# How does a DTG feel



## djstep84 (Dec 29, 2011)

I'm trying to find a website that would send samples of a DTG printed shirt. I'm trying to figure out what type of print to use. ANyone have any ideas or thoughts on how I could figure this out.


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## rcmsellers (Aug 20, 2010)

DTG feels just like the shirt. There is no heavy ink or paint feel. The ink blends into the fibers.


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## dazzabling (Sep 21, 2011)

djstep84 said:


> I'm trying to find a website that would send samples of a DTG printed shirt. I'm trying to figure out what type of print to use. ANyone have any ideas or thoughts on how I could figure this out.


If you are unable to make a ISS, NBM or trade show. You

can email All American and they can send you a free DTG printed 

sample:

Neoflex Sample Request Form
All American Digital Print Supply - Neoflex Digital Textile & Solvent Printer

Trade shows:

ISS Homepage | ISS 
The NBM Show |
>free to attend before deadlines


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## kevrokr (Feb 26, 2007)

I am sure that any DTG distributor or manufacturer will be more than happy to send you a sample print.

I recommend that you call and ask them to print a piece of artwork that is yours and you are familiar with. This way, you can see the differences in prints for yourself. Also, be mindful of the type of shirt that they are printing on. This does affect the overall feel of the final printed product.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

on light garments it feels just like the shirt. no difference. on darks it depends on the print and the amount of ink but you can feel it, almost like a screen print.


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## djstep84 (Dec 29, 2011)

Thanks to everyone. My next question would be how well do the shirts hold up to a screen print shirt. Like cracking and washing.????//?


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## spiderx1 (Oct 12, 2009)

I will disagree a bit. The hand is soft but it is not like the shirt. I find that only sublimation is just like the shirt with no hand. It will vary depending on the ink and if it is on dark with white underbase. White shirts are almost no hand. A print made on diff printers will be diff. Ex: Neoflex very soft on darks Kornit more of a rubber feel. Most are lighter than screen prints. Washability: DTG wash well but is generally considered much less durable than screen printing with plastisol. If the screen printer uses a water based ink then it gets closer. DTGis very dependent on pretreat tech much more so than the printer. Ink brand can make a diff higher viscosity inks tend to hold up better but leave a heavier hand. The viscosity of ink is directly related to the printer. Epson based printers are lower viscosity.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

The prints hold up on lights just like a water based screen print. as the shirt breaks down the image will look faded, just like screen printing. 

on darks the image is on top of the shirt. i have seen them wash off pretty badly. care must be taken when washing them.


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## spiderx1 (Oct 12, 2009)

I think the key here is water based screen prints. Plastisol screen print last and last, usually the lifetime of the shirt unless improperly cured. Washing instructions are a must. Cold water inside out, tumble dry or low heat. DTG cannot compete with plastisol screen on a dark shirt when it comes to one or two even three colors. The ink cost is to high and production rate to low. Assuming a large qty. DTG excels at short run complex images, very customized work. A shirt that is for a special event or novelity shirt that is not worn often. Not for Joe's Lawn Service one color dark shirt worn everyday and washed with the jeans. I use DTG to compliment Screen printing, covering all bases. Problem becomes that the DTG with white ink should be used daily, short periods of inactivity such as a weekend are ok but past that you are pressing the issue. A cmyk only type printer can go longer, much longer without work. I always suggest that you get a printer that is white capable but you can also run and cmyk only or dual cmyk, then change as you adapt to your business model.


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## allamerican-aeoon (Aug 14, 2007)

check this out. Mentioning about wash and feel by Rodney(TSF forum owner)
DTG BATTLE ROYALE - T-Shirt Forums


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

spiderx1 said:


> I think the key here is water based screen prints. Plastisol screen print last and last, usually the lifetime of the shirt unless improperly cured. Washing instructions are a must. Cold water inside out, tumble dry or low heat. DTG cannot compete with plastisol screen on a dark shirt when it comes to one or two even three colors. The ink cost is to high and production rate to low. Assuming a large qty. DTG excels at short run complex images, very customized work. A shirt that is for a special event or novelity shirt that is not worn often. Not for Joe's Lawn Service one color dark shirt worn everyday and washed with the jeans. I use DTG to compliment Screen printing, covering all bases. Problem becomes that the DTG with white ink should be used daily, short periods of inactivity such as a weekend are ok but past that you are pressing the issue. A cmyk only type printer can go longer, much longer without work. I always suggest that you get a printer that is white capable but you can also run and cmyk only or dual cmyk, then change as you adapt to your business model.


 
+1 on what you are saying. We do a lot of one-off's for $20 on darks. For larger qty's we can't really go below $15 and stay profitable. The pre-treatment, white ink cost, and just the entire process takes too long and costs too much. 

that said, some have had success with darks. Justin Walker comes to mind and there are others that have posted here that have done well.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

djstep84 said:


> Thanks to everyone. My next question would be how well do the shirts hold up to a screen print shirt. Like cracking and washing.????//?


Every DTG printer/owner have different techniques so its all dependent on that factor. I guarantee that you will not receive the same DTG printed t-shirt no matter what. The DTG Battle was the perfect example of this...

same shirt, same artwork, different printing process, there were even some of the same DTG printers but everyone of them was different. 

So all statements of how DTG prints : last, how they feel, this or that is based on opinionated or experience printers. But, I am sure Binki, SpiderX and myself can send you the same DTG design on the same t-shirt brand and I can guarantee they will not be identical except for artwork. I can guarantee mine will hold up the best 

**jokes**

But, its the nature of DTG you want to produce identical shirts one after another. You need to stay with the same DTG printer. If you aren't happy with results there are more of them out there.


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## djstep84 (Dec 29, 2011)

So would a royal blue be a dark and what about maroon.. also how.do the yet.hold up to constant use. Like if I used it shirt after.shirt.but may only do that every.other week.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

lights are white, tan, lt blue, lt pink, grey or ash and other colors like that. royal and maroon are dark. 


look at it this way. you can see through the ink. whatever color the shirt is, that will show through a lighter color ink. 

so black ink can go on most colors but yellow cannot. your printing can always go darker but not lighter unless you have a white base first. that pretty much sums it up for water based inks.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

binki said:


> royal is dark.


Not always!!!

Because you can print (double pass preferred) black or 1 color on some dark colored shirts without pretreat or white underbase. 

Red, Royal, Kelly Green, Heather Grey, .... if the design requires white ink on a colored shirt you need white but sometimes just double passing color isn't too bad on a colored shirt. 

Its all in preference, settings, experience, trial and error


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## kevrokr (Feb 26, 2007)

FatKat Printz said:


> The DTG Battle was the perfect example of this...
> 
> same shirt,



The Battle Royal was *supposed* to use the same shirts, but that part of the competition was changed.

Printing on different materials changes the end result of the print. This is why I clarified this.


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## spiderx1 (Oct 12, 2009)

The photo comparison between Neoflex and Mod 1 print is an example of how important it is to have software and extensive profiling matched to the printer. I saw similar results when having a photo done on a Neoflex and a Viper by DTG. The Neo was done with no tweaking just load and print the Viper was attempted several times and after an hour still was not there. The Mod is a 1800/1900 based machine the Neo is a 4880 based machine but the Viper is a 4880 as well. All good machines, just you have to look at the entire package printer, software, support. Hardware refinements such as drive system etc. But back to the feel in many cases the software will make a big difference in the hand by the way it handles the under basing. I do agree with Kevin in that the shirt can make a diff but usually I see that diff in the washability after extensive washing not in initial printing assuming all a good quality 100% cotton shirt. But we all know Peter had MAGIC shirts! LOL. Hard to beat magic. Sorry got off track I am going to tap out with Carla.


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## kevrokr (Feb 26, 2007)

I've seen and printed on those shirts, and they print nicely. Shirts that have a nice knit and ring spun cotton will have a softer feel and a more appealing print. I dunno what the machines or color profiling have to do with the feel of the print, but having control of the density of the base layer will affect the feel. I think a huge variable on how the print looks and feels has most to do with garment. A customer of ours prints on very soft 60/40 blends to get a nice vintage look and feel. Those shirts are top of my rotation because of the feel.


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## JohnL (Nov 23, 2010)

When you take into account the feel of a dtg printed garment all factors need to be considered. Pretreatment, type of ink, ink volume, garment type. All of these will change how your garment feels when printed. 

Kev is absolutely correct the knit of a garment will effect the feel of a print. A tighter knit is usually indicative of using less pretreatment as well as less ink to get the desired result, thus leading to a softer feel. 

I do have to disagree on a few points about how the profiling will not change the feel. If profiled correctly you will be using the minimal amount of white to achieve a specific color innately leading to a softer feel without sacrificing color accuracy. I've seen too many prints that were oversaturated with ink leading to a very thick feel.

In conclusion they all tie together somehow each characteristic affects the next. Does it help to have a decent garment? Of course, but not if you neglect the rest.

*Edit: I forgot to mention pressure of heat press.*


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