Digital Printing Services

About Digital Printing

4 Step Process For Ordering DTG

Important Quality Information About DTG

About Digital Printing

Digital printing or direct-to-garment (a.k.a. DTG) printing has revolutionized the ability to print full color images for small print runs quickly and affordably. When screen printing, color separation, set up times and the number of colors involved make printing complex and/or photographic imagery on darks very cost prohibitive. Rush charges made quick turns for small runs very expensive. DTG makes simulated process prints WITH a quick turn possible and affordable because the art file is printed directly onto the apparel item being decorated using ink jet technology, similar to a home or office paper printer.

Take a look at DTG in action:

4 Step Process For Ordering DTG

1. Submit Art & PO

2. Receive Goods & Art Proof

3. Pre-Treatment & Cure (Color Garments Only)

4. Print & Cure

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Submit Art & PO

Send your art over with your order info. You can even send the art before you get the order in to review and troubleshoot ahead of time. As with screen print and embroidery, we review each piece of art for good print capabilities before we mock up the digital art proof. The art submission guidelines for digital printing are a little more lenient than with screen printing, but the golden rule remains - good art makes good prints.

Receive Goods & Art Proof

While your goods are on their way, we will set up the art proof for your approval. In this step we communicate what the final print will look like. Size - location, etc. We’ll give you a heads up about any potential problems, advise on solutions, and when everything meets your approval, move forward. Sometimes we need to take a look at the garment before proofing and address this on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-Treatment & Cure (Color Garments Only)

Pre-treatment is needed on dark garments only. The pre-treatment is a spray primer for the white under base print on a digital printer. The garment is then heat pressed to seal the primer and create a smoother surface for better printing.

Print & Cure

Just like an office inkjet printer, heads containing ink jets move back and forth over the surface we are printing, spraying CMYK to recreate the digital image. DTG printers have additional white jets to create an under base, then print the color image. Next, the garment is placed on a conveyor belt that runs through a very high temperature dryer to set the ink.

Important Quality Information About DTG

• Although DTG printing is just as good - perhaps more detailed - than screen print, each medium has a unique quality. For this reason, digital prints should never be used as pre-production samples no matter what the time and cost restraints are.
• The pre-treatment on dark shirts may leave a slight discoloration around the printed image area. This is a natural result of the process and disappears with the first wash. All DTG prints should be washed prior to wear.
• To best preserve the colors in your design, we recommend washing the garments inside out in cold water.
• Direct-to-garment printing produces the best results on 100% cotton garments.
• Polyester thread has a finish that repels the printer inks. Some blends can work, but your best bet is to stick with 100% cotton.
• Garments with finishes - such as stain resistant aprons - are not able to be printed digitally.