How DTF printers can amplify product range and unleash new choices for signal store house owners
By Ginny Mumm
Including personalized attire can present a high-margin further income stream for store house owners. Pictures courtesy Roland DGA
It’s no secret the market demand for customized attire is constant to rise. Actually, in line with Grand View Analysis, the embellished attire market globally hit $28.98 billion (C$36.2 billion) in 2023, and is predicted to develop at a compound annual progress fee (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 provides 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 outlets as a strategy to broaden product ranges and create customized attire in-house.
To search out out extra about this well-liked textile manufacturing technique, we talked with Roland DGA utility specialist Mike Davis.
Why ought to print service suppliers (PSPs) contemplate bringing attire manufacturing
in-house?
Mike Davis (MD): Signal store house owners at the moment are sometimes requested if they supply customized shirts, hats, jackets, and tote baggage. Many are outsourcing this manufacturing to a different store, dropping the chance to supply what might be high-quality, high-margin merchandise themselves. As we speak’s DTF expertise permits store house owners to carry full-colour, on-demand customized attire manufacturing in-house.
Display screen printers are additionally making the most of DTF expertise to print smaller runs or samples. Superior Raster Imaging Processor (RIP) software program can produce the identical color choices as display 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 doable to realize a a lot greater hourly output with at the moment’s DTF units.
MD: Producers are responding with environment friendly, inexpensive DTF options that may sustain with the wants of outlets for high-quality on-demand manufacturing. First-tier producers additionally supply wonderful service and help that guarantee constant up-time for these units.
Trendy DTF printers are compact and simple to make use of, and don’t require customers to pre-treat materials. The essential workflow has only some steps. For instance, if you’re 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 beneficial time on the beneficial temperature, after which warmth urgent the graphic onto a garment and eradicating the movie backing might be as fast as 10 minutes.
With manufacturing orders, it’s doable to realize a a lot greater hourly output with at the moment’s DTF units.
What varieties of attire and textiles can DTF print on?
MD: DTF is a remarkably versatile manufacturing platform. Whereas most individuals are printing on merchandise fabricated from 100 per cent cotton, DTF can be used to print on 100 per cent polyester in addition to poly blends, denim, and on some varieties of nylon.
The commonest utility is on tee-shirts; nonetheless, DTF works equally properly on tote baggage, aprons, caps, and sports activities shirts. It provides PSPs the possibility to broaden their product line for purchasers. As a substitute of simply providing sports activities banners, decals, and yard indicators, with DTF, a store proprietor can present jerseys, mother or father shirts, hats, and different varieties of crew attire.
As a substitute of simply providing sports activities banners, decals, and yard indicators, with DTF, a store proprietor can present jerseys, mother or father shirts, hats, and different varieties of crew attire.
What ought to PSPs search for in a DTF printer?
MD: It’s necessary to search for a producer offering strong gear 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 a great guarantee. You wish to guarantee your machine will carry out optimally for so long as doable, and that ought to you want a component or service, your producer may have elements and help obtainable.
Some DTF printers supply further 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 additionally make this compact but highly effective desktop machine extremely easy to function. The BY-20 can be used for conventional print and lower functions in addition to for warmth switch graphics. Moreover, some producers supply the opposite DTF system elements wanted—the inks, switch paper, and powder—to supply customers with an entire answer.
What varieties 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 straightforward to make use of. The BY-20 features a license for a model of FlexiDesigner in addition to RIP software program. This might help with creating vector pictures which might then be despatched for outputting and permits for customers to import their design from different software program.
What function does sustainability play in DTF manufacturing?
Whereas most individuals are printing on merchandise fabricated from 100 per cent cotton, DTF can be used to print on 100 per cent polyester in addition to poly blends, denim, and on some varieties of nylon.
MD: The power to print on-demand helps with sustainability. With DTF manufacturing, you don’t need to inventory your prints or take care of giant inventories that won’t promote. You may produce precisely what your purchasers 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 inexpensive manner for store house owners to broaden their product choices and meet extra of their purchasers’ wants in-house. The printers themselves will endure minor tweaks to additional enhance print speeds. There might also be a motion towards a four-printhead machine reasonably than the present normal of 1 or two printheads.
There can even be enhancements coming with the manufacturing elements, together with inks, powders, and movies. Scorching peel movie is changing into well-liked now.
Specialty movies resembling glitter movies and glow-in-the-dark movies are being launched as properly, so I count on to see enhancements in these varieties of supplies as they mature out there. 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
