Screen printing, a tried-and-true technique for ink printingon textiles, clothing, and a variety of substrates is a labor-intensiveprocedure made to generate hundreds (if not thousands) of prints extremelyquickly.
The light-sensitive emulsion is added to a nylon mesh screenbefore the screen printing process begins.
A negative image is produced (usually onto clear film), andafter that, an intense light is used to "burn" the emulsion. Theemulsion dries (or hardens), but the negative image stays as a paste that canbe removed with water. A cemented stencil results from this. After that, ascreen printing specialist removes the negative image with water, leavingspaces in the mesh for the ink to travel through.
DTG printing is a more recent technique that uses a digitalprint head to print graphics directly onto various surfaces. It is currentlyseeing tremendous expansion.
In terms of functionality, DTG printers are comparable tothe usual inkjet printer you'd find in a home or office. The basic steps arethe same: the printer digitizes the image, which is then printed straight intothe shirt or other item of clothing. Print heads that are correctly calibratedspray ink onto the surface.
Good prints are produced by both DTG and screen printing,however, they differ in technique and price. While screen printing applies inkto cloth one layer at a time, DTG sprays ink onto a garment. In contrast toscreen-printed goods, which are often ordered in bulk, DTG offers on-demandorder fulfillment without any upfront costs. Although there are some notabledistinctions between DTG and screen printing, the method of applying ink to thet-shirt fabric is the most important one.
The conventional technique is screen printing, whichinvolves using a stencil to press ink into the fabric of the t-shirt. Ink isinjected into the fabric using direct-to-garment printing, which is morerecent. However, you may get the same excellent prints at a reduced price withDTG printing. High-detail designs and photorealistic images can be printed withthis technique, and they will look just as good or better than when utilizingother printing techniques like screen printing.
DTG printing is ideal for images as well as designs withnumerous minute elements. For broad, solid-color expanses or less-detailedgraphics, screen printing works best. Black and white prints, as well as thosewith subtle gradients and continuous tones, work best with dye-sublimation. Forcreating durable and long-lasting prints on garments and textiles, DTG printingis a fantastic technique.
You'll discover that this is on par with, if not superiorto, large box retailers and other retail fashion establishments. Small companyowners may now compete on an even playing field with big companies thanks tothe benefits of DTG printing. Your garments with DTG printing still lookbeautiful after numerous items of washing. If your online business is linked toa print company that does DTG printing, the procedure is easy.
Your order is processed as soon as the print file isreceived because DTG doesn't require a color count and doesn't require anyfurther setup time before printing can begin. Direct-to-garment printing, alsoknown as DTG printing, and screen printing are the two most widely usedoptions, however, there are many others. DTG printing equipment often uses water-basedinks that are friendly to the environment, and the procedure itself uses verylittle energy. Due to the wide range of color options offered by DTG printers,there are essentially no color restrictions for printing intricate designs andphotorealistic photos.
Screen printing can quickly add up and become a moreexpensive choice than DTG printing due to its limited capacity of 6 to 12pieces per hour, depending on intricacy. A digital image design is printed onthe garment using a process called direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. A meshtemplate is used to transfer ink to cloth in the well-established printingtechnique known as screen printing. DTG prints can endure more than 50 washeswhile still pleasing your clients if the maintenance guidelines are carefullyfollowed.
Images with significant screen-printed or solid-color designportions might not print as well with a DTG printer. Ovaljet machines are basedon the DTG printing technique, which employs closed-loop technology andinvolves moving each garment through a sequence of automated stations. DTGprinting enables a quick and inexpensive production process while lowering thecosts associated with garment preparation. DTG printers are a fantastic optionfor small businesses and individual clients who wish to print some t-shirtswithout breaking the bank because they have no setup expenses.
Even though DTG printers may print any kind of design, thosewith lots of minute details and delicate lines generally do the best. Becausethere is no minimum order quantity, DTG is frequently chosen as people'spreferred print-on-demand technique. The downsides of screen printing, however,are primarily related to the cost of the prints and the amount of preparationrequired.
Yes, you will hear DTG supporters refer to screen printersas being "old-fashioned" and screen printers calling DTG"straight to the garbage." There is undoubtedly some hostilitypresent here.
Let's begin with something that most people can agree on:screen printing is still the most dependable, tried-and-true, and well-knownprinting technique for personalized t-shirts and apparel.
DTG printing is an additional tool that a print company canuse to serve its customers' needs. Few businesses are abandoning their screenprinting squeegees in favor of inkjet printers!
In terms of print quality, manufacturing efficiency, cost,and other factors, you may compare DTG with screen printing. The skills ofvarious shops vary.
Each store is unique in the end.
While many multimillion-dollar screen print operations wouldnever consider employing DTG, there are sizable contract DTG businesses thatnever conduct screen prints. Businesses use a variety of business strategies;some rely on online sales, while others profit from 30,000-piece runs that DTGprinters could never handle.
DTG printing works well for modest orders. Screen printingis superior to DTG printing for large orders. Both techniques are tools forsatisfying customers!
If you're thinking about trying a new decoration technique,such as screen printing or buying a DTG printer, we advise you to focus more onwhether you're printing exactly what the consumer wants rather than thetechnique itself.
Fulfilling your customer's vision, or putting them in touchwith someone who can, should be your top focus.
You are more like a barber than a mass producer when screenprinting and custom clothes embellishment. You are in charge of designing aunique experience that meets the needs of the client. Become the expert anddirect your clients toward alterations and decorations they'll adore — and thatwill help you make money.
In the end, there is a tie between DTG and screen printing.Simply said, there are simply too many factors at play in the bespoke garmentmarket to claim that one decoration method is the best or the only approach toget the result. And what is the ultimate objective? help bring a customer'sidea to reality.