How Financially Sensible An Investment Is DTG Printing
For any entrepreneur looking to launch or improve their apparel decoration startup, DTG printing technology makes the quintessential investment. With high-resolution images that emphasize superior color gradation, achieving pristine designs on fabric comes naturally. DTG printers have seen incredible transformations since the release of first generation models over two decades ago. Today, newer technologies have improved image precision, ink performance, printing speed and more. The hustle to optimize business productivity has never been easier. Albeit the impressive features and efficacy of production, the transition to DTG printer technology still requires careful consideration.
Pushing creative boundaries
DTG printing affords creators the opportunity to reproduce spectacular t-shirt designs in full-color range. What’s more, working with colored fabric is far easier with underbasing and heat treatment. The designer can easily enhance the definition of graphics on clothing with different paint finishes. Nowadays, one can choose to give designs a matte or glossy finish, which makes the product stand out. And there’s no limit to the photographic properties one can experiment with when using DTG printer technology.
Sustaining small-volume production
Not everyone has substantial capital to throw into a startup, especially in an industry as competitive as apparel decoration. Many entrepreneurs launch into selling printed apparel with no upfront investment. And, it’s a progressive business opportunity, which allows the owner to start small and gradually expand production. Moreso, there’s higher demand for small custom orders nowadays as the evolution of consumer preference and behavior maintains momentum. This makes an excellent option for on-demand promotional projects, for example, personalized group t-shirts.
The science of pretreatment
With digital DTG printing, every step is pivotal to get an optimal result. The preferred ink system for DTG printer technology is largely water-based. So when using white ink, pretreatment comes as a standard requirement. The pretreat solution prevents color bleeding and safeguards the fibers in a way it won't absorb inks. Instead, it forms an underbase that keeps the ink in a preserved state above the fibers.
While pretreatment is necessary for dark colored materials, it's almost never an option when working with some neutral tones. For example, white, grey, etc. White underbasing isn't applicable to print projects unless the image reflects an unnatural color shift. On rare occasions, it's acceptable to pretreat fabric even when using white ink. Additionally, specialized pretreats also improve washability and colorfastness.
Many small startups have profited from automatic pretreat systems that can maximize productivity and downsize labor force. Every enterprise would want to leverage this golden opportunity. However, the choice to ditch handheld paint sprayer for a more sophisticated pretreat process is not a convenience. Essentially budget has always been a primary concern for micro business operations.
The inconsistency and messiness found with hand pretreating become history when using an automatic applicator. Moreover, hand pretreating requires a dedicated space that's entirely different from the printing room to avoid compromising printer heads. Hand pretreating requires some practice to improve precision. In comparison, automatic pretreat machine does not involve demanding routines to achieve immaculate prints. Moreover, they're largely low maintenance and guarantees a clean operation compared to the traditional pretreat sprayer.
