This article provides recommendations for achieving high-quality DTG printing.
For more information about DTG printing, first read this article.
Choose the right garment
The fabric should be 100% cotton or a cotton blend with a tight weave. Avoid garments that have a lot of texture, such as fleece or ribbed fabrics.
Prepare the artwork correctly
Use high-resolution images and adjust the colors to match the capabilities of your printer.
We recommend using:
- vector files whenever possible, if not, PNG or TIFF,
- files that are not too small,
- a resolution of at least 300 DPI,
- transparent backgrounds.
Use the color of the fabric
Black garment
If you are printing on a black garment and your image contains pure black, the color will automatically be considered transparent to use the black of the fabric.
White and color garment
If you want a color in your image to be considered the color of the fabric, you need to set it to transparent in your artwork.
Pre-treat your garments
The pre-treatment solution helps the ink bond to the fabric and prevents the ink from bleeding or fading over time.
Manual pre-treatment or with a machine?
Manual pre-treatment is less expensive than using a pre-treatment machine as it requires less equipment. However, it can be time-consuming and difficult to ensure consistency in the amount and distribution of the solution.
If you are just starting out or have a small business, manual pre-treatment may be a good option. However, if you are working on a large number of garments or need to ensure consistent results, a pre-treatment machine may be a better choice.
Pre-treatment machine
After testing under the following conditions:
- Machine: DGW 4050
- Garment: 100% cotton T-shirt, white, black and colored
Our recommendations are:
- The minimum quantity of solution to use is 30 CC (cubic centimeters) in double (back and forth).
- Properly purge the pipes to prevent the pre-treatment solution from mixing with the cleaning fluid because it causes a lack of adhesion on the garment.
Use a heat press
Why is this equipment important?
Use a heat press is beneficial for achieving high-quality DTG prints. This equipment is used at various points in the printing process:
Flatten the garment
At the beginning of the DTG printing process, it's an essential step to:
- Ensure even ink distribution to prevent areas of the print from looking lighter or darker than others.
- Improve adhesion of the pre-treatment and ink.
- Eliminate wrinkles and creases which can cause image distortion.
Evaporate the pre-treatment
After pre-treating your garment, the solution must evaporate to:
- Ensure that the pre-treatment is fully cured to improve ink adhesion and enhance color vibrancy.
- Prevent ink from bleeding or spreading.
Dry the garment
At the end of the DTG printing process, this final step fully cures the ink to:
- Make sure it adheres properly to the garment and does not bleed or fade over time.
- Prevent color transfer to other parts of the garments or to other items that come into contact with it.
Parameters to take into account
Here are some key parameters to consider:
- Temperature: set based on the type of fabric and ink
- Time: set based on the type of fabric, the thickness of the garment and ink
- Pressure: set based on the type of fabric. Lighter fabrics require less pressure than heavier fabrics.
Recommended parameters
After testing under the following conditions:
- Heat press: similar to Sefa swing ROTEX ONE V3
- Garment: 100% cotton T-shirt, white, black and colored
Find our recommendations in the following flowchart:
Use a protective sheet
Placing a protective sheet between the fabric and the heat press help prevent scorch marks or damage to the garment.
Maintain the equipment
Regular maintenance of your printer and other equipment is essential to ensure that they are functioning properly and producing quality prints. This includes:
- cleaning the printer heads,
- replacing ink cartridges,
- using the printer regularly to prevent it from clogging.
More globally, keep all your equipment and supplies in a clean and dry environment,
Conduct test prints
Keep in mind that DTG printing is not a one-size-fits-all process, and you may need to adjust your settings to achieve the best results. Before printing a large batch of garments, it's important to conduct test prints to ensure that the colors and the quality are up to your standards. This can help you avoid wasting time and resources on poorly printed garments.
To assist you with these tests, we have developed specific test charts for DTG printing on white, black, and color garments. These test charts are included in the software if you have used the default settings. Otherwise, they are available here:
- DTG Test Chart - Black Garment.png
- DTG Test Chart - Colored Garment.png
- DTG Test Chart - White Garment.png
For your convenience, you can also download our T-shirt placement guides (available in most commercial sizes):