Direct-To-Garment (DTG)
Printing – Real World Advantages and Disadvantages
Many of you
may have landed on this article because you are interested in Direct-To-Garment
(DTG) printing. You may have heard how
easy DTG is, how DTG is the future, and how you can make good money with a DTG
printer. Those who have been involved in
screen printing who read this may have heard horror stories about DTG printing,
such as how you can only print on white garments, the colors are dull, the
machines need constant maintenance, etc.
As with every evaluation, there should be an unbiased, helpful
comparison to help anyone on the fence make a decision for themselves, which is
exactly what I will attempt to do.
Upfront cost is always one
of the biggest factors for someone looking to get into any method of garment printing. The biggest problem with making a cost
comparison is that you cannot do an apples-to-apples comparison between a
startup screen printing shop and an entry level DTG because they accomplish
many different things and are available in differing configurations, depending on your needs and budget. I’ll break it
down as best I can, starting with screen
printing.
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You
can start screen printing really easily, with minimal initial cost. An entry level screen printing setup
purchased online from Texsource shows an investment of a few hundred dollars
will have you churning out one-color shirts from your bedroom, basement, or
garage in no time. This includes everything you need to get started; the press, frame (screen), exposure lamp,
heat gun (for drying), chemicals, and some inks. With the popularity of screen printing, used
equipment is also fairly easy to find, so better equipment may can be bought for a slightly higher investment.
a typical entry level
package will get you printing, but be prepared to upgrade when your skills
increase
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You
will need inks. Choosing a popular and
versatile ‘everyday’ general purpose ink, I looked at the Union Maxopake
line. There, you can find ink sized in
quarts and gallons (and sometimes pint sizes).
Quarts are usually priced in the $20 - $28 range for most common colors,
with a quart usually lasting for hundreds of prints (depending on artwork, mesh
size, etc).
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Emulsion
is necessary for screen coating, with a good quality entry level emulsion running
about $20 - $30 for a quart, depending on your quality and performance needs.
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Cleaning
chemicals will be needed for screen reclaim, emulsion removal, etc. Look to a starter kit such as the Franmar
Cleaner Kit that will give you a startup sample of 6 commonly used cleaning
chemicals for around $70. This will let
you gauge what chemicals work best in your setup as well as determine how much
you will use regularly.
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Remember
that an entry press will only allow 1 color to be printed on 1 shirt at a
time. To be able to do multiple colors
or product multiple shirts simultaneously you will need to invest in a bigger
press. It is common to quickly leave
your starter press behind fairly quickly as your skill increases. A common ‘step-up’ press would be a 6-color
press with 4-shirt capacity, referred to as a 6/4 press. Entry level pricing for such a press is in
the range of $2,800 - $4,800, with features and build quality determining such
a pricing gap.

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You
will quickly find that a heat gun is not adequate for drying ink on multiple
garments and can also be quite slow, so you will eventually want to upgrade to a conveyor dryer. The dryer is usually the ‘choke point' in
many screen printing shops, with many purchasing a dryer that is
insufficient for future growth. Consider
buying the biggest dryer that your budget will allow when you are looking to
upgrade. The last thing you want is to
have to buy yet another dryer because you bought too small. An entry level dryer will run a little over
$2,000, with higher production capable models running $4,000 - $6,000.
a conveyor dryer is one
of the best upgrades you can make once demand increases for your services
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An
exposure lamp is perfectly fine for beginning printers, but a dedicated
exposure unit will eventually be desired for both exposure speed and
quality. The newest technology in
exposure units is LED, which is capable of exposure in less that 20 seconds
when used with certain emulsions. Such a
unit will run around $2,200 - $4,000.
Though they may not be necessary on startup, you will likely have to eventually add equipment to your shop to maximize efficiency. Such items may include
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A
screen washout booth to help with reclaiming and cleaning screens - $600 -
$3,000 (size)
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A
drying cabinet that speeds up emulsion drying times for faster production -
$2,500
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A
flash cure unit becomes necessary when printing certain multi-color prints -
$600
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Various
screen mesh sizes for varying level of detail in artwork - $25 - $30 each
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A
selection of screen printing inks – you don’t want to order an ink for every customer need, you
want to be able to print quickly, so a good selection of shelf inks will be
important. Remember also that certain
inks only print well on certain materials, so you may need more than one of the
same color ink for various shirt types.
This could lead to significant costs of ‘stock’ ink. There are turnkey kits such as the Matsui RFU
series that allow you to mix your own colors with the help of a color
chart. The system requires only 14 stock
inks, so some money can be saved by those willing to mix their own.
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A
variety of items used every day, such as squeegees, buckets, mixing spoons,
test sheets, dryer temperature strips, tapes, adhesive sprays, and
cleaners. All of these items will likely
see everyday use in any shop and should be considered.
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RIP
software will be needed especially as your skill increases. It helps you design your artwork and
determine the separation of colors for the subsequent screens you will need.
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A
printer capable of producing film positives.
Most inkjet printers can achieve this, but some printers have a better
reputation for film output than others and have a greater community of support.
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A
design program such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, or comparable creation
software.
a screen washout booth
isn’t a necessity when starting, but with growth you will greatly benefit from
the increased efficiency.
THE UPFRONT COSTS – DTG PRINTING
Unlike screen
printing, most of the process of DTG
printing is self-contained into the actual DTG machine itself. Let’s have a look at that and also some
subsequent costs to consider before you are up and running.
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It
shouldn’t be any surprise that your biggest upfront costs will be the DTG
machine itself, and pricing will vary wildly depending on brand and production
capabilities. For the sake of startup
consideration, I will assume only entry-level machines will be considered. My recommendation is to stick with brand
name, established models that have a reputation for support and service. These DTGs will have the most active
community of users – these are the very people who will likely be the quickest
to help you via online forums if you have a problem or issue. You can also expect top notch warranty
support from more well-established manufacturers. For the entry level, I can only (with my
experience) offer 3 models of choice for you -
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The
Ricoh Ri 100 is a true “entry” DTG printer, being aimed directly at startup
hobbyist printers. Priced at $4,995, it
is the only printer to warrant any serious consideration at the sub-$10,000
price level. This printer will garment
print, but the print area is quite small (fully half the size of other entry
printers) and it doesn’t seem to have a well established community just yet
(although it does have an excellent brand in Ricoh behind it). Though it seems to be a capable startup
DTG, it does not have the features nor build quality of truer entry level machines and thus should
likely be considered as a ‘step-in’ machine rather than a true production
machine.
Ricoh Ri 100 DTG
Printer


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A
heat press is highly recommended for DTG owners, but I find it a necessity. Like screen printing, your ink has to be
dried (cured) on the shirt before it can be worn or washed. This can be accomplished with a conveyor
dryer (like screen printing) in a high volume production environment, but
starting out a heat press will be needed for several processes (see next). With a good starting size for a heat press
being 16x20, expect a cost of around $1,200 - $1,500 for a good quality heat
press by a reputable manufacturer.
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You
will need to pre-treat any garment that you are printing white ink on. White ink printing is a relatively new
capability of DTG printers, and while it looks fantastic there are some
‘quirks’ that you should be aware of. Pre-treating
any shirt that will have white ink gives a ‘base’ for the ink to lay on, rather
than being sucked into the shirt fibers.
It is colorless and some say that it even improves the vibrancy of
prints not using white. Once properly applied, you will want to fully dry the treated shirt. You can line dry or a much quicker method uses (again) a heat press, which can fully dry the treated shirt in 40-60 seconds. Quality
pre-treat solution can be bought for around $50 - $100 a gallon (depending on
brand) and can be applied with a special pre-treat machine for higher
production shops ($3,000) or applied with a paint roller or spray bottle
with proper technique. Expect per-shirt
costs in the $.20 - $.50 range.
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The
ink used in DTG printers isn’t plastisol ink such as most screen printing inks,
but rather special water based formulations.
It typically leaves a softer feel on the shirt but can lack the opacity
of plastisols. It is also more expensive
per print that screen printing. Most DTG
printers use CMYK inks with a white ink cartridge as well, some using 2 white
cartridges (with each feeding separate parts of the print head, so both carts
are used simultaneously). Depending on
the size of the ink cartridge, expect to pay at or over $200 per cartridge, in
some cases nearly $300. At the time of
this writing, the Epson UltraChrome cartridges are retailing for $217 each for
a 600ml cart (there is also a smaller 250ml cart if you are on a budget, but
you will have to replace more often).
The Brother Innobella inks for their GTX series currently retail for $217
for a 700ml, while their white inks are slightly higher per cart at $475 for
the 2-pack. It is worth mentioning that
compatible inks are available from 3rd party sellers for around half
the price, but it is not advisable to use these during your warranty period as
their use will void the manufacturer warranty.
DTG ink can be pricey
to replace and will cost more per print vs. screen printing
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Other
costs to consider are platen sizes.
Though the provided platen will likely work for the majority of your
prints, specialty platens can cost hundreds of dollars.
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DTG
printers will require an occasional or daily cleaning with special cleaning
solutions. They may also require
periodic filter changes. Neither of
these will have a significant per-print cost as these consumables are
readily available and fairly cheap to purchase. Most newer printers perform a comprehensive daily self-cleaning routine and some even carry their own chemical cleaning cartridge that reduces waste ink while cleaning (Epson F2100).
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Should
you have a print head failure that is outside of your warranty coverage, parts
and labor can sometimes be in the $3,000 - $4,000 range. The print head is the heartbeat of your DTG
printer, and it is advisable to keep your warranty coverage up for as long as
possible.
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At
the time of this writing, the Brother warranty is 1 year complete, and a second
year limited warranty. The Epson
warranty is 1 year complete and is expandable annually up to a total of 3
years. An annual expansion is currently
$1,950 per year.
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Miscellaneous
costs for a DTG might include a dust cover for the machine, a custom stand or
table, Teflon sheets or parchment paper (for protection during curing with a
heat press), or a power sprayer that can be used to pre-treat.
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A
design program such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, or comparable creation
software.
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Though
RIP software isn’t mandatory for DTG printing (most brands ship with their own
software for shirt preparation), there are RIP software packages that are
developed specifically for DTG printers that claim to reduce costs and improve
quality.
PRINT QUALITY
The print
quality of both screen printing and DTG can both be impressively good. As with any print, your source artwork is
key. The more optimized and higher
quality, the better. Also, you should
always consider the type and color of the substrate you will be printing
on. That said, there are some key
differences in their capabilities.
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Although
screen printing can reproduce a broad color palette, doing so can require an extreme number of print heads (a 10 or 12 color print is not unusual). This can be relieved somewhat by printing in
what is known as four color process (using CMYK inks just like a DTG
does). However, CMYK is usually used
when there is a very large number of individual colors that need to be preserved
and can be a slightly trickier process to setup in your artwork if you have
little four color process experience. An
experienced printer can tweak the artwork and select the right screen mesh,
emulsion, and inks to product incredible work.
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DTG
printing can be photo accurate right out of the box, which is one of its
biggest benefits. It is essentially the
same technology as trusted inkjet printers that produce great prints every day
but optimized for garment printing. The
level of overall detail will likely not be limited by the printer but rather by
the shirt itself. 100% ringspun or
‘flat’ cotton shirts are the preferred shirt for DTG machines, though they can
also print on cheaper shirts and blends.
Unlike screen printing, the color palette is virtually unlimited. You won’t have to worry about charging by the
number of colors as is typical of screen printers – your cost per print will
essentially be the same on a full color print as on a single-color print and
can even be less if your single color print is all white (the most expensive
color to print).
DTG prints have a virtually unlimited color range
PRINT COST
Here is
where the biggest difference lies with these two printing methods. Each have cost advantages per print depending
entirely on the color palette and number of prints needed.
DTG printing
is most advantageous when performing high color prints on lower production
runs. That isn’t to say you cannot print
high quantity runs on a DTG (you certainly can) but considering the amount of
colors required and the production amount, at some point it will be more
economical to screen print. Consider an
order of 8-12 prints of a shirt that contains 6 colors. The colors are largely meaningless to the DTG
printer as there are no separations or individual stations to setup per color
as there would be in the screen printing process. There are no screens to prepare, no film
positives to print – just pull in your artwork, pre-treat your shirts if
necessary, and hit print. Now consider
this same print with a customer who requires 200 or more prints. Once prepared, a screen printer with a proper
setup could fill this order in a fraction of the time that a DTG could, and at
a much lower cost-per-print. Consider
your target audience. If you specialize
in custom artwork that will likely be sold at retail price then a DTG may be an excellent addition for
you. If your main customers will be
looking for simpler prints at a wholesale cost with higher production runs,
then screen printing is likely a more economical decision. Many screen printers will not fill orders of
10 or less garments without a huge price premium (some as high as a 2 or 3 dozen
minimum) – this presents an opportunity for DTG owners to capitalize on this
market at a premium price.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
There are a
few other points worth knowing before you make a printing decision.
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While
accurate ink mixing for plastisol inks (screen printing) can achieve a very accurate Pantone color match, such accuracy is much more difficult with
DTG. Printer profiles can be setup and
saved, largely with trial and error, but if you have a customer that requires
dead-on accurate color matching, DTG may not provide the results required.
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When
using a heat press to cure your DTG prints, you can usually count on losing
some color vibrancy when your cure is completed. This can be minimized by curing the ink in a
conveyor dryer (like screen printers), however it typically can take a good bit
longer to cure the shirt properly using this method. Experienced DTG printer users sometimes
adjust their artwork to compensate somewhat for this loss.
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Although
most DTG printers can print on a variety of materials, most recommend 100%
ringspun cotton shirts as the ideal print material. High percentage polyester shirts can be
printed on, but results can vary from just acceptable to terrible as polyester
is prone to ‘bleed’ through ink when curing.
This is especially noticeable when printing white onto dark poly
garments. This is a problem that affects
screen printers as well, but screen printers have a variety of inks that are
specially formulated for printing on poly materials. Always be mindful of the material you are
printing on. As of this writing, Epson has just released a new pretreat solution that is supposed to support DTG printing on 100% polyester garments.
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A
DTG printer is excellent for 1-off prints or reprints. If your artwork is saved, all you need to do
is prep your shirt and hit print. A reprint
for a screen printer can be an exhaustive process for only a few shirts,
especially if the screens have already been reclaimed. They would have to print the artwork again,
coat screens, burn screens, mix ink (if necessary, and hope that your mix is
accurate enough to match), and print and dry shirts. Not a problem for a large print job, but not
at all profitable for small runs or reprints.

DTG printing requires curing just like screen printing. You can use a dryer, but most cure by using a
quality heat press.
CONCLUSIONS
Hopefully
the points presented here will give you an unbiased comparison that is useful as
you considering venturing into the decorated apparel business. Though there are significant cost differences
at startup, those can be offset by the upgrade path you choose with screen
printing (whose cost increases as your capabilities increase). Though screen printing may have a steeper
learning curve, there are an enormous amount of resources on the internet to
help get you started no matter what problem you may be having. The DTG community is a growing one,
especially now that garment white is a standard feature of any serious DTG
machine. Though you won’t find the same
community depth as screen printing, you can easily find a thriving community of
users ready to help with most issues you may come across.
Both of
these excellent printing methods have their place in the apparel industry. Which one is right for you depends largely on
your business model and budget. Consider
the points contained here as you continue to develop your own plan and move
toward starting your own business or expanding your hobby. Happy printing!