DTG printing: from head to toe

It’s been over 10 years since Direct-To-Garment (DTG) printing has been commercially available to the industry. DTG printing can offer some unique advantages when it comes to printing caps and shoes. This article will provide some helpful hints to printing these items.

Author: Mark Bagley, www.brother-ism.com

However, new people in the industry commonly refer to it as direct-to-shirt printing or a digital T-shirt printer. This is because it is substantially easier to print on T-shirts as they can be made flat with very little effort. Most DTG printers use a hoop ring or clamp mechanism to make the printing area of a T-shirt as flat as possible. Some DTG printers have holding devices under the platen that ‘grip’ the T-shirt in place during printing. Other printers have a larger gap from the bottom of the print-head to the top of the garment that does not require any of the above.

Platen

But a DTG printer can be used to print on a variety of more substrates. Two of the more popular items that have been personalised using other decorating techniques are caps and shoes. Traditionally, these items have been decorated using embroidery, heat-applied graphics and screenprinting.

Before printing on any new types of garments, please consult the Owner’s Manual or the manufacturer of the DTG printer being used.

Personalising caps with a DTG printer will require a specialityty platen to make the cap as flat as possible. The amount of printable area on a cap will depend on whether the cap has a structured or unstructured construction; as well as the desired print-head-to-substrate gap.

Caps

Below are some additional helpful tips to consider when DTG printing on to caps.

1. When choosing what caps to print on, look at the fabric content of the available caps. Selecting a cap made out of cotton will allow for the DTG inks to bond better. Using caps made completely out of polyester to print CMYK inks may require a polyester pre-treat fluid.

1. Six-panel caps may require a centre channel cut out of the riser to allow the centre seam to drop below the rest of the printable area.

1. Using the unidirectional print mode will allow the print-head to have a greater gap from the cap and still print a crisp design. This will help to print over some minor wrinkles on the cap when secured to the cap platen.

1. Some DTG printers have a large print-head-to-substrate gap that will allow for the printing on both the crown and bill of the cap. This is a unique printing capability that is typically not achievable with other decorating techniques. Some fashion brands will also print on the bottom side of the bill as well.

1. Most bills of caps are made by wrapping fabric around a thin piece of plastic. The plastic allows the bill to be stiff. However, the plastic material can melt during the curing process. Users should cut the cure time in half and allow for a cooling period before re-pressing for the remainder amount of time.

1. Printed caps can be cured using a cap press or a heat gun. If the cap has a flat-bill design, a heat gun is recommended because cap presses have a curved heating element. If a heat gun is used, do not hold the cap in your hands during the curing process.

Shoes

Unstructured caps have a larger print-area due to being able to be laid flatter across the cap platen. Due to a stiff fulcrum used in structured caps, the printable area tends to be less and unidirectional print mode may be required. Printing on shoes is a relatively new application process compared to caps. One reason for this is that the cost of a pair of shoes is typically higher than other items that are traditionally printed.

Another reason is that shoes are almost never flat on the sides. However, using specific styles of shoes can be easier than others. Try printing on shoes where the eyelets go as far down the shoes as possible.

Here are some other helpful tips for printing on shoes.

1. The material that the shoes are made out of must allow the water-based DTG inks to absorb into it. If the shoe has a waterproof or stain-resistant chemical on the material, it will not allow the DTG ink to bind to it. Spray the shoes with water and see if it absorbs into the material or if it beads up. You want the water to absorb into the material.

• If white ink is going to be printed, you will still need to pre-treat the shoes. It is easier to pre-treat shoes using a hand-held spray bottle or high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) sprayer.

• Any part of the shoes you don’t want to be printed should be masked off with some type of tape. Tape with some elasticity to it will make it easier to follow the curves of the shoe. Otherwise, use small pieces of tape to make it easier.

• To ensure the artwork is positioned in the correct location, cover the shoes in clear tape. Then print the artwork at the lowest ink-setting. This will help determine if the artwork is in the desired location on the shoes.

• Cure both the pre-treat fluid (if printing white ink) and the DTG ink using a conveyor dryer or dryer box. The heating element on a conveyor dryer must be raised in order for the shoe to pass under it. If a heat gun is used, do not hold the shoe in your hands while the heat gun is pointed at the shoe.

• Finally, practise on lower-cost shoes in the beginning to develop the necessary skills for printing on shoes. Just like learning to print on T-shirts, you are bound to make mistakes. However, the cost of a pair of shoes is substantially more than the cost of a T-shirt.

Using a DTG printer to print on caps and shoes can result in new products that can be sold to current customers while also helping to acquire new customers: thus, creating new opportunities that can lead to a greater return on your investment on a DTG printer.