Direct To Garment Digital Printing Explained

Digital Printing Explained

Almost every aspect of our lives has become digitised in the modern world, so it makes sense that the way we produce garments goes the same route.

Digital printing is now a mainstay when it comes to designing t-shirts thanks to the efficiency and speed of the process, and if your brand is hoping to make merch, you’ve probably looked at the possibilities.

So, what is digital printing? Digital printing is a method of printing that takes the digital image on a computer and then converts it into a format that can be printed directly onto a garment.

This process is commonly referred to as Direct to Garment, and it’s one of the easiest ways to create branded goods today.

Digital printing is picking up speed because of the benefits it has to offer designers and retailers, but it might not be the best approach for all.

This guide will walk you through the basics of the printing method and what’s good and bad about it, so you can make the final decision.

What Is Digital Printing?

What Is Digital Printing?

Digital printing is one of the most widely used methods of printing garments these days, and it offers lots of unique benefits to consumers and retailers.

The term ‘digital printing’ is also another way to describe direct to garment (DTG) printing, and the terms are often interchangeable, so it’s easy to get confused.

The first commercial use of digital printing was in the 1990s, but today, it’s seen a major boom, as just about every brand, company, and personality has some sort of branded gear that they need to get out to market quickly and effectively.

Compared to other methods like screen printing or iron-on transfers, a DTG printed garment is more economical, faster to create, and sometimes looks superior, but there are downsides to this approach as well.

The digital printing method is relatively straightforward, and it allows people to upload an image and have it placed straight onto a garment in minutes.

This efficiency means it’s used by most custom t-shirt design services and websites today, but it’s not always the best fit for all types of businesses.

Related: How DTG have improved Print on demand services

The Process of Digital Printing

The Process of Digital Printing

To get a better understanding of digital printing, we need to first learn the process of how it works.

By seeing how the steps differ from other popular methods like vinyl transfers and screen printing, you’ll get an idea of how digital printing and DTG have become such a huge hit in the world of garments.

  1. A digital design is created with an image like a logo, slogan, or picture, and converted into a file type that’s compatible with the digital printer. The file is sent to the DTG printing machine using the dedicated software that came with the device.
  2. The garment is chosen for printing, ensuring that it’s the recommended material type and size. For this type of printing, polyester and cotton are going to achieve the best results, as are certain blends of the two.
  3. Apply a pre-treatment to the fabric or garment to get better results and give it time to cure or dry, as recommended.
  4. The prepared clothing is placed into the printer and ink is injected into the garment’s fibres, rather than on top of them. This works just like a standard inkjet printer you would find at home or in an office. Sometimes, a white ink base will be applied first and then the colours over the top, depending on the design.
  5. Remove the printed garment and give it time to dry and set it before packaging it up and sending it to your customer.

The Tools and Machinery Needed

GARMENT Digital Printing

The equipment used for DTG or digital printing has come a long way since its first inception, with the first commercial printer being released in 1996.

The “Revolution” printer would then go on to form the basis for future models, and after a SAGA convention in 2005, a patent was turned into a product that would later be known as the Brother DTG Printer.

Today, the same types of printers are used for digital printing, although they’ve undergone many updates and improvements.

An entry level DTG printer for the DIY market usually starts at $25,000 and can range up to $70,000 and beyond, depending on the features and size of the machine.

The good news is though, once the printer has been purchased, there are very few ongoing costs, so you’ll only need a computer for design and delivery on top of it.

Overall, the equipment needed for digital printing is fairly simple and an efficient method for printing on garments.

Editors notes: Our top of the line mass production machines cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars and is capable of printing hundreds of shirts per hour.

Pros and Cons of DTG Printing

Pros and Cons of DTG Printing

There’s no single method of garment printing that works for every business, and that includes digital printing.

If you’ve been considering creating branded goods or custom designs and want to know what to expect with DTG, here are the pros and cons worth noting.

Pros

  • Affordability: The price of DTG printing compare to other methods is lower, and it gets lower the more shirts you’re printing. If you’re looking for a better profit margin, DTG is an economical approach that still creates a quality garment.
  • Freedom of design: You can print just about anything your mind can envision with digital printing and the results will be always vibrant. This includes hand-drawn designs, digital images, and even photographs, and there’s no shortage of colours available to turn the vision into reality.
  • High print quality: When you compare the final look of a garment that’s been printed with DTG compared to something like vinyl or screen printing, it’s superior. This is thanks in part to the ink being applied to the fibres of the fabric and not just plastered on top.
  • Adaptability: If you have designs that are always changing or want to be able to make adjustments to your product line without it being a bother, digital printing is ideal. Because the printer uses a file to digitally print the garment, it’s no bother at all to edit it as needed which means your designs can be kept fresh.
  • Quick turnaround: Depending on the printer being used, you can expect one t-shrit to be printed in around three minutes using these machines. Additional time may be needed for pre-treatment and setting the shirt afterward but it’s a faster approach for orders with less than 100 garments. If you have larger orders, the efficiency of DTG printing will be significantly less.

Cons

  • Not ideal for large volumes: DTG and digital printing should not be used by businesses that have large printing needs, or want to create mass amounts of shirts. The DTG approach is better suited to small orders or single-use printing, so consider the quantity you’ll need each day to see if it works.
  • Requires aftercare of the garment: Although your customers will get a vibrant design on their tees, they may need to take care when washing them. Clothing should only ever be washed on a cold cycle with the t-shirt folded inside out to protect the print, so make sure customers are aware of the extra steps.
  • Limited placement of design: Unlike other printing methods that let you place images or designs just about anything, you’re somewhat limited with digital printing. The most common placement for an image or logo is front and centre or on the back, so you can’t create any intricate or unique shirt designs using these machines.

Digital Printing and Modern Business

Digital Printing and Modern Business

Digital printing is a common method of production for many businesses today, whether it’s creating merchandise for a brand or helping a company develop new marketing materials.

What’s made it such a popular choice is that businesses can outsource their digital printing projects and save themselves a lot of time and money in the process, while still guaranteeing a quality product.

Ecommerce has become particularly reliant on digital printing, because of the speed of service it offers.

An image is created either by the company or using a designer, the image is sent to a printing service online, and by the end of the day, their garments could be ready.

Fulfillment methods like print on demand and dropshipping also rely on digital printing to quickly create quality garments, and this takes the onus away from the company to do the work.

A customer places an order through the company’s store and the rest of the process is completed elsewhere with digital printing, including the shipping and tracking that follows.

Is DTG Right For My Business?

Is DTG Right For My Business?

Digital printing has become the favoured method for many businesses today, but it’s not going to work for everyone.

To establish whether you should hop on board the DTG train, ask yourself the following questions to see if it’s a smart fit:

How many garments will I be printing in an order?

Digital printing isn’t the best option for mass production of clothing and is better suited to small and custom projects.

If you plan on printing more than 100 shirts at a time, you might want to look at other commercial options that make it easier and more cost-effective.

What designs do I want to use?

If your goal is to use custom designs and print them onto shirts, DTG is a smart choice.

The final result is a vibrant look and it means you can print just about any image you’ve created onto a garment, and have it look almost identical.

How much money can I spend?

The initial outlay for a DTG printer is fairly large so you have to be sure you can make it back.

Otherwise, you can outsource the printing to another company, or choose something like drop shipping or print on demand that takes care of the entire process for you.

DTG is The WTG

If you’re looking for a fast and economical way to print quality t-shirts for your e-commerce store or personal brand, direct to garment or digital printing is the way to go.

Although it’s not the right fit for every purpose, it’s clear that this preferred method of garment printing is here to stay, and with further advancements being made in printing technologies and materials all the time, it can only get better.

Related Questions

Choosing the right printing technique for your product range is important, with so many options out there and lots of pros and cons to weigh up.

To make the smartest choice, you need a better idea of how it all works, so check out these FAQs that can give you an understanding of popular t-shirt printing methods.

What Material is Best for Printing?

What Material is Best for Printing?

The type of printing method chosen will dictate its effectiveness on a certain material, but most commonly you’ll find polyester, cotton, or poly-cotton blend being used.

These materials do well at taking on prints and applications but are also comfortable and durable for the consumer to enjoy.

What is the Fastest Printing Method for T-Shirts?

Direct to garment printing is considered one of the faster options for t-shirts and clothing, and might also work out cheaper depending on the quantity ordered.

When compared to something like screen printing, these inkjet garment printers can create a t-shirt in seconds by injecting the colour pigments into the fabric of it rather than sitting it on top.

What Do I Need to Print T-Shirts At Home?

If you want to make a single t-shirt at home, some of the easiest options include manual screen printing and iron-on transfers through vinyl graphics.

Investing in a direct-to-garment printer or another commercial machine will cost thousands of dollars usually, and is better suited to mass-produced garments.

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