The direct-to-garment (DTG) market is shifting past T-shirts, with customized printing on greater margin objects reminiscent of jackets. Photographs courtesy Roland DGA
By Kitt Jones
Probably the most outstanding adjustments within the print business over the previous few years has been the elevated demand for direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. A big a part of this alteration is because of a rising pattern in customization and personalization, accompanied by the rise of e-commerce and “one-stop outlets” providing clients a variety of attire assets.
In 2021, gross sales of DTG printing merchandise reached US$202 million (C$253 million), regardless of the consequences of the pandemic. Over the following 10 years, it’s projected the worldwide DTG printing market will see a compound annual progress charge (CAGR) of 8.3 per cent.1
At present’s print store shoppers are sometimes in search of specialty printed and short-run attire together with their graphics, and DTG printers have emerged as a important know-how. Producers are responding with new DTG printers providing elevated flexibility and enchantment as an in-house useful resource.
Managing demand
Whereas clients are asking for extra DTG merchandise reminiscent of T-shirts, hats, and luggage, many print store house owners haven’t been in a position to present these companies internally. To fulfill their shoppers’ requests, print service suppliers (PSPs) have been outsourcing their DTG manufacturing—which may constrain the store’s skill to regulate high quality, timing, and prices.
To handle this want, printer producers have developed progressive DTG printing know-how, which is spearheading advances in associated ink and pre-treatment choices. These adjustments are making DTG printing workflows extra accessible and versatile than ever. At present’s DTG printers are each highly effective and versatile, offering the on-demand manufacturing functionality wanted to assist PSPs fulfil customized and short-run orders in-house.
The evolution of DTG know-how
In the previous few years, house owners of DTG printers have discovered methods to hurry up manufacturing by quite a lot of pre-treating and warmth urgent strategies. Nonetheless, whereas this know-how is changing into extra highly effective and cheaper, one-platen printer manufacturing can solely go so quick.
At present’s improved inks and extra complete software program are essential for rising the pace and effectivity of DTG printing. Nonetheless, the actual leap ahead is coming from versatile print manufacturing, which permits corporations to diversify their product line and set themselves other than the competitors.
Printer producers have developed DTG print know-how which offers quicker, higher manufacturing on a greater diversity of supplies and substrates. For instance, Roland DG lately launched a DTG printer that includes a 1346.2- x 1625.6-mm (53- x 64-in.) mattress and a 203.2-mm (8-in.) Z axis, permitting customers to print on a number of shirts without delay, or on bigger, extra profitable merchandise reminiscent of towels, denims, and blankets. The ability and versality of all these printers adjustments the economics of custom-made and short-run manufacturing, yielding greater profitability for print store house owners.