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Direct to Garment (DTG) - Your Digital Print Guide

DTG print, or direct-to-textile print, is a digital printing method that allows you to print four-color patterns on t-shirts and other garments. DTG printing uses an environmentally friendly and water-based ink jet technology to print your design directly on the garment, which means that there is no installation fee that it does with screen printing.

This makes DTG printing an excellent alternative for small orders and complex motifs.

Table of Contents

 

Advantages and disadvantages of dtg

Benefits

  • DTG is a digital pressure method, which means you do not need to do any preparatory work or create a separate file for printing. Just design and push!
  • It is an environmentally friendly printing method, as it does not use any chemicals or harmful substances.
  • DTG printing is very detailed and provides a high quality printing results.
  • It is a good option for small orders or orders with complex motifs.

Disadvantages

  • DTG printing is a more expensive method compared to traditional printing methods, so it is not suitable for really large orders with the same motif on one and the same type of garment.
  • The garments must be completely clean and free of dirt, fat or oil before printing, so it is a bit more work to prepare the garments.
  • DTG printing takes longer than traditional printing methods

How does DTG print work?

DTG printing works by using inkjet technology to print your design directly on the garment. The printer uses special ink absorbed by the fabric fibers, which means that the design does not crack or fade over time.

DTG print works on both light fabrics and dark fabrics and becomes especially good with 100 % cotton. To press dark garments, a pre -treatment solution is used. This solution helps the ink to attach to the fabric and prevent it from being absorbed too deep in the fabric, which can make the design look bleach and some rogue players on the market do to save cost (If you are unlucky, you have already been able to test one of the big players and got print that looks matte. Something we here at Dropmerch built a whole station circle to counter).

Pretreats and pre -treatment

A pre-treatment solution is used on dark fabrics before DTG printing. This solution prevents the ink to fall under the fabric fibers and is not absorbed by the fabric, which can make the design pale and unclear. Pretreat also means that the pressure gets a more traditional feeling in itself, like screenprint.

Pretreat can be used on all fabrics, even on light fabrics. There are several different pre -treatment solutions in the market and we are constantly testing to be able to deliver the highest quality to you as a customer.

 

Oven and hardening of the pressure

After printing the garment, it must be hardened in an oven for the ink to attach properly to the fabric. The garments should be hardened at about 150-160 degrees, depending on the ink and what type of fabric is used. The curing is very important to prevent the pressure from washing away when washing the garment. It is also important to counteract the ink flakes or bubble up.

 

Tips for your first DTG design

If you are new to DTG printing, here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Start with a simple design. When you start, it is best to use a simple design that has limited colors. This helps you get a feeling for how the printing process works and what you need to do to get good results and you can see how different colors work on fabric - the most common miss many do is use RGB mode that the computer screen shows and not think about Physical articles use CMYK.

  • Guide for those who want to learn more about color theory and RGB vs CMYK

 2. Use high quality images. DTG printing works best with high-resolution images. This means that your design will have more details and will look better when printed on the garment.

  • Guide for those who want to learn more about digital files for print

 4. Pre -treat your fabric. If you print on a darker fabric, it is important to pre -treat the fabric before pressing. This helps the ink attach to the fabric and prevent it from being absorbed too deep in the fabric, which can make the design look bleach. As a pressure customer, you never have to think about this but since we know many people are interested in the technology behind it, we thought we were daring with us about these tips.

 5. Print a test test. Before printing your entire design, it is always a good idea to print a small test test. This helps you ensure that your design is printed correctly and that you are satisfied with the result. At Dropmerch we always print a small test on your sweater to see that it matches the image you submitted.

 

Best garments for dtg

The best garments and textiles for DTG are generally the types with very pure cotton in themselves and without fuzzy fibers. Our favorite is 100% embroidered cotton and preferably combed to reduce the surface fibers.

Press your premium t-shirt here

Press a cheap tshirt easily and smoothly here

It is also very good to print most natural materials including organic cotton, linen, jute and also some mixtures of polesters, but we recommend at least 50/50 mix with cotton for best results.

Popular hoodies to print your own design here

Common questions about DTG

How long is the delivery time for DTG garments?

DTG delivery times vary depending on the producer and pressure plant, but in general it takes between 3 and 5 working days to print and deliver individual DTG garments.

We at Dropmerch also have a special express service you can read more about here.

Can I print my logo with DTG?

Yes, it is good to print logos with DTG, but it is important that the logo is in a high-resolution Vector file (such as .Eps or .AP) or high resolution Bitmap (such as JPG, TIFF or PNG saved in 300 dpi).

How much does it cost to print with DTG?

Our DTG pressure always includes full color if desired so it will not be more expensive to print a motif with 4-color or the like, however, it costs more to print several different motifs on different pages of the garment. You can easily and quickly see all prices, and price discounts in our online editor when creating your garment.

What are the benefits of DTG compared to other types of T-shirt prints?

DTG allows you to print photos and design with high resolution graphics on t-shirts and other fabrics, which is difficult to achieve with regular silk and screen printing. DTG is also a good alternative for smaller editions, as it is a direct printing technique. This means that you do not need to make a pressure fee and can order just as many (or get) t-shirts as you want.

How do I wash my t-shirt that is printed with DTG?

DTG printed t-shirts should be washed inside out and hung for drying, to avoid damaging the ink. Always follow the recommendations on the label in the sweater or garment.

How durable are garments printed with the DTG method?

Our digital -printed garments can withstand the same wear as a traditionally screen printed sweater if you handle it correctly and wash as above.

What is the difference between DTG and screen printing?

The biggest difference is the process of printing - with screen you use stencils and (usually) plastic ice ink that is not environmentally friendly. The cost of starting a pressure is expensive and requires a lot of preparation and you have to do several of the same motifs.

DTG, or digital print, press your motif directly on the garment with environmentally friendly and water -based colors and as it is a modern print head that applies color you get very high resolution so you can use multi -color at no extra cost and even transitions, gradients and small details.

Is dtg the same thing as transfer?

No. Transfer is a printing technique that uses ready -made prints or cut vinyl that is glued to the garment with the help of heat. If done wrong, it usually gets a very plastic feel but works perfectly for work clothes and sportswear.

Is DTG the same thing as sublimation?

No. Sublimation is a special pressure technique that uses heat to fasten the ink with the fabric through heat and the motif "melted" in the garment. Sublimation is most common in sports and sports clothes that will withstand extreme wear.

What is on-demand pressure?

By On-Demand we mean "VIID order" and are our favorite method to deliver your garments and motifs. You can of course print as large orders you want and we have a price discount for larger orders (You can find it here) But we like the option to not have to stand with unsold layers or the feeling that you printed the wrong motif on the wrong garment (You can read here about our background and why we really want to avoid unnecessary layers).

With On -Demand we press what you want, or what you sell - when you sell it and we all avoid unnecessary risks or investments that can better create new motifs, marketing or building your own online store,

How do I sell my DTG shirts?

The advantage of DTG is that it is extremely well suited to test ideas quickly and be quick with trends, events or new ideas. A band no longer has to choose between two favorite motifs or a creator does not have to make the difficult choice between two different colors on a sweater, but you can order on request - either to showcase several options and then print more of the one that became most popular, Or offer both variants because you only pay for what you press and with on-demand you just press what you sell!

  • Read more about On-Demand and Dropmerch Marketplace here

 

Summation

It is simple, quick and convenient to press DTG at dropmerch. You do not have to pay any kind of fee for stencils or color changes and can order just as many t-shirts and sweaters and garments as you want.

DTG pressure is very durable and can withstand the same wear as traditionally screen printed sweaters, as long as you wash them according to the recommendations on the label. DTG is also an environmentally friendly alternative with water-based ink, making it suitable for all types of t-shirts and the environment.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at info@dropmerch.com and we will do our best to answer you as quickly as possible!

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