Having a fashion business is rewarding partly because it’s an outlet for self-expression. You know people love to wear clothes emblazoned with their favorite things, and you’ve got a head full of ideas for how your customers would appreciate this on your fashions – and that means figuring out your printing needs.
Your first thought might be that you need to engage an outside printer, but what you might not know is that modern printing technology – direct to film (DTF) and direct to garment (DTG) printers – allow you to control the entire process and ensure quality that meets your high standards by printing in-house. The costs and benefits of doing your own printing may be better than you think.
Creative control
Printing in-house means there’s no need to go back and forth with an outside contractor: you control the design process, and you can print samples yourself to ensure that the finished product is what you had in mind. You’ll have peace of mind knowing the work is done right the first time – and that helps you control the costs.
Direct to Film
DTF printing allows you to work in small batches so you can create custom pieces. Because you’re printing onto a film, which you then apply to the piece, you can put your design on other merchandise besides apparel, which may broaden your reach. The hands-on process is surprisingly easy. Upload your design to the printer’s proprietary software, print out your film, dry it using a simple powder, cure the ink using your own heat press (or purchase a curing machine designed to work with your specific printer) – and apply that one-of-a-kind design to the product of your choice. If flexibility and control are your key considerations, DTF may be the way to go.
Direct to Garment
DTG printing allows you to print flat textiles in high volume and know that the product will come out beautiful every time. DTG users say the printed image is perfect and more durable than what’s possible with DTF printing. You might consider DTG if your business focuses on flat textiles, and you’ll need to print the same design on a large number of pieces.
UV and UV DTF
UV printing uses ultraviolet light to cure the design instantly, eliminating that step from the standard DTF process. Because of this, UV-printed designs are more vibrant and resistant to fading and peeling. It uses an A film and a B film, which you laminate together (again, you can use the laminating machine designed to go with the printer or the one you already have) to create a peel-and-stick design. This allows you the flexibility to use UV-printed designs not only on textiles but on other merchandise, with the high quality you’d find in DTG printing.
Ease of operation
You’d be surprised how easy it can be to learn the software, equipment, and process to create gorgeous printed products. DTF and DTG print stations take up a relatively small footprint in your workshop. You can buy parts and consumables like film rolls and ink directly from the manufacturer, keeping your printing operations simple. The software for DTF and DTG printers works with any operating system and dovetails with the design program you already use. Providers of DTF and DTG printing equipment offer dedicated human support from the set-up process to troubleshooting later on.
Return on Investment
Being an entrepreneur means you make countless decisions on how to allocate your precious operating dollars, and investments in equipment can be one of the toughest. You want to know that when you spend money on equipment and supplies, so you’ll see a return on your investment (ROI) in a reasonable amount of time.
For example, a DTF printing station can cost as little as $1000 with consumables running as low as $1 per print – and you can comfortably price a DTF-printed T-shirt for $25-$30.
DTG printing requires a higher initial outlay with machines starting around $2500, but this method may be even more cost-effective in that DTG-printed textiles command an even higher price. While the ease of operation and quality of product may be higher, you’ll be limited to flat textiles.
UV printing costs a little more, but the possibilities are endless, and the final product will last forever.
For fashion entrepreneurs considering adding printed designs, you’ll find that DTF, UV DTF, and DTG printing can bring great profits for relatively little financial investment.
