How DTF printers can amplify product variety and unleash new choices for signal store house owners
By Ginny Mumm
Including custom-made attire can present a high-margin extra income stream for store house owners. Photographs courtesy Roland DGA
It’s no secret the market demand for personalised attire is continuous to rise. In reality, based on 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 custom-made 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 technique to broaden product ranges and create customized attire in-house.
To search out out extra about this fashionable textile manufacturing methodology, 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 right now are sometimes requested if they supply customized shirts, hats, jackets, and tote luggage. Many are outsourcing this manufacturing to a different store, shedding the chance to offer what will be high-quality, high-margin merchandise themselves. Right this moment’s DTF expertise permits store house owners to convey full-colour, on-demand customized attire manufacturing in-house.
Display printers are additionally benefiting from DTF expertise 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 potential to attain 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 outlets for high-quality on-demand manufacturing. First-tier producers additionally provide wonderful service and assist that guarantee constant up-time for these units.
Fashionable DTF printers are compact and straightforward to make use of, and don’t require customers to pre-treat materials. The fundamental 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 will be as fast as 10 minutes.
With manufacturing orders, it’s potential to attain a a lot larger hourly output with right now’s DTF units.
What forms of attire and textiles can DTF print on?
MD: DTF is a remarkably versatile manufacturing platform. Whereas most individuals are printing on merchandise made from 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 forms of nylon.
The most typical utility is on tee-shirts; nonetheless, DTF works equally nicely on tote luggage, aprons, caps, and sports activities shirts. It presents PSPs the prospect 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, dad or mum shirts, hats, and different forms of group 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 forms of group 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 guarantee. You wish to guarantee your machine will carry out optimally for so long as potential, and that ought to you want a component or service, your producer could have elements and assist out there.
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 additionally make this compact but highly effective desktop gadget extremely easy to function. The BY-20 may also be used for conventional print and reduce functions in addition to for warmth switch graphics. Moreover, some producers provide the opposite DTF system elements wanted—the inks, switch paper, and powder—to offer customers with a whole resolution.
What forms of software program are producers providing for this market?
MD: Most DTF producers are actually together with RIP software program with their units. Extra 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 may help with creating vector photos 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 made from 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 forms of nylon.
MD: The power to print on-demand helps with sustainability. With DTF manufacturing, you don’t should inventory your prints or cope with giant inventories that will not promote. You’ll be able to 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 feel the marketplace for DTF will proceed to get stronger. It’s an accessible and reasonably priced means 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 improve print speeds. There may additionally be a motion towards a four-printhead machine reasonably than the present customary of 1 or two printheads.
There will even be enhancements coming with the manufacturing elements, together with inks, powders, and movies. Scorching peel movie is changing into fashionable now.
Specialty movies akin to glitter movies and glow-in-the-dark movies are being launched as nicely, so I anticipate to see enhancements in these forms of supplies as they mature available in the market. I’ve additionally come throughout samples of textured impact movies, which we must 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