Direct-to-Film Printing Technology and Textile Applications Explored

(Picture courtesy of Texintel)

DTF (direct-to-film) attire printing is making an actual affect on the adorned attire market. Machine producers now supply ever-more profitable industrial options for this rising expertise—that only a few years in the past appeared to be the protect of the small craft producer.

In a worldwide marketplace for DTG (direct-to-garment) printing that’s predicted to achieve practically US$1.9 billion by 2032, the DTF course of is gaining floor by the month because it provides new and distinctive benefits to commerce printers.

The DTF Course of

In simplistic phrases, the DTF print course of begins with printing photos utilizing water-based pigment inks on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) movie. As a result of it must be transferred, the picture is printed in reverse. As soon as ink-jetted, the moist print is powdered with a sizzling soften adhesive and at last cured. As soon as cured, the picture may be transferred onto a garment utilizing a normal warmth press.

When in comparison with DTG, the DTF course of has a number of benefits:

First, the DTF course of doesn’t require pre-treatment and it may be utilized to many kinds of fiber compositions—polyester, cotton, nylon, and combined fiber blends can all be printed utilizing the DTF methodology. Moreover, the DTF print provides vibrant printed output with a large colour gamut (outcomes will differ depending on ink vendor).

High quality of print can also be mentioned to be distinctive as strains, small fonts, and positive particulars are printed precisely as a result of the inherent floor regularity of the PET movie permits a positive print mark to be established.

Past that, the DTF print additionally offers an enhanced deal with to the garment merely due to the decrease mass of solids which can be utilized, and for a similar motive elasticity and stretchability are additionally mentioned to be improved.

DTF Economics

The idea of the DTF financial mannequin is the easy nature of the printing course of, which isn’t solely simple to study, but additionally easy to execute. Printing onto a daily substrate just like the PET movie is an uncomplicated digital print process not in contrast to printing on paper or a poster, which is a extensively identified operation in all sectors of the print trade. DTF printing may be efficiently achieved in a small one-person enterprise or a larger-scale industrial operation as a result of the area required is minimal and the expertise is straightforward to study and apply.

Printing prices are mentioned to differ from $0.50 to $0.75 per meter regardless of the extra value of movie and powder, and as such the financial good points profit each impartial printers and large-scale industrial operations throughout the attire sector.

A key benefit of the method is that DTF printing may be achieved at excessive velocity. As soon as printed, the movie can then be saved as required, awaiting the switch course of, which implies that attire manufacturing print speeds are usually not compromised by the normal workflow, double white/CMYK printing or operator intervention.

When the movie is finally used, its purposes are huge and diversified: sometimes, T-shirts, hoodies, sportswear, promotional gadgets, and even inside décor supply business alternatives for the DTF course of utilizing a movie produced on the lowest attainable value.

This mixture of print velocity and separate picture switch generates large set-up financial savings within the attire manufacturing course of, which accounts for DTF changing into the newest and most vivacious pattern in garment ornament.

DTF Equipment

Initially, DTF printing, which began at a really small, inexpensive scale, was the protect of ordinary inkjet printers—desktop machines utilizing particular inks for textile use and these had been available from a mess of producers.

However as the numerous benefits of DTF printing, akin to no cloth limitation and improvements for quicker printing have developed, lots of the main digital print machine producers now serve the market with a diversified vary of equipment, providing variable speeds and entry value constructions. Over time, expertise has developed to allow the sector to undertake industrial course of.

Just lately Mimaki introduced their new TXF150-75, which marked their entry into this premium branded attire market. Mark Sollman, Sr. Product Supervisor EMEA, Mimaki Europe commented:

Attire ornament is a massively fashionable and dynamic sector, one which we’re already working in with our different textile applied sciences. Nonetheless, we might see the affect DTF expertise has had on the trade lately, with its vital benefits over present applied sciences. Specifically, DTF avoids the time intensive technique of plate creation in display screen printing and the required weeding in conventional vinyl warmth switch. The expertise may also create vibrant designs with its full colour printing capabilities. We’re excited to convey an answer to the market that’s designed for these already energetic within the adorned attire sector and people trying to enter it -which excels in usability, reliability and high quality.

In 2022, Ricoh introduced a DTF retrofit for his or her present Ri 1000 and Ri 2000 DTG capabilities, permitting a easy conversion of their DTG machines to the brand new course of.

Axel Stuhlreiter, Head of Textile Options, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe, commented:

The revolutionary expertise enhances the flexibility and suppleness of Ricoh’s main DTG printers. In only a few easy steps they are often reworked to allow DTF printing on a variety of supplies and ship a higher number of purposes. The quick and easy course of achieves extremely artistic outcomes rapidly and affordably.

From China, the Sublistar STAR-IV Sequence DTF Printer grew to become out there in 2023, giving a balanced in-line printer, powder shaker, moisturizer, and fixation drier, making the road able to quick and error-free movie printing.

Past these, in 2022 there have been DTF choices from Epson, Brother, Mutoh, Resolute, Pigment.inc, and Roland—all of which mirrored the rising attraction of the DTF market, which a commerce commentator not too long ago described as being one of many ”latest and hottest developments within the adorned attire trade.”

So, with a wide array of equipment available on the market, and with undoubted manufacturing advantages in addition to with the ability to print any cloth, DTF has arrived and faces a promising future because the expertise proliferates and grows throughout the attire ornament sector.

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