DTG and G8000

[ZooCity]

We just received our first order from a new DTG contractor.  It's spot color on G8000 black.  Now they massively screwed up in a number of ways including underbase showing all over the place, resizing the artwork inappropriately and printing the shirts crooked....but what I'm really wondering is if anyone has bleed related issues putting DTG on G8000s.   Bleed was not the issue here but could have been one of them. 

Horrible pics of said horrible print attached.  Any of you DTG guys care to comment?

[GraphicDisorder]

 

[Frog]

I feel your pain.
I am not only not a "DTG guy", but after an experience like yours some years back, (for which I didn't charge my custy), actually avoided it for a while.

Even on whites and lights, not all DTG is created equal. It's not the pushbutton instant T it's sometimes sold as.

As for a particular blank, I would always defer to the printer as to what they recommend if there is a better alternative.

[mimosatexas]

tell us who to avoid   I've been shopping DTG contractors recently.

[ZooCity]

We want to wait and see this group's response.  They have a very slick set of api calls, etc. which would allow you to use them for both embellishment and fulfillment essentially so I can't imagine this is standard fare for them but you never know.  Some samps of other art we rec'vd from them looked better.  This one is just a trainwreck.  I'll call 'em out if they aren't as shocked as we are.

I know DTG takes hard work like anything else, just can't seem to find the hard workers out there.  Or, when we do, they have really stupid ordering systems that make them unfeasible.   

[Printficient]

Even with the Kornit it's artwork, artwork, artwork.

[ZooCity]

Even with the Kornit it's artwork, artwork, artwork.

Which was tight.  Vectors rasterized at 600ppi into .png (their request for file format).  Whatever process they used to gen the UB is obviously wack and also inconsistent in the different print areas.   But I agree.   

This really looks like yer run of the mill sloppy work, may/may not be the norm for this group.  I think they are using Kornits as they mentioned a hex gamut in their guidelines.

[ebscreen]

ooshirt or SpreadShirt or one of the ten business names they operate under?

We picked up two clients this week from them dropping the ball...

[ZooCity]

Not sure, this is contract but the way they appear to be setup a lot of outfits could be using them.  Like I said, lots of api available for automating the orders.

[Frog]

I see problems using these types of outfits for this, as when our contractors sub it out themselves, to potentially different printers each time, repeatability and consistency go out the window.

[mk162]

did you anti-alias your raster?  if so the printers will see the soft edges and think it's white.

part of the issue with DTG is the faster you print the more dots in the image(usually).

I do not recommend printing 50/50's dtg.  The prints just aren't as bright and the fabric messes with it more.  Part of my issue with Kornit printers is the pretreat doesn't mat down the fibers so you do get more fibrillation since there is nothing but liquid that touches the shirt.

[ZooCity]

Options I have for .png are compression and interlace, both set to none.  There's issues here beyond the file but would those setting be a problem?

[Dottonedan]

If I remember correctly, not pre treating properly or enough will give that kind of look. Another is if somehow the underbase was printed at a different printer setting than the top colors possibly. Just guessing.

[Frog]

If I remember correctly, not pre treating properly or enough will give that kind of look. Another is if somehow the underbase was printed at a different printer setting than the top colors possibly. Just guessing.

It almost doesn't matter what exactly was done wrong as much as how shameful this was to ship out! Can you imagine when this type of stuff happens through fulfillment outfits and poor Zoo or whoever else ordered it would never even know until his customer complains?

[Dottonedan]

Unless you are ordering contract from someone who is on hands and doing it themselves with a vested interest, the quality goes down the bigger the shop due to speed and carelessness. Same as for large print shops. The more you do, the more employees you have and the less you see to approve.