DTG Printing On Dark Shirts
DTG printing is not difficult. However, that does not mean that new procedures and techniques can’t be learned. Case in point, printing on dark garments can be difficult. Improving techniques for printing on dark garments can definitely yield results that are impressive and will make the cash register ring. Here are some of our top tips for this issue.
Don’t Forget To Pretreat When DTG Printing on Dark Shirts
When ink is DTG printed onto shirts that ink sinks into the shirt. Pretreating a shirt is like priming a wall before painting on it. If you have a black wall and you wanted to paint it brown the color would not show up very well. It would be a very dark brown and the color would be difficult to see. This may not be what you intended. The wall needs to be primed before it gets painted. The same is true when DTG printing on a dark shirt. When pretreating a shirt you are basically laying down a layer onto the shirt for the ink to sit on top. The ink adheres to the pretreat which adheres to the shirt. This is the most important step in DTG printing.
When DTG Printing on Dark Shirts Always Use the Right Type of Garment
To make a great DTG print on a dark shirt use garments that will hold the ink well. It is not best on sweatpants, polyester, and hoodies. It is best to choose a shirt that is specifically made from ring-spun cotton. The cotton on a ring-spun shirt is dense. The weave is smooth on a ring-spun shirt. These factors make it a great choice for DTG printing. There are many vibrant colors with ring-spun shirts. The shirt may cost extra, but it is worth it to get a great print. Remember to test the garments to determine what will work the best.
Maintain Your Machine
DTG printers are not cheap. Replacing the machine or paying for repairs can become quite costly. Not to mention down time from not printing. The life of a machine can be extended if proper maintenance is performed. Run the cleaning cycles. Check the test prints. Clean the machine. Remove the dust. It does seem like it take a lot of time, but it really doesn’t. Proper maintenance is important.
Check Your Nozzles
Sometimes the nozzles get clogged on your printer. This can create unusual prints. So it is important the nozzles are open and flowing. With that being said run a check of the nozzles before getting into printing. Run a test and check the results to see if something doesn’t look right. If there is an issue then fix it before it becomes an issue.
The Final Word on DTG Printing on Dark Shirts
DTG printing isn’t difficult. It’s a great way to make money. However, the garments need to be high quality. Customers want the great quality. Give it to them. Following these tips will help achieve great results with dark shirts on a direct to garment printer.
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