# Which direct-to-garment dye sub printer to buy? Roland/Mimaki/Mutoh



## RedVictorian (Nov 7, 2009)

Hi everyone 

I have 0 experience with dye sublimation printers.
Can I ask for your help on which DIRECT TO FABRIC printer to buy for sportswear uniform printing?

Anyone out there who owns a sportswear shop and using a direct dye sub printer? 
Your input would be much appreciated.

Please help guys 

THANK YOU!


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## RedVictorian (Nov 7, 2009)

Anybody? help?


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

Dye sub - you print onto a transfer paper and heat it in contact with polyester.
DTG - you put a tshirt on a platten and inkjet onto the fabric. There are pre & post cure stages.
Which do you want to do?


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

You need to do more research into what process will work best for your needs.

Direct to Garment printers use water based inks to print directly on cotton garments. Dye Sublimation is printed onto a special paper, then heat transfered to 100% polyester garments. I've never heard of a direct-to-garment dye sub printer...


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## Susie (Oct 19, 2007)

Do you mean direct to fabric, as in, off the roll for cut and sew? Mimaki has one around $120k - you can use it with sublimation inks. Sweet though - no paper required. That's what I would upgrade to if I had a chance.


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## dt (Aug 12, 2007)

roland and mutoh ( mutoh is own by roland ) have one also

i was really interested to buy one and this is what i founded

the coating on the fabric give a heavy hand (not sellable or not interesting)

not many supplier of coated fabric so more $ example conde have only one not for garment


also you lost about 20 yards to adjust the settings to be ready to produce

final conclusion this is a printer for banner and sign
but i believe it's the future of polyester garment but not ready yet.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

I have come across several direct to fabric dye-sub printers lately visiting trade shows. 

Some of them print both onto fabric and paper. They don't need any specially coated fabric - most polyesters will do. The printers are pretty much regular dye-sub wide format machines with added roller press. The fabric gets printed onto directly as it was with paper, then it goes through the heat roller for the print to set. 

Some of the printers claim they could print on treatred cotton - but I haven't seen this particular process myself.

Sorry, I wouldn't know which one is better and probably not many people would be able to give you this advice from their own experience - the technology is pretty new and the price tag attached to these types of machines is so much higher than a regular wide format set-up; most of us probably choose to stick with the beast they know


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## dt (Aug 12, 2007)

Tania,

Could you tell us name of printer that you saw that don't need a coating of any kind?

Thanks


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

dt said:


> Tania,
> 
> Could you tell us name of printer that you saw that don't need a coating of any kind?
> 
> Thanks


I don't remeber from the top of my head, but I will have a look for the trade show flyers and get back to you on that one.


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## RedVictorian (Nov 7, 2009)

D.Evo. said:


> I don't remeber from the top of my head, but I will have a look for the trade show flyers and get back to you on that one.


Hi Tania,

Any chance you've taken a look at the name of this interesting printer? 

Thanks ahead


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

Found some flyers mentioning different models:

CenturyStar CS1600 - prints both direct to fabric and onto dye-sub paper, AU$ 50,000, modified Mutoh 1604W
CenturyStar CS2000 - direct to fabric, AU$ 79,000 - modified Roland FJ-740K
CenturyStar CS1080 - direct to fabric, AU$ 40,000 - modified Mutoh RJ-900 

Another one is SubTEX FabriJET Model CS-1080 - which looks like re-branded printer described above

DFP-640, DFP-740 and DFP-1000 (modified Roland) described as "Direct to Fabric Textile Print Solution for both dye-sublimation and dirct to untreated natural fabrics"


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

Here is another one:
Mimaki announce new dye-sub DTT inkjet printer
And another couple (scroll to the bottom of the page) - Mutoh Large Format Inkjet Printers


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