Impressions - May 2019 - 45

think.
Direct-to-Garment

make.

Like this article? read more direct-to-garment printing
articles at impressionsmag.com/digitaldecorating.

do.

Do More with Digital
Use your existing direct-to-garment and
sublimation equipment to expand into new markets.
By TiM CheCk, ConTriBuTing WriTer

The digital textile industry is expected to grow into a $2.31
billion industry by the end of 2023, and is projected to grow
nearly 5% each year between 2018 and 2023, according to a
2018 Research and Markets report.You've seen the statistics,
purchased the equipment and fully committed your shop to
digital textile printing.
What you may not realize is the equipment you've purchased
- both direct-to-garment (DTG) and dye-sublimation printers
- produce excellent output beyond traditional textile prints
that can push your business into different markets to attract new
potential customers.
Today, there are many revenue channels that easily are
attainable with DTG and dye-sublimation equipment.You can
open an Etsy shop, set up a local pop-up shop or work a consumer
wedding expo to get new customers, explore new possibilities
and increase profits without purchasing new technology.
The following are six ways - outside of traditional use - to
leverage the textile equipment in which you've invested.

Many companies offer DTG
printer-compatible attachments
that provide greater flexibility
and can increase product offerings.

Direct-to-Garment Printers
DTG printers traditionally have been used for cotton T-shirt
and sweat shirt printing. While the iconic tee always will be a
wardrobe necessity, DTG printers also have several other uses. In
addition to printing on cotton, they can create new, custom and
personalized items that can be sold online - giving businesses
the ability to upsell and add to current business offerings.
1. Customized Accessories: Custom accessories offer an
easy upsell for any business already creating custom T-shirts for
college sororities, wedding parties, family and class reunions, and
work parties.Tote bags, gym towels, hats and custom pillow cases
are only a few examples of the extra add-ons that can be created.
Cotton-based items can be customized to match shirts, giving
customers incentives to provide positive recommendations and
return. When sold separately, these easy-to-create accessories
offer a good margin and increased profits during busy holiday
and wedding seasons.
2. Attachments Offer Greater Flexibility:
Many companies offer DTG
printer-compatible attachments that
provide greater flexibility and can increase
product offerings. For example, using an
attachment enables printing on ball caps and
visors, which can be ideal for any bachelor
party or family reunion. For decorators
looking to advance their skills, an attachment can be used to design and print on
cotton-based shoes to help a shop stand
out from other local textile providers.
3. New Solutions: DTG printers
historically have been used for 100%
cotton and cotton/polyester blends.As the
textile industry expands, so does the use
of DTG equipment and the versatility of
pretreatments and hardware. Using correct
pretreatments can help a business expand
into new markets and textiles.
The ability to do a DTG print on 100%
polyester garments recently was announced,
but these printers now can be brought
on-site to local sporting events to create
customized shirts for both local and national marathons and fun runs, for examMAY 2019

P.45
http://www.impressionsmag.com/digitaldecorating
Impressions - May 2019

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