FAQ's
About DTG (Direct to Garment) Printing
How big is the DTG printer? How much space do I need?
Weight: 38 kg / 84 lbs
Dimensions: 0.5 m wide x 0.9 long x 0.5 m tall (1.6 ft x 3 ft x 1.6 ft)
What kinds of products will it print?
Anything that lays flat on the printing platen:
  • T-shirts, hoodies, polo shirt, uniforms, tote bags, scarves, towels, pillow cases etc.
  • Cell phone cases, mouse pads, ID cards, badges, USB disks etc..
What kinds of material can be printed on?
Our DTG printer can print on fabrics such as cotton and cotton-poly blends using water based ink. Our DTS printer can print on harder items made of plastic and metal using oil based ink.
What kind of ink does it use?
Our printers use either water based ink (for printing fabrics) or oil based ink (for printing hard objects). It's important to note that the water-based and oil-based inks are incompatible and will block the print heads. Therefore, different printers are required if you plan to print with both types of ink.
How much do the ink and other supplies cost for each project? (in USD)
Ink: Each project will differ depending on image size and the background color of the object. For example, printing on light colored t-shirts with 4 color inks will cost between $0.20 and $0.50. For darker items, a background layer of white ink has to be printed first which increases total ink costs to $1.00 to $3 per t-shirt.
Print heads: Print heads wear out and need to be replaced. One set lasts about 12 months or 2,000 t-shirts. $199 each.
How much does it cost to get started with everything I need?
First Month Investment
Printer Lease
Security deposit
Delivery
Return shipping
Ink
Total
First Month Investment
$249
$249
$200
$200
$127.20-$174.45
$1025.20-$1072.45
After the first month, your costs will go down and just include the monthly lease fee and supplies order. They'll be billed to your credit card until you choose to cancel your lease and return the printer.
Why do I need to pay the return shipping up front?
This is to ensure the machine is returned to us when you no longer need it. Just a simple call to our service team and we'll send a courier to pick it up. We reserve the right to reclaim the machine if a monthly payment is overdue for 15 days or more.
Can I set up the printer myself or do I need a technician?
You can do it yourself by following the included instructions. If you run into a problem, our tech team is available to help.
What's the difference between DTG and screen printing?
Screen printing is used most often for large batches because it takes longer to set up the print run. Direct to Garment printing is ideal for custom items or small print runs because each job sets up fast and turnaround times are immediate. Another advantage of digital DTG printing is the process results in less image distortion than screen printing. And our water based inks are non toxic and environmentally friendly so no special handling precautions are required.