A call to expand the digital printing paradigm

How DTF printers can amplify product variety and unleash new choices for signal store house owners

By Ginny Mumm

Including personalized attire can present a high-margin extra income stream for store house owners. Pictures courtesy Roland DGA

It’s no secret the market demand for customized attire is constant to rise. In actual fact, in accordance with Grand View Analysis, the adorned attire market globally hit $28.98 billion (C$36.2 billion) in 2023, and is predicted to develop at a compound annual development charge (CAGR) of 13 per cent from 2024-2030.¹

One of many quickest rising manufacturing strategies for customized attire printing is direct-to-film (DTF) manufacturing. DTF presents quick, high-quality manufacturing of one-off or short-run personalized attire merchandise. As soon as the province of attire producers and mall kiosks, these units are actually being built-in into signal retailers as a approach to broaden product ranges and create customized attire in-house.

To seek out out extra about this in style textile manufacturing methodology, we talked with Roland DGA software specialist Mike Davis.

Why ought to print service suppliers (PSPs) contemplate bringing attire manufacturing
in-house?

Mike Davis (MD):  Signal store house owners right now are sometimes requested if they supply customized shirts, hats, jackets, and tote luggage. Many are outsourcing this manufacturing to a different store, dropping the chance to supply what may be high-quality, high-margin merchandise themselves. In the present day’s DTF know-how permits store house owners to deliver full-colour, on-demand customized attire manufacturing in-house.

Display printers are additionally making the most of DTF know-how to print smaller runs or samples. Superior Raster Imaging Processor (RIP) software program can produce the identical color choices as display screen printing, together with half-tones, with a lot much less setup time.

How are producers addressing the market’s rising want for on-demand customized attire manufacturing?

With manufacturing orders, it’s attainable to realize a a lot larger hourly output with right now’s DTF units.

MD: Producers are responding with environment friendly, reasonably priced DTF options that may sustain with the wants of retailers for high-quality on-demand manufacturing. First-tier producers additionally provide glorious service and help that guarantee constant up-time for these units.   

Fashionable DTF printers are compact and simple to make use of, and don’t require customers to pre-treat materials. The fundamental workflow has just a few steps. For instance, in case you are printing one 304.8 mm x 304.8-mm (12 in. x 12-in.) picture onto a tee-shirt, the method of printing the graphic onto switch movie, coating it with shaking powder, melting the powder below a warmth press for the really useful time on the really useful temperature, after which warmth urgent the graphic onto a garment and eradicating the movie backing may be as fast as 10 minutes.

With manufacturing orders, it’s attainable to realize a a lot larger hourly output with right now’s DTF units. 

What kinds of attire and textiles can DTF print on?

MD: DTF is a remarkably versatile manufacturing platform. Whereas most individuals are printing on merchandise product of 100 per cent cotton, DTF may also be used to print on 100 per cent polyester in addition to poly blends, denim, and on some kinds of nylon.

The commonest software is on tee-shirts; nonetheless, DTF works equally effectively on tote luggage, aprons, caps, and sports activities shirts. It presents PSPs the possibility to increase their product line for shoppers. As a substitute of simply providing sports activities banners, decals, and yard indicators, with DTF, a store proprietor can present jerseys, dad or mum shirts, hats, and different kinds of crew attire.

As a substitute of simply providing sports activities banners, decals, and yard indicators, with DTF, a store proprietor can present jerseys, dad or mum shirts, hats, and different kinds of crew attire.

What ought to PSPs search for in a DTF printer?

MD: It’s vital to search for a producer offering sturdy tools that may ship constant color and high-definition output over time. It’s additionally key to discover a firm that stands behind their units with guarantee. You wish to guarantee your machine will carry out optimally for so long as attainable, and that ought to you want an element or service, your producer may have components and help obtainable.

Some DTF printers provide extra options to assist guarantee vibrant, detailed graphics. For instance, Roland DG’s DTF printer—the VersaSTUDIO BY-20—boasts developments that not solely maximize color richness and accuracy, but in addition make this compact but highly effective desktop machine extremely easy to function. The BY-20 may also be used for conventional print and lower purposes in addition to for warmth switch graphics. Moreover, some producers provide the opposite DTF system parts wanted—the inks, switch paper, and powder—to supply customers with an entire answer.

What kinds of software program are producers providing for this market?

MD: Most DTF producers are actually together with RIP software program with their units.  Further software program is required to create the artwork.

Roland DG’s VersaSTUDIO line is particularly designed to be simple to make use of. The BY-20 features a license for a model of FlexiDesigner in addition to RIP software program. This can assist with creating vector pictures which may then be despatched for outputting and permits for customers to import their design from different software program.

What position does sustainability play in DTF manufacturing?

Whereas most individuals are printing on merchandise product of 100 per cent cotton, DTF may also be used to print on 100 per cent polyester in addition to poly blends, denim, and on some kinds of nylon.

MD: The flexibility to print on-demand helps with sustainability. With DTF manufacturing, you don’t need to inventory your prints or cope with massive inventories that won’t promote. You may produce precisely what your shoppers need, when they need it.

What do you see forward for DTF printing? What improvements are within the pipeline?

MD: I believe the marketplace for DTF will proceed to get stronger. It’s an accessible and reasonably priced method for store house owners to broaden their product choices and meet extra of their shoppers’ wants in-house. The printers themselves will bear minor tweaks to additional enhance print speeds. There may additionally be a motion towards a four-printhead machine reasonably than the present normal of 1 or two printheads.

There may even be enhancements coming with the manufacturing parts, together with inks, powders, and movies. Sizzling peel movie is changing into in style now.

Specialty movies akin to glitter movies and glow-in-the-dark movies are being launched as effectively, so I anticipate to see enhancements in these kinds of supplies as they mature available in the market. I’ve additionally come throughout samples of textured impact movies, which we should always begin seeing extra of going ahead.  

Ginny Mumm is a contract marketing consultant for digital inkjet printer/cutter supplier Roland DGA. For extra info, go to www.rolanddga.com.

Notes

1. Learn the Market Evaluation Report by Grand View Analysis right here: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/decorated-apparel-market