Digital T-shirt printing ( small or wide format printer? )

Digital T-shirt printing

Direct to the garment, also known as DTG printing, is a method of printing on textiles and garments using specified or improved inkjet technology.
The two most important requirements of a DTG printer are a compatible machine for the fabric and applicable ink.
T-shirt printing is very popular these days. Everyone is curious and serious to know the technology behind it. To understand it, let us first understand it in some examples.
The printer in our office or house, which prints on paper is an example of an Inkjet printer. Inkjet printers are made for different purposes. The meaning of purpose here is print media. These media could be paper, plastic, or different types of textiles. Etc.
Technically, to print different media we need different types of machines, ink, and processing.
So, the size, model, and ink types are different, but all parts and working technology are the same.
For example, a small printer that we use in-home or office and a large format printer that prints advertisement banners, and posters are made using the same technology.
Only the size and looks are different and almost all parts are similar.

For textile use(here t-shirt)

Water-based
Dye-based, and pigment-based are water-based ink:dye-based ink, like reactive or acid ink, is used for high-end print and its wet processing requires pre and post-treatment. In wet processing, ink reacts with the fabric and becomes part of the fiber and that can never be extracted.

But pigment-based dry processing requires only a heat press after printing for curing.
It makes a kind of layer on the surface only. Cured by heat press and may come out after washing. But better than solvent-based print

Solvent-based
The solvent-based ink is used for banners, advertisement boards, etc. This type of ink is also used on T-shirts. This is a dry process and ink remains only on the surface of the media. and can be taken out by using sharp objects like a knife. And even go out even after a few washes.

Paper transfer (sublimation)
First printed on sublimation paper and transferred the design onto fabric, applicable only on polyester fabric.
Inkjet Printing Machine

• Printer Head
• After-sales service
• Availability of spare parts
• Selection of Ink
• Design or artwork
• Pre and post-treatment
• Software (RIP)

Inkjet printer manufacturers like Epson, Brother, etc. are big branded companies, they manufacture different models with different speeds and sizes. Generally, branded manufacturers make Entry, Mid and High levels of the machine, as per the market demand.
Initially, the only white t-shirt was printed using only CMYK ink. But these days, dark colors even black colored T-shirts can be printed using white ink. For this purpose, first, white ink is applied/printed on a dark area. so that the next print is clearly visible.
To understand it nicely, let’s see below.

• CYMK (Only for white),
• CYMK+2 White
• CYMK+4 white.

White ink is required to highlight or hide a design. white ink is needed to make a dark-colored t-shirt printable. After that, the second white is required to highlight or hide the first print. Similarly, very complex and multi-color designs may need four white ink or more.
First, let us understand the machine, and later we will discuss the inks. Here are some links to know about machine manufacturers, which are recommended for t-shirt printing.
Epson Direct-to-Garment Printers




Brother GT 3 series







Anajet, Spectra, etc. If you want to go for the economy type of machine, there are some Chinese manufacturers/traders as well, that offer you even at USD 1500 to 2000. There are so many choices, prices starting from USD 13.99 (probably it describes theory only) to more than 25,000 USD.
There are so many options, with prices ranging from USD 13.99 (perhaps this explains theory only ) to more than 25,000 USD.
For details visit here
A lovely and robust machine by kornit



If you go on searching, you can find the video describing how to make DTG for less than 50 USD. It seems unbelievable, but you can watch this here. It can’t be ignored; in fact, it is technically right if you have knowledge about an inkjet printer, you even can convert your small office printer to a t-shirt printer.

While selecting ink, you have to know its fastness data also. If the print is exposed to sunlight, it should not fade. Again after multiple was ink should not bleed. But the degree of that fading and bleeding is measured by some standards. So we should buy ink from a known manufacturer only. These well-known ink manufacturers provide these data along with their products. This is probably the most important thing in printing that a printer should know.
Fastness to sunlight, washing, rubbing, perspiration, etc. has a significant role in the life of the print.
The table below describes the fastness data of Pigment Ink Digitex-P manufactured by Jaysynth or all products. Jaysynth or all product

As we see in the table lightfastness of all ink is near about 5. The highest is 8, which is excellent. 5 is satisfactory, it can't fade noticeably. If the data is less than 4, then it can noticeably fade under sunlight.
These parameters are a very vital part of ink. So unless knowing such a thing if we buy the unspecified ink source, it could harm your business.
The manufacturer and exporter of ink have to be selected very wisely. As I live in the Indian subcontinent, I prefer this company. You may choose as per your choice, but my advice is to buy directly from the manufacturer or their authorized dealer.

Printing t-shirts in a large format printer

This process is about what to do first?
There are two options.

• Printing t-shirt directly
• Printing fabric first and stitching it later

The first one is easy to understand. But the second one is a logic-based issue, and if we understand it properly, it could be very beneficial also.
To understand it better, we have to print t-shirt fabric on a continuous roll. The printing point should be predefined, so that design is printed in the right place. It is called placement print also. Later it has to be stitched, placing the print on the required area. Through this process, we can print even a simple logo on a t-shirt with all possible effects to any color depth. If we want to produce in large quantities or we have an order for large quantities, then this process can be beneficial If you already have a large format printer with the water-based head then it will be even easier.








We have to select a blanket or belt type large format textile printer, like below, let the width of the printer is as per your requirements like 36 inches, 48, inch 60, 70, or 90 inches.





Before printing, we have to Select the textile media. Generally, t-shirts are made of 100% cotton or blending of following viscose, linen, or other reactive ink printable fiber
If pretreated (padded/coated also) textile is available in roll, then no problem, if not then it has to be pre-treated using a padding machine, by using the recommended padding recipe.

If the fabric composition is cotton and polyester like 50:50 form then, it could be a little difficult to achieve the desired result cause 50% polyester remains white even after post-treatment, Though it looks good to some extent, the design after printing does not look as robust as 100% cotton.






Yes, the above illustrations explain all your curiosity about how to find the right ink for your fabric.


Is there any better solution?

Yes,

Once I did an experiment with a t-shirt having a composition of 70% cotton and 30% polyester, mixing 70% reactive ink and 30% disperse ink. The ink should mix properly. And let your machine print it. Dry it steamed it and see the result. For me, the result was excellent. because After steaming the polyester part also took the given ink to the appropriate depth. And even after hard and multiple washes, it did not bleed. I was quite happy with the result. But that was only an experiment, but please, understand it properly, I have used reactive and dispersed ink manufactured by the same company. Please note that I used dx5 head for this experiment.

Printing options

print The Front, back, and sleeves as shown in the above image. Cut those parts separately and stitch those parts using a sewing machine. Use rib and other accessories as per your requirement.






Print the fabric using given the design of the t-shirt and stitch using the unprinted back, sleeve, rib, and pocket to complete as per the image.





This whole t-shirt can be printed using reactive ink that is no need to dyeing simply print the front with the design on the left of the image and the back and sleeve with the orange color background.
If you want to print on red-dyed fabric, you can use solvent-based ink.

Or this particular t-shirt also can be made by buying this orange color t-shirt fabric for the sleeve, rib, and back, we only have to print only the front part only and later on stitch it.




If we have to print this t-shirt simply print the front using reactive ink and add white color back, sleeves, and rib for stitching

If we use reactive ink

• Print last for several years.
• does not bleed or fade even after years and years
• Ink become part of the fabric by reacting, so it feels soft
• Very bright and attractive print

To understand this process better let’s have a look at these two pictures






The only extra cost printed by reactive ink is post-treatment (Steaming)

So, if you are manufacturing a t-shirt in volume, it is better to go for a large format printing machine using PIGMENT INK (if fastness data are acceptable) or REACTIVE INK for an excellent print result.


HAPPY PRINTING ;)