DTG cotton printing technique (Direct to Garment printing) not only defeats the classic limits of fabric printing, but also brings a breakthrough in the fashion and printing industry. In this article, DTG printing Dallas will explore DTG cotton printing in detail, from definition to working process and practical applications. 

What is DTG cotton printing?

DTG (Direct to Garment) cotton printing is a method of printing directly onto fabric using specialized printers specifically designed for this. This method allows a variety of images, designs, and colors to be printed onto fabrics, especially cotton, in a detailed and clear manner. It is completely different from traditional printing techniques such as silk screen, where printing is done through a stencil and has limitations on color and detail.

DTG cotton printing process

Step 1: Prepare images to print

Use graphics software to edit colors, sizes and appropriate resolution. Images need to have high resolution, at least 300 dpi, to ensure good print quality. In addition, images also need to be designed in RGB color space, to match DTG printers.

Step 2: Prepare fabric products

Before printing begins, fabric products need to be carefully prepared. This involves stretching the product onto a work table to ensure the surface is flat and wrinkle-free. This is important to ensure smooth and accurate printed images.

Choose cotton t-shirts of good quality, colors that match the image and have no wrinkles. Cotton t-shirts need to have a moderate thickness, not too thin or too thick, so that the printer can spray ink on it. The color of the T-shirt also needs to be chosen so that it does not overlap or conflict with the color of the image. If the T-shirt has wrinkles, it needs to be flattened before printing.

Step 3: Heat press the t-shirt

Use a heat press to press the t-shirt on the printing tray, creating a flat and dry surface for the fabric. This makes the printing process easier and minimizes the possibility of ink smudging or smudging. T-shirt pressing time is about 10 to 20 seconds, depending on the fabric type and pressing temperature.

Step 4: Place the print tray into the DTG printer

Select the printing mode appropriate to the fabric type and color of the image. Some DTG printers can automatically identify the fabric type and adjust the printing mode accordingly. If not, you need to select the print mode according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In case if the T-shirt has bright colors, you just need to choose CMYK printing mode, which means only printing color ink. If the t-shirt has dark colors, you need to choose CMYK+White printing mode, which means printing an additional layer of white ink as the background for the image.

Step 5: Start the printing process

Pay attention to the printing process to ensure no errors occur. The printing process can take from a few minutes to several tens of minutes, depending on the size and complexity of the image. If there are any errors such as paper jams, out of ink or clogged nozzles, you need to stop the printing process immediately and fix the error according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 6: Process the shirt after printing

After printing, take the t-shirt out of the printing tray and let the ink dry completely. This can take from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the type of ink and climatic conditions. You can also use a dryer to dry the ink faster.

Use a heat press to re-press the t-shirt, helping the ink adhere tightly to the fabric and increase the durability of the image. T-shirt pressing time is about 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the fabric type and pressing temperature. This also helps make the image brighter and clearer.

After completing the DTG cotton printing process, T-shirts can be folded and packaged for sale or use.

Advantages and limitations of DTG cotton printing

Advantage

• Enables printing of high resolution images, vivid colors and fine details on cotton t-shirts.
• No need to go through pre-processing steps such as printing molds or cutting decals, saving time and costs.
• There is no limit to the number of colors or image size, and complex or multi-color images can be printed.
• No minimum order quantity required, can be printed according to customer requirements or personal needs.
• Environmentally friendly, does not cause pollution or waste materials.

Defect

• Printing time is slower than some other methods: DTG cotton printing can take longer to print a product than mass printing methods.
• High cost for large quantities: For large quantities of products, the cost of DTG cotton printing can be higher than mass printing methods.
• DTG printing quality is unstable, as it can be affected by factors such as fabric type, ink type, climatic conditions or printer maintenance.
• The durability of DTG printed images is not high.