# Contract DTG Expectations



## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

I recently utilized a contract DTG printer for 60 shirts. I provided a PDF and Illustrator file of the artwork. The artwork is car club logo. In viewing the logo on multiple monitors/pc's the shirt color and banner color are yellow. I received the printed shirts about a few days later and the shirt and banner were lime green. The other colors were inline with what we expected - it was just the yellows. In working with the contract printer and this was the response (including refusal to reprint the shirts - 

"The yellow had a 5% cyan in it. You can not really tell in the pdf picture because it is only 5%, but that slight bit of cyan is what changes the color when it was printed"

I have worked with DTG printers before and have never had this issue. Are my expectations out of line that the printed product would represent the artwork on screen? How do you avoid this situation when contracting out DTG since the proofs (even though I wasn't sent one) are based on what you see via the monitor?


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## abmcdan (Sep 14, 2007)

I don't think your expectations are out of line. Your prints aren't going to match exact colors but they should be close.

To avoid this situation ask for a sample before you give the okay to print it. We provide free samples upon request for orders over 24 for our protection and the customers protection so we both are on the same page.

Andy


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

Chad, 
Because of profiling and the effect that this has on perception and result, the only way around this is to make sure the colors are clean on your end, and find out how your particular vendor handles color. The safest way is to refer to PMS colors in your PO to them so that when colors are converted they are correct from your perspective. Interesting thing about this file, is that if I open it in Photoshop, there is no C in the yellow, If I open in Corel, it opens in RGB, but if I let corel "convert" it to CMYK the result has cyan in it. I think you might have a case as to it being their fault. From a contract stand-point you need to be sure that your color space matches theirs, and find out how they handle files so that you can give them something that will get you good results. As far as expecting output to match the screen, it will seldom happen, because my screen is different than yours and profiles will change depending on the printer, program used and the RIP settings. In a perfect world, it'll be close and you may be able to notice these changes on screen, but you cannot count on it.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

May I ask what's the color of the shirt?


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

Ian,

I agree with you on the differences in shades of color. I was disappointed to find out the printer admitted that the color showed yellow on the screen and continued to print the shirts even though the "yellow" was coming out lime green. If the difference on these shirts was the difference between athletic gold and bright yellow I would understand. 

I mainly work with Pantone colors for printing my plastisol transfers. In this case the only requirement that the art be in Illustrator format according to the contractor. 

Unfortunately I don't have much recourse action and it's disappointing that the printer is a forum member and does not stand by his work. I try to base my business model on client satisfaction and have had to eat the bullet many times but every time the client has came back a second time. 

(Ironically I printed out this same logo on my epson 1400 with JPSS and applied to shirt with excellent results. If time permits I will post the results as I don't believe the DTG results I received are typical. Maybe I should send them a shirt done with JPSS and show them what a quality print looks like!! .


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

vctradingcubao said:


> May I ask what's the color of the shirt?


 
They were printed on Gildan white t-shirts


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

brentonchad said:


> I was disappointed to find out the printer admitted that the color showed yellow on the screen and continued to print the shirts even though the "yellow" was coming out lime green. If the difference on these shirts was the difference between athletic gold and bright yellow I would understand.


Plus one here.

Did your customer reject the printed shirts also? Have you tried to tell the customer what happened and what the explanation of your vendor was?


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

I told my client that the shirts were misprinted and I that I wasn't comfortable delivering the shirts. I asked him to give me another week to deliver shirts that were satisfactory. He's in the service business as well (paint & body/hotrod shop) so he appreciated the fact that I didn't try to hand off sub par products. 

Reprints will eat all of my profit this time but he's already a repeat client so I will make it up in time.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

brentonchad said:


> I told my client that the shirts were misprinted and I that I wasn't comfortable delivering the shirts. I asked him to give me another week to deliver shirts that were satisfactory. He's in the service business as well (paint & body/hotrod shop) so he appreciated the fact that I didn't try to hand off sub par products.
> 
> Reprints will eat all of my profit this time but he's already a repeat client so I will make it up in time.


It won't hurt if you show the customer the misprints, would it? And maybe offer a generous discount, say, at cost, no profits for you? Lime green on the shirt mascot doesn't look too bad, .


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

Here is a comparison of what I received and the JPSS print I made with a Epson 1400. Not only did the color come out correct on the JPSS but sharpness of the logo is much better.

The contract job is on the left and the JPSS print is on the right


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Yep! fibrillation causes that, and the polymer on light transfers, at times, actually makes the prints look "sharper".


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

Like I said, I think you have a case. However, when you deal with someone who's expecting a print ready file, you cannot be too carefull. I would talk with the vendor(if you plan on working with them), and show them every thing you have shown us. If they printed out of Photoshop, the file was perfect. If they printed out of a vector program(I suspect Corel), it's their responsibility to make sure that the result matches the intent. You just have to communicate this intent so that there is no doubt. In my shop, I might question this print because lime green would be a very uncommon color for a mascot, but if I get a file and the PDF is calibrated to my screen, and I have recieved files from a client many time before with no issues like this, I might just run it, even if I hate green dogs. I see many jobs ruined because of color intent issues. You must know the programs and profiles. Once you find a vendor you can trust to look out for you then you can relax a little.


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## zhenjie (Aug 27, 2006)

To me, the colours wasn't that far off? The one downside of your contracters print though is the poor saturation. Definitely printed at low res and only one pass, ask for a double pass next time and see the difference.


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

Just thought I would update this since I have been sent some sample prints of the same artwork by other DTG printers this week. I will post the difference as soon as I get the pics taken this evening. The same artwork was used and the results are drastically different - being the samples I received have the correct colors and print quality we expect from a DTG. 

Unfortunately MichaelM (Michael McKenney) still thinks the reason his prints are wrong is my fault and is only willing to reprint if I supply new shirts. Of course there is no promise that the result will be any different and I could be stuck with 120 bad shirts instead of 60. Just frustrating when someone insists that it's your fault the color is wrong when everything one else that prints it seems to have no problem. It seems to me as a printer that if the color on the artwork looks yellow and your print something green that you would question that before continuing.


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## IGS-UK (Sep 28, 2008)

Hi, 

I would say who prints 60 shirts without sending an actual printed sample for approval first. The whole idea of direct to garment makes is simple to print 1 off's. The other way to look at it, the printer should have asked for a hard copy to match unless he is confident the machine is calibrated correctly and it is obviously not. I dont think you would be unreasonable to ask for your money back. My employer would never let me print 60 shirts without first sending a sample.

Stick to your guns and ask again for a reprint or money back.

Regards

Colin


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## Charms4all (Jan 29, 2007)

I am looking for someone to print up some color shirts with a photo on it.where do you go to get them printed at? Not the ones you werent happy with but the good ones you liked.


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