Profitable garment printing has never been this easy! Imagine the profit potential when you no longer need to turn away customers wanting only one or two items printed. Just load the garment onto the special tray, print from most graphics programs, heat press and done!
The DTG Direct To Garment Printing is an absolute must for embroiderers, screen printers, sign shops, trophy shops, manufacturers, store kiosk operators and many other business types.
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DTG Direct To Garment Printers are also sometimes referred to as DTG inkjet to Garment Printers, DTG Apparel Printers, DTG Inkjet Printers, DTG T-Shirt Printers, Direct To Cotton Printers, D2G Direct 2 Garment Printers, Digital Garment Printers, Digital Tshirt Printers, Inkjet Tshirt Printers, Digital Inkjet Printers, Digital Apparel Printers, Digital Inkjet Printers, & DTG Digital Direct To Garment Inkjet Printers. But the everyone seems to prefer DTG Direct To Garment Printer
Watch This High Quality video to see a DTG Digital Direct To Garment Inkjet Printer decorate various types of apparel, ranging from t-shirts to hat's, and even hard textiles.
To learn more about DTG Digital Direct To Garment inkjet printers visit www.swfeast.com
Television
The DTG range of textile print systems are the most cost effective way to print four color vibrant prints and solid spot colors to t-shirts, polos, sport shirts, mousepads, caps and more. DTG Direct To Garment Inkjet Printers feature piezo inkjet heads and our specially formulated DTG-TEX,, water based textile ink for garments.
The DTG Direct To Garment is an absolute must for all embroiderers, promotional product distributors, screen printers, engravers, sign shops, photo labs and more.
Photographic prints with superior detail, up to 2880 DPI can now be printed to garments and a wide range of substrates. And there's no need to buy expensive software - DTG Inkjet Printers will print directly from popular graphics programs such as CorelDRAW®, Illustrator®, Photoshop®, Quark®, and even Word®.
Watch This High Quality video to see DTG's Large Format Digital Direct To Garment Inkjet Printer "The Bullet" decorate small and large runs of various types of apparel, ranging from t-shirts to towels.
To learn more about DTG Digital Direct To Garment inkjet printers visit www.swfeast.com
Books
Understanding workflow in the DTG RIP Pro Software
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When working with RIP (Raster Image Processing) Software like DTG RIP Pro, it is important to understand the way that the software handles your image data once the PRINT button is pressed in your design software. By understanding this process you will better be able to diagnose a problem when it occurs AND provide the proper solution. ___Below is an overview of how this works.___
___1.Image is prepared in design software (Corel, Photoshop, etc.), the correct RIP Pro driver is selected, the image is previewed and then the PRINT button is pressed.
___2.Once you press PRINT button is pressed the RIP Pro driver (named for the corresponding DTG Printer – DTG Kiosk w/ white ink, DTG Bullet, DTG Eclipse, DTG HM1, DTG Express, DTG Kiosk II, or DTG HM1 Dual CMYK etc) will convert the image data to a PostScript file and write the PostScript file to a PowerRIP Hot Folder (normally named after the printer)
____3.RIP Pro monitors all of its Hot Folders and when it sees a file deposited there it will grab the file and begin to process it- (jobs at this point will show up in the INCOMING JOBS tab in DTG RIP PRO) Once the data has been processed DTG RIP Pro will hand off the print ready pages to the Output Queue (these are basically Windows spoolers). In the case of a print with only a color layer – only one page will be created and sent to the Output Queue, a print with a white underbase will be sent to the queue as two separate pages (one for the white and one for the color layer). (jobs at this point will show up in the PROCESSED JOBS tab in DTG RIP Pro)
___4.Once the Output Queue receives the page it will then send the data to the DTG printer via the communication port selected in the Output Queue’s properties – under the PORTS tab on the Printer Properties screen in the Windows Printers and Faxes page. (jobs at this pint will show up in the PAGES TO PRINTER tab in RIP Pro)
___5.The DTG Direct To Garment printer will print the image!
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To avoid problems with this workflow be sure that the correct Epson printer driver has been installed and that the DTG Direct To Garment printer is operational prior to installing DTG RIP Pro. To verify that the Direct To Garment printer is properly working – simply do a head cleaning from the Maintenance tab in the Print Preferences screen (usually under the ADVANCED section). The vast majority of instances where the DTG Direct To Garment printer does not print once a job is sent will be because the Output Queue is set to the wrong USB port (communication port). By simply setting this to the same port as is set in the native Epson driver (assuming it is functioning) – will resolve the problem.
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If the Epson driver is not installed when the software is installed, you will need to configure both the input and output tabs in DTG RIP Pro as per the manual.
Heroes
Superman, My Dad, JFK, MLK, Abe Lincoln, & Teddy Roosevelt
Large format DTG direct to garment printing on a Surf Board & a cotton Beach Towel. Printed on a DTG Bullet printer, by DTG Digital in Australia. www.dtgamerica.com
dtg direct to garment print, printed by a DTG Kiosk on decorative wood
From Impressions Magazine
By John M. Colman, Contributing Writer
While selling to the school market is a competitive niche, there are ways to get your foot in the door if you can figure out what advantages your business offers over existing suppliers. For example, you may make it easier for schools to take orders and collect money with a custom Web page. You may have a direct-to-garment printer that allows you to do four-color process with no minimums. You may be able to offer higher quality and more creative artwork. Or you may own a digital cutter that allows you to put designs on a wider range of apparel and accessories.
Once you get established with schools, there are additional techniques and strategies to hold onto your newly earned customers and generate add-on sales as well. Here are some tips and tricks to give you a head start on now to sell to elementary, high school, college and Greek student organizations.
Lesson 1: Information Is Everywhere
The Internet is the great equalizer of information — everyone can find what they need to know, if they just take the time to look. Pick a college in your area and type the school’s name into a search engine, such as Google. You’ll quickly find a home page for the school, which will lead you to contact information for hundreds of registered student organizations (RSOs). You can find out how many students the group has, its purpose, the types of events they have, the name of the advisor, and so on.
Lesson 2: Make Contact
Many student organizations are inundated with direct mail from companies soliciting their services, so you’ll want to make a personal contact, if possible — especially if the group is a local one. Your best bet is finding a personal contact (a student, coach or teacher) who either goes to that school or may be in a specific organization. You may not have any kids in school but maybe you have friends or contacts who do.
If you can’t find a personal contact, find the name of the group’s non-student advisor, and try to arrange a face-to-face meeting. If you can’t meet, send him a sample (if the group is large enough to produce a respectable size order) as an introduction and gesture of good will. You also could drop by a meeting, practice or game and say hello to the coach. You could say something like, “I noticed that parents aren’t wearing a wrestling team shirt. What do you think about us setting up an order for wresting T-shirts for all of the parents?”
An additional note: Trying to attract student groups via paid advertising is probably a wasted effort. You already know exactly where the group meets and when, so it makes more sense to do a direct, one-to-one sales pitch instead of placing a mass advertisement.
Lesson 3: Find Your Point of Differentiation
Once you’ve made contact, find out who the group has used in the past for their decorating services and how happy they are with that company. It’s helpful to know what they’ve ordered and how much they’ve paid so that you can figure out a competitive advantage to offer — whether it’s lower price, faster turnaround, or unique services such direct-to-garment four-color process. This also will ensure that you’re not wasting time pursuing a group that orders only a dozen T-shirts every year and is 100% satisfied with its dirt-cheap supplier.
Even if the group is satisfied with its current vendor, you may be able to offer additional or different creative services, so don’t give up too easily. For instance, you might suggest giving the group a discount if they’ll let you apply your company logo on all of the garments it orders from you. Or, the current vendor might be a large shop that can’t offer the level of personalization that your smaller shop can provide. For example, if your shop has a direct-to-garment printer or garment graphics cutter, this makes it easy for you to add personal names. The point is you need to find out what they’re doing now so that you can figure out your angle.
Remember that most school organizations are accustomed to paying more for each color they add to their design. With processes such as direct to garment and print and cut, you now can offer four-color process for the same price as a one- or two-color designs. Spend time as necessary educating school customers about some of the newer printing technologies available and how they can benefit.
Lesson 4: Spread the Word
Once you’re in with a group at the school, there is a snowball effect, where other groups start to use your services. For instance, a student on the swim team may also be in band, so he may help spread the word about your company. You might even want to give that swimmer a few free garments to help generate buzz or provide a few freebies for the team’s coach.
One great plus about student organizations is that they have a new person in charge almost every year. This means that you have another chance to get business every year. Of course, the flip side of this is that once you’re in the door, you have to hustle to stay in, since you’re dealing with an ever-changing customer base.
Lesson 5: Work Out the Logistics
You’ll need to work out a simple, organized process for collecting and distributing orders. For example, let’s say you’re working with a band booster club, whose members must wear an embroidered shirt. You’ll distribute order forms to the group’s advisor, who then sends home those forms with the members. Students bring completed forms back with a check and the advisor turns over the forms and a single check for the full amount to your shop.
One of the newer techniques is setting up a Web site. This also gives you a competitive edge. With a Web site to collect the information, including sizes, colors, credit card information and so on, there are no forms to be distributed or collected. There also are no cash or checks to collect and deposit as customers pay online. Not having to collect and process money is a huge timesaver, and this service alone may get you in the door when selling against an established company.
A Web site also generates the opportunity for add-on sales. Make sure that you display additional, perhaps more upscale items for parents to see as they get online to place the order. A parent may not have been interested in the shirt chosen for the kids to wear but may find a nicer quality shirt with the school’s name and mascot looks much more appealing. If you offer all your apparel styles from the same source, some blank apparel suppliers work with decorators to set up complete online solutions for ordering, payment, and more. This makes everything easier for you and the organization. Research which wholesalers offer this capacity and see if you can make it work for you.
One of the most appealing approaches to use with schools is to use apparel sales as a way to raise money for the school or group. For instance, you may set the price so that the school gets $3 from the sale of each shirt. You may be able to entice school groups even more by offering a higher percentage return on larger orders. For example, agree that every shirt after the first 100 pieces nets the school $4 a shirt in profit. Of course, only offer this additional discount if you make more money on higher volume orders.
Lesson 6: Be Creative
There’s much more you can offer student organizations than just sweat shirts for band groups. For example, you can offer apparel for 1,000 college freshman orientation packages, paid for by a few local companies who get their logo on the back of the T-shirts. This idea is a great promotion for your company’s services, and it works equally well as part of a move-in package for apartment complexes near college campuses. The key in both of these examples is to provide a cool T-shirt that the student will want to wear. If you’re providing generic-looking, promotional-grade apparel, don’t count on the students wearing it too often.
Another great idea: Work with area businesses to offer a booklet of discounts that sells for $5 and gives specials prices on products and services. It might include a free soft drink with the purchase of a hamburger at a local restaurant, for example, and $10 off a dozen screen printed T-shirts from your shop.
Lesson 7: Make It Personal
If you have direct-to-garment equipment or a garment graphics cutter, both of which allow you to easily and affordably provide personalized onesies and twosies, you’ve got a great way to get your foot in the door with student organizations. For example, you could offer to provide personalized shirts for even the smallest organization — groups that can’t afford screen printing’s set-up charges. The order will be small, but you can make higher margins than you would with other types of decorating.
Take for example the fraternity that has always purchased a shirt with a one-color design on the front and three-color logo on the back because that’s what they could afford. Now you can create full-color process designs front and back for the same price (as one or three colors) with no minimums! It’s another edge over the competition if you offer direct-to-garment printing.
Another great business builder: Always give a freebie to your sales contact. This extra item should be distinctly different from the order such a long sleeve, a different color, or a more upscale style. The strategy here is the group advisor wears his or her freebie and every else wants one too generating another order. So don’t be cheap, look at it as a way to create more orders. Also you want to personally hand the item to the individual, thank him for his business, and let him know that you can offer additional styles and services if he needs them.
This also brings up another important point: Stay on top of when the organization’s membership changes. This way, your contact can introduce you to his replacement, and you don’t have to start from scratch to make a new contact. That’s the kind of mistake that could move you right to the back of the class.
About me: On a DTG Direct To Garment Printer Mission...
DTG Direct to Garment Printing
Shopping the DTG Scene
Ready to join the inkjet-to-garment chorus? If so, read on for answers to critical questions you should be asking.
Sept 1, 2007
By Don Copeland
Inkjet direct-to-garment (DTG) digital printers have captured the industry's attention with numerous suppliers introducing cutting-edge equipment that can quickly and easily produce some amazing-looking prints. If you've been thinking about taking the plunge, but have questions about how to pick the right printer, here's a guide to getting started on your shopping journey.
"How do I know if DTG printing is right for me?"
Actually, this is an easy question to answer. Whether you're a screen printer, embroiderer, trophy and awards dealer, sign shop or other type of business, the answer depends on this: If you're looking to expand your decorating repertoire with the ability to handle short- to medium-run orders, then DTG technology may be perfect for you. On the other hand, if you are a high-volume contract shop, you have different variables to consider.
For instance, if you have access to a group of people with a similar interest — boat enthusiasts, dog lovers, fair attendees or bike riders at motorcycle shows — then a DTG machine can be an ideal fit. The technology is well-suited to answer high demand for small, custom orders. If you buy the right machine and know what you're doing in terms of artwork and production, you can generate some great margins.
Mass customization seems like an oxymoron, but it's the new frontier in the apparel decoration marketplace, and some smart decorators are capitalizing on the opportunity. For instance, if your shop is primarily an embroidery operation that has been sub-contracting screen printing, then DTG offers independence from relying on an outside source. That can bring peace of mind and reduce the risk of exposing your customer base to a potential competitor.
On the other hand, you may be disappointed if you think a digital printer will enable you to produce large orders more easily and inexpensively than you can with a good crew running an automatic screen printing press. Such unrealistic expectations will result in frustration.
Further, you need a good understanding of graphics programs, or a willingness to learn, so you can feed good artwork to the digital printer and get consistent, professional results. And you must commit to learning a new garment decoration technique.
Finally, the process may not fit your shop if orders are dominated by polyester or high-polyester content apparel, such as athletic jerseys. The inkjet DTG process is currently a cotton or high-cotton content process.
Ready, Set, Shop
Assuming you've crunched the numbers and are ready to hit the market, how do you prepare to shop for a digital printer? First, set a realistic budget that dictates how much you're willing to invest. As you look into financing options such as leases and bank loans, set a goal for a time period in which you'd like to return your initial investment. You also should have a basic understanding of the technology and how it works. Finally, you must have a target market in mind, whether it's your existing customer base or an entirely new one.
Next, determine which type and size of machine to get. Picking the right digital printer requires you to have a good understanding of your business model. Unless you know exactly who you're targeting and what type of garments you'll be printing, you can't make an educated decision. You need to have a projected daily output, as well as a realistic daily maximum you expect to print.
It also helps to do some prioritization. Is speed more important, or is budget a bigger concern? Do you need the printer to output to non-textiles? Is power or ease of use more significant? Does it matter if the printer can handle light shirts and dark shirts? Is power or portability your key interest?
For instance, if your business model requires you to set up shop at fair grounds, you'll obviously want to buy a digital printer that is portable and durable.
The Darks Dilemma
To assess whether you should get a machine with the ability to print on dark garments, consider this: While the cost to print on a typical white or light garment is somewhere between 20 cents and 75 cents, inkjet printing on a dark garment costs a lot more. The process requires pretreatment and a base layer of white ink, which can drive costs up to between $1 and $3 per shirt.
Again, understanding your business model will help you answer this question. If you will specialize in selling Holly Hobby-type designs ..l and light-colored shirts, then you'll be fine with a printer that only outputs on light garments. If you will be selling T-shirts to rock bands or motorcycle enthusiasts, you'll probably need the ability to print on darks.
Some suppliers sell printers that can be retrofitted with a white ink option later, meaning you can add the capability to print to darks if you need it. Ask suppliers if they offer this option, and if so, how much it costs.
What's What
With the many different machines that are available, it can be confusing to compare and evaluate them to find what's best for your business. For starters, compare apples to apples by evaluating each printer's true cost and speed of output. Have the same image printed at the same size on all of the machines you're considering, and get the exact output cost and speed for that print.
When you see the machine in action, it's ideal to use your own art file that represents the type of work you'll be doing, not an image the supplier has prepared — and, perhaps, tweaked to make the most of his printer's output. As you evaluate each machine, pay particular attention to how easy it is to use; the options it has for different sizes and types of textiles; and, of course, the quality of the printing.
Ask to keep the samples so you can study them closely and compare washability. Does the sample have the desired detail? Do the fades and halftones print well? Are there problem colors? How much editing did it take to make your file print well?
Caveat Emptor
It's also important to evaluate the company's reputation in the industry for quality, customer support and service. Network with other decorators who have already taken the plunge. There are several online forums where decorators from all over the U.S. (and the world) share their experiences.
You will eventually purchase your printer from either a distributor or directly from the manufacturer. Make sure you know whether the distributor or the manufacturer will be your support contact and, again, research other decorators' experiences with the service and support for your machine.
Art Smarts
Just like any output device, a DTG digital printer requires artwork — and the output is only as good as the artwork you input. If you don't already own clip art or have the ability to create artwork with a graphics program, you'll either need to acquire these tools or establish relationships with freelancers who can provide it.
If you have been in the traditional screen printing business, don't think your bag of tips and techniques to tweak artwork for CMYK separations will work when preparing DTG output. There are many subtle and not-so-subtle differences, and it's worth taking a class on preparing artwork for inkjet garment printing. Software vendors and distributors offer classes, there are online courses and you can attend seminars taught by experts at any of the Imprinted Sportswear Shows.
As for your computer, you won't necessarily need a new one, but you do need plenty of RAM (memory), and you must find out if the digital printer is compatible with your system. Microsoft recently introduced Vista, a new Windows operating system. Some suppliers haven't yet made their printing software (RIP, or raster image processor) Vista-compatible, though it's likely just a matter of time before they do.
Finally, it's important to realize that success with DTG digital printing requires setting realistic expectations, and then having the training it takes to achieve those expectations. Although the technology is relatively simple to use, it still requires an investment of time and energy to get the most out of it.
Schedule a training session with the supplier a few weeks after you've had the machine up and running. This way, your questions will be based on real-world experiences, not hypothetical ones. If a trainer is coming to your shop, you might want to clear your production calendar so that you can focus on it without interruptions. If possible, record the training session so that you and your employees can review it later.
So what else should you know before you start shopping to make the right decision? Don't get too bogged down worrying about whether you've researched every nook and cranny of the industry and have picked the absolute perfect machine. If you follow the guidelines set in this article, you will have most likely narrowed your decision down to a finite number of valid options. When push comes to shove, many machines are fairly similar, so it's not likely that you'll make a terrible decision.
Direct-to-garment digital printing is still a relatively new technology. The sooner you get started using it, the better. Don't wait until your competitors gain an insurmountable lead on your business by using the technology and becoming experts at it. Not getting started soon with the technology? Now that would be a bad decision.
Don Copeland has 16 years of industry experience and is the digital products manager for SWF East, Tampa, a company which offers the DTG line of digital direct-to-garment printers. He can be reached at dcopeland@swfeast.com or via Web sites at www.swfeast.com or www.dtgamerica.com
IT'S NOT JUST FOR GARMENTS ANYMORE
In todays digital age, customers are asking for more from their vendors, and looking for one stop solutions to their needs. This fact is becoming more and more evident in the Awards & Engraving industry, with customers looking for ink printed promotional products from their Award/Engraving vendors. Enter the Direct to Garment printer (DTG), which while engineered to decorate apparel, has become a proven tool for printing non-textiles.
Having grown through the challenges of infancy, DTGs have proven to be a valuable addition to an Award/Engraving shop. With the ability to print on not only garments, but a wide variety of non-textiles, this process has become an invaluable tool for many businesses to expand there product base amongst their existing customers.
The process for printing on non-textile goods requires a pre-treatment to be applied to the product prior to printing, allowing the ink to properly adhere to the substrate. The second step is the actual printing, which from an ink cost is significantly less than the sublimation process. The final step is to cure the ink, which can be accommodated through application of an aerosol post-treatment (which also provides a protective finish), heat, or open air drying, depending on the product being printed.
The process has proven to be effective on canvas, plastic, wood, glass, ceramic tile, brick, cement, fiberglass and metal. With this versatility, the products that can be customized are too numerous to count. I have customers send me a different product every week to sample out says Heath Schumacher, a Product Specialist/Trainer, and there have been only a couple items that I have been sent for which this process may not be the best solution. Given the nature of a print head, the best results are seen on flat objects that can be printed as close to the print head as possible. Round items are tougher, but Heath has found success in printing on golf balls (print area of a nickel) and base balls (print area of a half dollar). Most recently, Heath has found ease in printing on the metal product used by Award Shops in the production of plaques, drastically reducing the print cost, and adding the ability for full color photo quality artwork to be introduced to the product.
Overall, the DTG process originally engineered to embellish garments has proven to be a useful tool in the production on custom non-textile goods. The versatility, reduction in ink costs and relative ease of the process allows Awards and Engraving shops to provide a value added service and new product lines to their existing customer base.
Digital Garment Printer Photo's
Digital Garment Printer Photo's
Check out my digital garment printer photo's on WetPaint.com
Who I'd like to meet: DTG Direct To Garment Marketing Tip
USING YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMER BASE
If you have an existing apparel decorating business, there is no need to look further than your existing customer base. Everyday you are delivering orders to your customers why not add a little advertisement in the form of a printed shirt to the order? Make sure you put your logo on the shirt (small is okay) and include a brief note "introducing" your customers to the direct to garment process, maybe even offer a discount on their first direct to garment order for a limited time if they mention the note you included. If you want a more generic approach, try coming up with a collage design that shows a family reunion, little league sports team, "In Memory of", "Look who's 40", etc. on it. Any type of event that may merit a t-shirt to commemorate it would be good on this shirt. Use your imagination and watch the orders start coming in.
If you are starting up a businesswith the direct to garment printer, more than likely you had some direction prior to purchase. It doesn't hurt to "fish" a bit for more business, however. If you have a passion (soccer, football, fishing, dogs, cats, etc.) try to find a local group that will provide a venue for you to show custom t-shirts that you can produce either onsite or by taking orders. Going to a dog show or a custom car show with a "generic" custom shirt, digital camera and an order pad can be a good way to get orders. Make sure to include enough profit in order to be able to Priority Mail the finished garment to the customer ($4 should be enough). You can also try taking out ads in small, local periodicals as well - they are usually inexpensive and target specific geographic areas or demographics.
If your business model is more business to business (B2B) then a slightly different approach will work. Invest in one of the inexpensive business card scanners (they are available for less than $75) and simply pick up business cards from prospective clients and generate a custom shirt with their logo on it and bring it in to them. This is a great ice breaker and can very easily open doors for you, maybe for even more business other than just your direct to garment printer. With a little cleanup you may also be able to pull this feat off from potential customers' websites (be aware that most web graphics are only 72 dpi - so you may need to do a bit of software magic!)
These are not the only ways to make money with your DTG, but they are a good start. If you notice one thing - all of these methods involve actually printing a sample shirt and showing or giving it to a prospective client. They need to be sold on this process, just as you were when you bought your machine. Odds are that you requested and received a sample prior to making the commitment to "go digital". Besides, it's goodfor your machine to print everyday, so why not turn maintenance into an advertisement!
You will really love this video! Its the Coolest & Biggest Compilation of DTG Direct to Garment Samples I have ever seen! Watch & See Almost100 different Sample Direct To Garment prints.
direct to garment print on Tile
direct to garment print on Wood
direct to garment print on Surf Board
direct to garment print on Golf Balls
Happy New year From Durte.Graphx.Design If you are looking for an artist for your local show, graphic & web design or digital photography please shoot me a message. ..
I got an extended Flexi Jet for Sale....Only 700 prints and selling for only 11,000. Im throwing in 3 platents and a heat press with it. Sick deal if you know anyone interested. Email at aegisclothing@gmail.com
Want to see more cool photo's of samples from direct to garment printers? Check out the 100 or so photo's I have of DTG prints on wood, plastic, shirts, towels, tile, golf balls, and much more.
Shalom and Grace. Just making a pit stop to holla. Slide by and check out the site, and our specials we have going on. Remember to seek YaHWeH on EVERYTHING, And Keep Yahushua first in all that you do.
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