You Invest! PART 1

If you spend any time at all reading industry related forums or chats, you’ll see that there are many “threads” out there asking the same questions—“What’s the difference between direct to garment and print/cut…which one is better for my business…what about sublimation…what kind of paper should I use to make transfers with my ink jet printer…how do I print photographs on t-shirts….what about printing on dark garments? The confusion and the questions go on and on, and sometimes it seems like the answers are only coming from someone who wants to sell you a piece of equipment!

             Take heart, this article isn’t going to try to sell you anything. Its goal is just to help you become better informed about your choices when it comes to digital printing.  One thing everyone agrees on is that digital printing is ideal for short-run garment decoration (although I do know of companies that use it to print jobs that run in the hundreds) and has opened up new markets and new profit opportunities for a lot of companies.

            First of all, let’s define the technologies available today that are considered digital. In no particular order they are: Sublimation, direct to garment or ink-jet to garment, ink-jet transfers, CLC (colour laser copier transfers), and print/cut. All of them have their advantages and their limitations.

With sublimation, everyone knows that it won’t work on dark garments and that it is primarily designed for use on polyester or polyester-blend garments. Application on cotton is possible with some pre-treating. There has been progress made in the development of sublimation systems that permit more flexibility, but the technology has a reputation as being difficult to perfect. It remains an excellent method for customizing hard goods such as mugs, mouse pads, coasters and more.

            There has also been a lot of excitement over direct to garment printing and many people have invested in this ink-jet based system that prints directly on textiles. Some limitations of direct to garment technology include its cost, not all print successfully or easily on dark garments (so do your homework), the need for pre-treating on dark garments and sometimes on light colours to make them brighter, the lack of opacity and brightness, the length of time needed to complete a garment—especially dark garments, and the skill level needed to run the equipment. Some direct to garment printers are designed to print on tile, wood, golf balls and mouse pads, but not all of them.  Direct to garment printers achieve best results on cotton but can be used on silks, blends and some other fabrics but can’t really be used on polyester without a pretreatment. However, all that being said, it is still one of the most popular digital printing methods on the market today.

            Ink jet and CLC transfers are known as the most inexpensive, entry-level, anyone-can-do-it technology in the digital garment decoration arena. There are dozens of different papers available that can take artwork from your computer desktop to a t-shirt in minutes. Again, you are limited by the substrates to which the papers will apply, and it is still difficult to find a paper that does a fantastic job of printing on darks. There is also the issue of ghosting, unless one uses precise hand-cutting to trim the excess paper or uses paper in combination with a cutter that does it automatically.

            By taking that type of thinking to the next level, a list of digital garment decorating methods to consider would not be complete without print/cut technology.  While virtually unknown as a technology to the average personalization specialist, this technology has had years of proven performance in the garment manufacturing sector—you’ve probably encountered print/cut applications on brand name performance wear, shoes, nylon bags and more without even realizing it.  Print/cut technology is probably the best-rounded of all the digital technologies available today. It gives you all the advantages of the previously mentioned digital methods, with virtually none of the disadvantages.

            One of the biggest reasons for the excitement over print/cut technology is its versatility—not only can you print on a wide variety of garments with print/cut, you can also use it to print everything from helmet stickers and window clings to vehicle wraps and banners. Print/cut technology incorporates technology originally designed for use in the sign industry, a wide-format, eco-solvent printer that instantly prints and then automatically contour cuts full-colour, photorealistic logos, designs and names in any quantity "on demand." These images are printed on specially developed digital media that can be heat applied to any fabric, of any colour.

            With a print/cut system, there is virtually no limit to the jobs you will be able to do.  In the textile world – literally anything that can be fit under a heat press can be decorated, from caps and nylon bags to performance wear and swimsuits. It even works on leather. There is no need to pre-treat the garment, there are no limitations as to the type of textile that can be printed and there are even specialty media available, such as puff and metallic that allow you to create full colour fashion effects that are not possible with any other digital printing method. The recent development and availability of new digital media is what is propelling this previously unknown garment decoration method into the spotlight.  

Better yet, the technology has been tested for many years in the sign industry as being durable and easy to operate. It’s just a matter of using the correct digital media for the job on hand. Its greatest limitation would be the cost of the equipment, but with more and more business owners ready to invest in something that can be used as an alternative to screen printing and embroidery, print/cut is becoming a popular choice, especially thanks to the introduction of more media designed specifically for use with the print/cut system.

1. It’s probably only a matter of time before you invest in some type of digital garment decoration technology, if you haven’t already. Whether you’re a screen printer, embroiderer or plan to specialize solely in digital printing, there’s a method available that meets your needs. And if you still unsure about making a large investment, go on-line and join in an industry user -forum chat. Benefit from the experience of current users of the technology you are most interested in and weigh all the facts. I’m not promising you still won’t feel confused, but at least you won’t feel alone!  

About the Author

About this Article: This is one of a series of occasional articles issued to help those active in the garment decoration and embellishment industry by Target Transfers. Target is a major UK supplier of Equipment, materials, custom transfers, garments and accessories to the imprinted wear market, and a member of GroupeSTAHL, the world’s leading suppliers of Identity for Textiles. Please visit Target’s website for more details at www.TargetTransfers.com. See also articles by Martin Borley and Robin Bull.

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