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Printing On Textiles Inkjet

Direct to garment (DTG) printing involves using specialized inkjet technology to print directly onto textiles and garments. DTG printers use inkjet heads to apply specialty inks that are absorbed by the fabric fibers. While many DTG printers utilize parts from existing inkjet printers, some manufacturers design their own printers. DTG printing works best on cotton and cotton blends, though technology has improved printing on polyester as well. Most DTG printers are controlled using RIP software on a computer to manage printing large files with multiple inks onto dark or light fabrics. DTG printing enabled low-quantity custom orders for consumers and online retailers.

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43 views

Printing On Textiles Inkjet

Direct to garment (DTG) printing involves using specialized inkjet technology to print directly onto textiles and garments. DTG printers use inkjet heads to apply specialty inks that are absorbed by the fabric fibers. While many DTG printers utilize parts from existing inkjet printers, some manufacturers design their own printers. DTG printing works best on cotton and cotton blends, though technology has improved printing on polyester as well. Most DTG printers are controlled using RIP software on a computer to manage printing large files with multiple inks onto dark or light fabrics. DTG printing enabled low-quantity custom orders for consumers and online retailers.

Uploaded by

StevenAli
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Direct to garment printing, also known as DTG printing, digital direct to garment printing,

digital apparel printing, and inkjet to garment printing, is a process of printing on textiles and
garments using specialized or modified inkjet technology. The two key requirements of a DTG
printer are a transport mechanism for the garment and specialty inks (inkjet textile inks) that are
applied to the textile directly and are absorbed by the fibers.
All direct to garment printers are descendants of the desktop inkjet printer, therefore many DTG
printers, such as the Anajet Sprint, and the BelQuette Mod1 utilize some parts from preexisting
printers. Some companies, such as DTG Digital, AnaJet, Oprintjet, Brother, MAPI Digital,
Kornit and Mimaki have printers which utilize similar technology, but are manufactured without
the exact parts from any other brand machine.
[1]

Some DTG printers have been built using lower-resolution industrial inkjet print heads like those
found in large-format printers used to print signs and banners. While no direct to garment
manufacturer currently possesses the technology to create their own print heads, some possess
exclusive rights to certain heads, which are manufactured for them. Some inkjet technology
manufacturers offer products designed for direct textile printing, providing heads, printers and
inks. The resolution and speed of direct-to-garment inkjet printers have been increased greatly
over the last 8 years (the direct to garment era is generally recognized as beginning in the last
quarter of 2004 when Mimaki & U.S. Screen introduced their printers at the SGIA show in
Minneapolis).
Direct to garment (DTG) printing is most commonly implemented on garments that are made of
cotton or cotton blends, although recent developments in technology have allowed for superior
performance on light colored polyester and cotton/poly blends. DTG printing on dark garments is
now being accomplished by a number of different manufacturers. Dark garments must first be
pre-treated which is a time consuming costly and hard to perfect process.
The majority of DTG printers are driven from a computer by the use of software known as a RIP
(Raster Image Processor). The RIP software allows the printer to print with larger volumes of
ink, generate white ink underbases for dark shirts and also provides for more precision color
management through color profiles. More advanced RIP software allows for driving multiple
printers from one computer, advanced job queuing, ink cost calculation as well as a real time
preview of the file prior to printing.
DTG was seen as a viable solution for low-quantity orders previously not possible because of the
expensive setup process of screen printers. This opened a new market of quantity-one consumer
driven purchasing of digitally printed direct to garment goods and a surge of large online
fulfillment operations to meet this growing demand.
These large fulfillment centers dominated the market until 2007 when 'design your own' online
designer solutions entered the market and allowed smaller fulfillment centers to afford similar
technology for their own websites.
With the continued growth of the industry, informative resources have become available.
Forums, where users of direct to garment products can discuss help topics and get candid
answers from industry experts and other users, are one example.
[2][3]
Examples of trade show
organizations that have welcomed the technology include, SGIA, ISS, and NBM .
Financial impact
Direct to garment printers can cost from under $10,000 to nearly $750,000 depending on their
print size, production capability, ability to print dark garments as well as make and model.
A primary advantage of DTG printing is the lack of set-up costs and instant turnaround time not
associated with traditional garment printing methods such as screen printing. The comparative
disadvantage of DTG is equipment maintenance and ink cost. Ink technology developments have
significantly improved ink performance and lowered ink cost. Digital printing technologies are
non-contact, meaning that media is printed on without hand contact, allowing for a more precise
image. This prevents the image distortion that takes place in screen printing.
[4]

References
1. Amator Vestimenta (2013-05-07). "DTG Awareness: Trade Shows, Buyer Confusion,
and Print Heads". Dtgawareness.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
2. "Direct To Garment Printing - Community - Google". Plus.google.com. Retrieved 2013-
11-01.
3. "Direct to Garment (DTG) Inkjet Printing". T-Shirt Forums. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
4. Cahill, Vince. "Introduction to Digital Printing Technology"

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