How we do it
Printing techniques
DirectDigitalPrinting
Theitem customizationis much morecomplex than itmay seembecause,until recently, there were many more optionsthan screen printing, reserved for long runsand a limitednumber of colors.
We can now offerthe most innovativetechnology on the market, direct printingon the garmentitself,DTGDirect ToGarment's hot again,with exceptional quality, a nice touch andan ability to producegradients andunthinkableprocess colorsto datetechnologiesexisting.
Digital printing isthe newesttechniquesimpression as tothe textilecustomizationfrom a drive, printed directly onthe garmentgetting somesurprisingresultsquality, isthe perfecttechnologyfor designswith lots ofdetail and color.
Its biggest advantage isthe possibility tomakeshortrunsor packagingand printdesignswith a variety ofcolors, gradients, irregularities, fine lines andtexts,etc, ie everythingyou include ina fileformat.PNG, .PDF,.EPSandJPG.
The processis carried outfor printinggarmentsin digital printingis simple andcan be summarized ina few lines.
We startedpreparingthe file,we considerthe colors of yourdesigns and colorof the shirt,thisvaryingshape andcontrastselectedif the garmentis darkgivea white baseunderneath sothe colorsremainin the design. It is important thatyou sendthe filetothe highest qualityand we recommenda minimum of150dpiandmaximum of300ppi (pixelsper inch).
Thenputthe garment inthe machineon a framewhich holdsstretchedand leavesthe surfacesmooth. PrintThespace reservedis about35cmx 45cm,enough to fillthe entire frontor backoftheshirt.
When we haveall readysentto print, the machine goes to work, firstspraythe entire surface witha liquid thatsoakthe garmentto avoid excessink absorption, then, if appropriate,the white baseis printed andfinallydesign. This may takeabout 30 seconds.
Once it isprinted, carefullytake it offthe rackanddepositedon theconveyor beltfurnace,whichwould be responsiblefor one minuteall the inkdrying.
In summary, the main advantages of digital printingare:
- Print Quality.
- Allowsunitruns.
- Gradients andacceptsall kindsof colors andintricate details.
- Noprecisefotolitosorscreens.
- Moreenvironmentallyfriendly thanscreen printinginks usedfor.
- Greatwashability.
That said,if you havedesignswith lots of detail, great quality, gradients andothers,thisis the techniqueyou should use.
VinylCutting
The technique ofprintinggarmentvinylisa widely used methodfor customizingindividual teesandshort runs.Thetextileisa plastic sheetvinylandtermoadehesivaperone side, that with the applicationofpressureandheat isliterallymerges withthe garment.We distinguishtwo different types oftextilevinyl:
Vinylprinting and cutting: It is a material thatcomes inwhitecoilsthat can printphoto quality, with eco solventinks,on one sideandthe otherhas athermaladhesiveformula whichwill merge withthe garment.
Vinylcutting: This occurs inall kinds of colorsand textures, unlike the previous one,can not be printedabove.
The two types ofvinylwork in a verysimilar way,you need avectorizedimageto send to aplotterto take care oftrim, or print itand cut itwiththe way youindicate.Let'ssee themin parts.
Featuresvinylcutting
We can finda widevariety of colors,textures andlighting effectswith whichto customize a shirtandletsthemmix themand getamazing results. Incamisetaimediawe workwith more than 40spot colorsand as manytexturesand fantasies.
This material ismade, typically, byapplyinghigh pressurepolyurethanewithan industrialironat a temperatureofbetween145-185degreesandfor 15to 20 seconds, will bechemicallyfusedtothe garment.
Aplotterprintingasplanes, loaded with aprecision blade, will cut awaythe supportchosenwith the waywe want.
Prepare the image
This is notlike sendingan imageto a printer,we musttell themachinewhereitshould be cutand wherenot. We need to sendto theplotter,shapes, contours, profiles and hollowwe wantto appear on ourshirts,to becutonvinylwe have chosen.
To prepare thecutting layerwe have to workwith a program oftargeted, as theillustrator, corel,freehandetc, that allowsus to indicatethe routeshould goforthe bladewithmicroscopic precisionwill makethe cutwe design.
Importantly,this vinylis cutpart ofitwill bestamped iron-on t-shirt designsoshould we onmirroring.
Whenyouthink ofthe designmust take into accountthe constraints ofsize and complexity ofdetail youwant to cut. Very small detailsare almost impossible tomaintain, try to bemore than 1or2 mm andthey arenot many.
The maximum sizeof a designis about 30x40cmand cancombine as manydesignsas you likeinsideof a garment.At the timeof ironingyou canselect any partof the shirt,chest, back, top, side, sleeve,on the hoodofa sweatshirt,etc, wherever you want, trying to avoid the seams, zippers buttonspocketsand stuff.
After preparingthe filesenttotheplotter.
Cutting Plotter
Asdescribed earlier,theplotteris aprinterplanesinstead ofpencil orpencarries aprecision blade.
Its operation is simple, the blademoves along ahorizontal guiderollersastheymove forward or backwardvinylvertically, achieving millimeterfidelity incourt.Theapplicationused fortextilesiscalledcuttingplotterwheretheblade willdragon a standthat allows you torotate freelywith the edgealways cuttinginthe direction of motion.
Depending on thetype of vinylthatwe have chosenwe mustapplymore pressureto the machineto cutthe brackets withtexturesand less pressureforspot colors. Likewisechange thebladeanditscutting anglebetween 45 °and 60 °,according to particularcharacteristicsofeach.
The cutvinyl isa verythin supportwhich is composed oftwo muchthinnerlayers, whichhas the coloror textureofthe plastic sheetandtransport, whichonceprintedshirtis removed. The cutterhasa precision thatonly cutsone of thecolor layerleavingintactthe conveyor.
This meansthat beforewestamp itonourtremovewhat you do notwant to appearasour design, is what is called 'bare' vinyl.
Peelingoremptying
This is an absolutelymanual workthat requiresgood eyesight,pulseand patience, is done with a finepunchwith whichvinylis withdrawnall spacesnotwant to appearinthe print.
Depending on the designthat we havesome detailswill be difficult tocomply100%because ifthey are very smalland there are many, the task of emptyingit impossible tofurthertheprecision of the cutis so fine thatinsome vinylisdifficult to knowwhereisemptyingarea. That said,patience,pulse,music andpeeling.
Oncewe're done, we have our designmirroringsupporton theconveyor, ready to come tothe plate.
We can preparetheshirt, polo shirt, sweatshirtor whateverwe're going tocustomize.
Types oftextile
Thispersonalization techniqueis perfect foron flatgarments, shirts, hoodies, polos, aprons, scarves, shirts, hats, bags, all kinds of fabric witha smooth surface, is not validfor thosefabricswith lots of textureandfluffasfleecesand towelsor clothestooelastic.
Anotherfeature you shouldconsider isthat you canboard,you'll findinformationon the labelof the garment,andthenwe will givea good timefacilities.
Present the designofthe garment
We can placethe designanywhere onourshirts,we can focusthe designon the chest,take it toa corner,in the neck, sleeves, on the side, top, bottom, or both. The only limitationis that eachonlyironingcanstamp adesignabout 30x40cm, although you can alsocombine andoverlapone another.
To ensurea goodend result is veryimportant to givean ironedgarmenttoprevent distortion ofthe fabricand thereforethe qualityof the print.
TheIroning
We have thesmoothvinylsurface andpresentedto thecarrierlayeruponceironedretire.
Eachvinyl hasIroningconditions, markedby the manufacturer,in terms of temperature, time and pressure to ensure a perfectmelteach type ofmaterial,some guidelinesto keep in mindif youwant to avoidproblemsafter a fewwashes.
Mostvinylironedat high pressuretoabout 140-180degrees for 15to 20 seconds.
Withdrawingthe conveyor
Thesepast15 or 20 seconds, we preparedT, is just removethe sheetconveyorwhich in some caseswill dootherhot andwewait for it tocool downcompletelyto removethe garment. Theseinstructionsprovided by the manufacturerof vinyl.
Retiredconveyorhave thecustom tready toinclude himorother details.
Care recommendations
This techniqueachievesfantastic resultsfor quality anddurability, you just have torespect twoconditions formany clothes, wash inside outat a temperature ofabout 40 degrees.
Advantages
- Thecut vinylwill not fadewithwashingalways remainssolid.
- It canprint ondark and lightgarments.
- Applytexturesand special effects.
- It is the mosteconomical method forshort runs
- El diseño debe estar pensado para colores planos, o no se puede imprimir.
- Se debe evitar los diseños con detalles muy reducidos, como pequeños textos o delgadas líneas.
- Impresión sobre cualquier tipo de tejido.
- Diferentes tipos de tintas y acabados (obtención de colores saturados, transparentes, fluorescentes, brillantes, mates o semibrillantes).
- Es la mas económica y rentable para tiradas largas.
- Las prendas impresas en serigrafía no necesitan un lavado especial.
- El tipo de técnica es costosa para pequeñas producciones.
- Dependiendo del acabado se pierde el efecto con pocas lavadas.
- El tiempo de producción es mayor que cualquier otra técnica.
- Se pueden aplicar hasta 9 colores (cada color adicional encarece el producto).
Desventajas
Serigrafía tradicional
La serigrafía es un técnica muy antigua y a pesar de ello sigue siendo la mas interesante para realizar tiradas de mas de 50 prendas. Solo se puede trabajar con colores planos donde la tinta se estampa directamente sobre la propia prenda. Para ello se precisa realizar una pantalla y un fotolito por cada color del que este compuesto el diseño.
El sistema de impresión es repetitivo, esto es, que una vez que el primer modelo se ha logrado, la impresión puede ser repetida cientos y hasta miles de veces sin perder definición.
Aplicación
Se sitúa la malla, unida a un marco para mantenerla tensa, sobre el soporte a imprimir y se hace pasar la tinta a través de ella, aplicándole una presión moderada con un rasero, generalmente de caucho.
La impresión se realiza a través de una tela de trama abierta, enmarcada en un marco, que se emulsiona con una materia foto sensible. Por contacto, el original se expone a la luz para endurecer las partes libres de imagen. Por el lavado con agua se diluye la parte no expuesta, dejando esas partes libres en la tela.
El soporte a imprimir se coloca debajo del marco, dentro del cual se coloca la tinta, que se extiende sobre toda la tela por medio de una regla de goma. La tinta pasa a través de la malla en la parte de la imagen y se deposita en el papel o tela.
Ventajas
Desventajas