screen printing > General Screen Printing
DTF and the future of screen printing
brandon:
--- Quote from: farmboygraphics on February 18, 2024, 07:04:16 AM --- Like I said, customers opinion and not your feelings are moving this needle.
--- End quote ---
You are correct. And we do use a lot of DTF already for hats, koozies, tote bags, shorts, this and that, just not shirts. Yet. I do know things will change, but until then it's a giant sticker. But when some company works this out yes screen printing will change yet again. It's funny, we got rid of our manual presses exactly 10 years ago. Two reasons - not worth training people and upcoming technology. I still think DTG has a place.
farmboygraphics:
--- Quote from: brandon on February 18, 2024, 09:01:18 AM ---And we do use a lot of DTF already for hats, koozies, tote bags, shorts, this and that, just not shirts. Yet. I do know things will change, but until then it's a giant sticker.
--- End quote ---
I would imagine that change coming in the form of removing the powder from the process, somehow incorporating as it's own printhead. This might also allow nice fades that don't need an underbase.
Or maybe skip the powder and go to a pretreat similar to dtg? Have any of that do these in house given that a try, might be a fun experiment. :-)
brandon:
I know there are a lot of people trying to crack that right now. It will happen sooner or later. Just depends on the price tag and will the equipment be considered expendable like a lot of the current DTF printers on the market. Use a year and toss. Heck, there are now discharge DTG machines on the market in Asia but how often do you replace that head and ink lines? Something will come along with DTF and if not it will be another way like DTG to decorate a garment. I was joking at Long Beach that in 5 years it will come full circle and everyone will be back on manual presses saying how fast you can print 6 shirts with a one color front and two color back
whitewater:
--- Quote from: farmboygraphics on February 18, 2024, 07:04:16 AM ---This needs to be looked at from the customers side. I printed some tri-blends with digital heat apply on half of the back for a small order, they loved them. A large motorcycle club that I've printed for had their last two orders done with dtf and love them, my brother is a member. If you still have another 10 years to go in this business you better be looking hard at this, keep in mind, right now is the worst these printers will be. I don't remember there ever being a dtg expo, yet there's one coming up for dtf. I've had a big uptick in customers wanting multicolor prints, for now I work around that with sim or full color process. You can turn your nose up at AI art, but it's not going away and everyone with a phone and Canva (they had almost 2 billion in revenue end of last year) are going to want what they made on shirts. I just turned 58, my shop and equipment are paid for and I sure don't feel like dropping 30 grand on anything again, plus building out a room to keep it in. My plan is to set the money aside this year and see where this goes for me. Like I said, customers opinion and not your feelings are moving this needle.
This is why I am looking hard at it now. I know my customer base... also being 51, I do not feel like buying a whole new auto press set up when I struggle to find proper staffing. I agree with that AI art. Our shop would never get that close, we do not even do any sim or 4 color process.
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Nation03:
--- Quote from: farmboygraphics on February 18, 2024, 10:57:58 AM ---
--- Quote from: brandon on February 18, 2024, 09:01:18 AM ---And we do use a lot of DTF already for hats, koozies, tote bags, shorts, this and that, just not shirts. Yet. I do know things will change, but until then it's a giant sticker.
--- End quote ---
I would imagine that change coming in the form of removing the powder from the process, somehow incorporating as it's own printhead. This might also allow nice fades that don't need an underbase.
Or maybe skip the powder and go to a pretreat similar to dtg? Have any of that do these in house given that a try, might be a fun experiment. :-)
--- End quote ---
That would be interesting to try. I might run a sample and throw it through the dryer with no powder and I'll try applying it to a pretreated shirt to see what the results are like.
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