APPAREL Direct-To-Garment & Direct-To-Substrate

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MONDAY, NOV. 9, 2020

GUIDE TO DAY ELEVEN: APPAREL Direct-to-Garment & Direct-to-Substrate

INSIDE:

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR DIGITALLY-PRINTED SWIMWEAR AND PERFORMANCE WEAR

WHEN RETAIL-READY QUALITY IS A MUST

4 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DTG PRINTING TODAY’S SPONSOR:

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InsightDays_GTXproB_FullPage.indd 2 10/20/20 9:38 AM GROUP PRESIDENT Chris Curran TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Denise M. Gustavson 4 Welcome to Day 11 of the 14 When Retail-Ready Quality is a Must EDITORS 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience Toni McQuilken Ashley Roberts 16 Fashion Forward: The Fast-Paced CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 6 Day 11 Agenda and Sponsors Business of Digital Garment Printing Amanda L. Cole Laurie Weller Jim Workman 8 Growth Opportunities Abound for 18 4 Misconceptions About DTG Printing ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Digitally-Printed Swimwear and Jude Baker Performance Wear 20 Product Demo Videos Roger Baker Bill Curran Steve Duccilli 12 DTG Print Technology Helps 21 Products Jack Noonan Launch Blooming Business PRODUCTION MANAGER Mike Packard PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Bob Gibbons ART DIRECTORS Michelle Appalucci Julie Lamond VIDEO John P. Gelety Ryan Hallas VIDEO ASSISTANCE Andrew Baer Annie Dimock CEO Ford Bowers PRESIDENT Dave Leskusky PRESIDENT, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS 8 Mark J. Subers EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT James Martin VP, MARKETING Patty Perkins 12 16 VP, TECHNOLOGY Thomas Perkins

1500 Spring Garden St., Ste. 1200 Philadelphia, PA 19130-4094 Phone: (215) 238-5300 Fax: (215) 238-5484

digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 3 WELCOME Welcome to this special publication for attendees of the 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience.

In June, PRINTING United announced the decision to transition from an in-person event in Atlanta, to a comprehensive digital platform. The PRINTING United Digital Experience, taking place Oct. 26-Nov. 12, offers attendees three weeks of live, guided programming, educational sessions, and panel discussions with the experts; along with access to a complete online exhibitor showcase featuring information about the newest industry technology, case studies, whitepapers, the chance to speak with exhibitor representa- tives, and more. Today is Day 11 of this 14-day event. Focused on the apparel market — specifically direct-to-garment and direct-to-substrate — attendees have a packed schedule of content and product demos (see the detailed agenda on page 6). 2020 has been a difficult year for apparel decorators. According to the COVID-19 Print Business Indicators Report, October 2020, by NAPCO Research and the PRINTING United Alliance, on average, companies within this space lost 41.7% of sales during the first six months of the year. And 83.3% of apparel decorators saw declines, with 44.4% seeing more than half of sales vanish. Those are devastating numbers. Without events, schools, or sports, apparel decorators have seen their businesses grinding to a halt. However, it isn’t all bad news. According to the report, 16.7% of apparel decorators saw their sales increase. This group increased their sales by 26.5% on average by mov- ing aggressively into personal protection equipment (PPE), COVID-19-related signage, and by having very robust e-commerce capabilities. One apparel decorator commented, “E-commerce will be bigger than ever. If your company isn’t prepared to compete in the e-commerce space, you will get left behind.” A robust e-commerce capability was the difference-maker during the COVID-19 pandemic-based recession, and it will be the difference in the months to come. But what else can apparel decorators do to build a competitive advantage? They need to reduce operating costs by implementing lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles within their business. They need to improve and streamline their workflow. Additionally, they need to add staff training and fulfillment capacity. For apparel decorators, investing in direct-to-garment inkjet equipment is at the top of their wish list. Why? They are looking to increase production speeds, and reduce turn times. They are also looking to increase their business’ efficiency. As part of the product demos today, you’ll be able to see products from OmniPrint International, Epson, Ricoh DTG, Kornit Digital, and Brother. Again, please refer to the daily agenda for details on each of these product demo video sessions. As a companion to the 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience, these 14 special daily publications will provide attendees with a reference guide to the day of content, as well as much-needed insights into how print services providers can best position them- selves now for the recovery — and growth — to come. We hope this information will help serve as a valuable resource as you plan the next steps for your business, and determine where — and how — to expand and grow.

4 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 5 AGENDA

DAY 11: NOVEMBER 9, 2020 APPAREL: Direct-to-Garment & million people worldwide and represents a innovations in direct-to-garment production Direct-to-Substrate significant economic force and a substantial printing. The technologies featured in the driver of global GDP. Sustainability has recent- new SureColor F3070 direct-to-garment ly become an important new driver in consum- print system, include Epson’s Precision- 10:00 a.m. ers’ purchasing decisions. Many cross-industry Core printheads, high capacity ink system, initiatives have helped companies to identify reliability features that reduce maintenance, RESEARCH: INDUSTRY OUTLOOK more sustainable work practices across the and all other features designed to deliver FOR DIRECT-TO-GARMENT AND product life cycle and several brands have fast production speeds with outstanding DIRECT-TO-SUBSTRATE publicly fixed sustainability goals. What else sellable quality. Presenter: Andy Paparozzi, can you expect in the near-term? Chief Economist, PRINTING United Alliance 11:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m. PANEL DISCUSSION: The COVID-19 Print Business Indicators Sur- PRODUCT DEMO: THE RISE OF E-COMMERCE IN APPAREL vey, conducted jointly by PRINTING United OMNIPRINT FREEJET 330TX PLUS PRINTING Alliance and NAPCO Research, suggests DTG PRINTER apparel decoration has taken a first step Moderator: Chris Bernat, CRO and Partner, toward recovery. This session presents key With thousands of successful users and Vapor Apparel results of our survey, along with how apparel four consecutive SGIA Product of the Year decorators plan to build competitive advan- awards, the success of the FreeJet 330TX tage, the printing technologies they currently series printers has cemented OmniPrint Panelists: use, the technologies they would most like to as an industry leader and innovator. The Jack Kilian, VP, Sharprint add, and their capital investment objectives. FreeJet has become the choice DTG printer for businesses of all sizes thanks to its low Ted Pidcock, Owner, Chillybears production costs, easy maintenance, and Mario Tovar, Creative Director, 10:15 a.m. stunning print quality on a wide variety of Marsuno Creative KEYNOTE: garments and mediums. HOW SUSTAINABILITY IS DRIVING THE With platforms such as Amazon and Shopify, NEXT GENERATION OF FASHION 11:00 a.m. and the ability to set up custom online store- Presenter: Debbie McKeegan, CEO, Texintel PRODUCT DEMO: fronts, e-commerce is becoming a higher EPSON SURECOLOR F3070 percentage of decorators’ income. This panel will discuss what markets are driving The fashion industry is a global business of Timothy Check, senior product manager, this, how businesses are marketing it, and $1.3 trillion, which employs more than 300 Epson, will discuss the company’s latest the technologies being used.

Today’s Sponsor:

6 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com Today’s Sponsor:

12:00 p.m. print and under 10 seconds on average for end-users will rave about. We look at the PRODUCT DEMO: a white/light garment print, a remarkable cutting-edge decoration methods and cre- RICOH RI 2000 improvement on what used to take at least ative design ideas that are helping promo three to five minutes for a print to complete. businesses do just that. Ricoh DTG recently launched the latest and greatest direct-to-garment printer in the industry: the RICOH Ri 2000. Haziel 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Mitchell, National Sales Director, will give PANEL DISCUSSION: PRODUCT DEMO: attendees a demo of its new features. This HOW GREAT PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS KORNIT ATLAS SYSTEM session will also include a statement from DECORATION CAN GIVE BUSINESSES AN Kornit offers a full line of industrial-grade Tetsuya Morita, Corporate Vice President EDGE IN THE COVID-19 ECONOMY and General Manager of Ricoh’s Industrial direct-to-garment printers that produce retail Printing Business Group, providing insight Moderator: Sean Norris, Editor-in-Chief, quality results for a variety of production into the role of the Ri 2000 in Ricoh’s great- Promo Marketing needs ranging from 2,000 to 12,000 impres- er ecosystem of products as well as what it sions per week. In this presentation, attend- means for the print industry overall. ees will get an up-close look at the Atlas Panelists: system, which provides a great example of RJ Hagel, Manager, Global Marketing, Kornit’s state-of-the-art HD printing technol- 12:15 p.m. Goldstar ogy and patented single-step process. PRODUCT DEMO: Tom Davenport, Co-Founder, Ink Kitchen OMNIPRINT CHEETAH INDUSTRIAL 1:15 p.m. DTG PRINTER Mike Wilson, VP of Operations, Overture Premiums and Promotions PRODUCT DEMO: The new Cheetah Industrial DTG printer BROTHER GTXPRO SERIES OF showcases true one-pass printing technology. DTG PRINTERS Traditionally, a DTG print on dark garments Marketing budgets certainly aren’t what requires two passes (one for a white they used to be for many buyers of promo- Brother has been an industry leader in the underbase & one for the color layer). The tional products like T-shirts, pens, drink- direct-to-garment segment for more than Cheetah’s print engine has been engineered ware, and thousands of other items. That 15 years. The company recently launched to work together in printing both a white makes it even more critical for distributors its 5th generation of DTG printers: the underbase and a color/highlight layer selling these products to gain any edge GTXpro Series. With options for both the simultaneously without the need for a second they can over the competition. One way small- to mid-size markets and high-volume print pass; contributing to fast printing to do that is with great decoration that print shops, the GTXpro Series are quickly speeds. Print times on the Cheetah are 30 elevates an ordinary giveaway or piece becoming the printers of choice by all size seconds on average for a dark garment of branded merchandise into an item print shops.

digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 7 GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES Abound for Digitally Printed Swimwear and Performance Wear See how print service providers are applying their wide-format assets and know-how to these growing market niches.

By Laurie Weller

Digital technology makes customized, short-run swimwear possible.

After months of staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Advantage of Printing Digitally American consumers are ready — or soon will be — to get back “Wide-format technologies can help get finished goods to the in the gym and hit the beach. And for consumers today, suiting up market faster while also making customizations possible,” says for summer fun requires a closet full of swimwear and perfor- Lily Hunter, product manager of textiles, e-commerce, and sup- mance wear. plies for Roland DGA. “Wide-format custom orders can also help In fact, the market for both apparel categories is growing quick- cut down inventory overstock for retailers.” ly. According to research compiled by Brandon Gaille, “when all According to Victoria Nelson Harris, textile specialist for Mimaki athletic apparel is considered, the performance apparel industry USA, “Companies printing overseas can have a six-month produc- is forecast to reach total sales of over $230 billion by 2024. This tion timeline and large minimums, up to 1,000 to 3,000 pieces. would create a CAGR of 7%, with some segments seeing growth The ability of PSPs within the U.S. to print multiple design styles rates in double digits.” and deliver fabrics in any quantity almost immediately gives them Technavio projects that the global swimwear market is, “poised to one of the biggest advantages in the swimwear market.” grow by $6.74 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of For PSPs serving this market, dye-sublimation and direct-to- about 6% during the forecast period.” print platforms are optimal. All of which presents growth opportunities for print service providers “Dye-sublimation printing is very popular in the performance (PSPs) looking to expand their product line and market reach. wear and swimwear markets since most of these fabrics are made

8 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com with polyester,” says Hunter, Xen Industries: Turning an Artist’s Vision into a adding that dye-sublimation printers have significantly Fashion Statement shortened the turnaround time According to Alex Vargas, entrepreneur and owner of Southern California-based Xen Industries and from design, to proofing and Artist vs Art, apparel is the ultimate blank canvas. Together, his companies offer the design, consul- approval for brands. tation, printing, and finishing services needed to help artists and designers take their creative vision “PSPs creating higher-end straight to the runway. textile products made out of Equipped with Mimaki dye-sublimation printers, cut-and-sew capabilities, and an eye for what to- nylon or polyester where the day’s fashionista must have, Vargas and his team design and produce textiles and apparel items for ink saturation through the fiber the modern consumer, from swimwear and performance wear, to gowns and home décor. His works is of utmost importance would have been featured in runway shows from New York, to Miami and Los Angeles, and he counts utilize direct-to-fabric printing among his clients luxury brands such as Cult Gaia and Fernando Alberto Atelier, and renowned con- technologies,” Harris says. “Di- temporary artists like Glenn Arthur, Rik Lee, and Jasmine Becket-Griffith. rect-to-fabric printing systems “These artists have an established influence in the field of art,” says Vargas. “They have a require the fabrics to be coated following on Instagram and sell their own products. A lot of them come to us because they would first and then either steamed or like to start an apparel line or do something with printing for their fans and followers that involves dry heat fixated with a calen- sublimation.” dar press to set the inks. And What their fans and followers want from them are items they can wear and display that are bold, though fabrics can be ordered edgy, and reflective of modern culture. precoated at an additional cost, “For example, an artist may want us to make a blanket out of one of the girls he has drawn,” he PSPs can save a great deal of says. “I will take the original design, cut out the art into different pieces to make a pattern, and work money by investing in their own with the artist to fit the artwork to the blanket’s dimensions.” coating machine.” For Cult Gaia, Xen Industries sublimates fabric for high-end swimwear and dresses. Fernando Alberto Atelier collaborates with both of New, Advanced Fabrics Vargas’ companies to print the fabric for Fabrics for these market niches the brand’s line of modern swimwear continue to advance as well. and flowy gowns. “We print on chiffon “Most performance wear and for the gowns, and everybody takes to swimwear are made out of them because of the vibrancy of the synthetic manmade fibers, colors,” says Vargas. such as polyester and nylon, Prints for these luxury brands can and offer designers options range from traditional Hawaiian florals, with advanced performance to 80s-style punk images. “I recently properties and special finishing produced a punk rock design by taking techniques,” says Harris. “Ex- an image of Marlon Brando and putting amples of this would be poly- a cat head on it,” says Vargas. “Then I esters with wicking properties included some Sid Vicious images and for activewear, and polyesters created a repeat print for the client.” with suede finishes for fashion Once a client’s design is printed onto swimwear.” the transfer paper, it is sublimated onto In addition to advancements fabric using a roll-to-roll heat press. in the fabric fibers, Hunter says, “We often transfer the images onto cut smart technology may begin pieces, which are sublimated individual- playing a role in fabric produc- ly and then sewn into the final product,” tion going forward. says Vargas, adding that this technique With all the new fabric allows precise alignment of designs options emerging for these and patterns onto an apparel item. “The markets, PSPs need to decide value we add is that we are able to look which type of print platform is at a design and help the artist produc- best suited to their own swim- tize it.” wear and performance wear He continues, “With sublimation, clientele. people love it and they hate it. Sublima- “One of the challenges of tion throws a lot of heat on a fabric. But this market is being able to pro- there are new technologies and fabrics vide printing capabilities for the coming out right now that deepen the different textiles used in per- richness of the colors while holding the Digital print is helping artists bring their visions to formance wear and swimwear,” matte finish our clientele requires.” runways around the world. digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 9 aware of what the warranties are for each piece of equipment.” For best results, Hunter also advises PSPs to keep the textile printing environment both clean and humidity controlled. “Additionally, no matter how good and efficient you are, there will always be a lot of scrap,” she says. “Unfortunately, there are not a lot of options for getting rid of this scrap other than throwing it out.”

Printing Sustainably Which is one reason, Harris notes, why brands and the PSPs that serve them are embracing more sustainable substrates and production processes. “There is a huge shift to sustainable synthetic textiles for the swimwear and performance wear categories,” she says. “Many of the U.S. textile suppliers have adapted and are promoting recycled polyester fabrics in their product lines.” Sustainability is particularly important to millennials, she adds, a key consumer demo- graphic for both swimwear and performance wear. “The millennial consumer values the story behind the product, and selects brands that comply with their own personal values,” says Harris. “Brands and businesses that comply We started this business with the needs of this generation have a greater opportunity to increase sales and profits.” Hunter sees sustainability as increasingly with yours in mind important to swimwear and performance wear brands as well. “Dye-sublimation uses heat to set the inks, reducing the need to use water,” 1975 was a good year — the legendary Beefy-T was born. she says. “More fabric manufacturers are be- Our 6.1 ounce, 100% ring spun cotton tee was conceived ginning to realize this, and as a result are now from creative minds to provide engineered apparel creating polyester fabrics that mimic cotton, silk, and linen so they can be sublimated.” speciﬁ cally for the imprint market. With 45 years of As for the future, Harris sees e-commerce thick, rich comfort and durable construction, the Beefy-T driving market opportunities, as well as a continues to be a top-shelf choice for your customers. Depending on material, different printing processes can be used, such as growing trend away from a traditional “pro- Find it at HanesLocator.com. direct-to-fabric or dye-sublimation. duce, sell, deliver” business model, to a “sell, produce, deliver” business model instead. says Harris. “Many higher-end bathing suits utilize polyamide “Digital printing technologies allow for faster speed to market fiber nylon, which is printed direct-to-fabric with acid or reactive which is adaptable to the shortening of fashion cycles we are inks. On the other hand, a large percentage of swimwear utilizes seeing currently,” she says. “Businesses that have the capability polyester fabric, which is commonly printed with dye-sublimation to offer a unique product in any quantity with fast speed to market transfer inks. So, the PSP has some limitations depending upon have an advantage.” which technology they are utilizing.” And for PSPs looking to expand their service offerings, and And color management can be tricky with fabric printing, which those that are willing to make the investment of time and money is why Hunter recommends partnering with a reliable, experi- into the equipment and expertise this segment requires, it could enced integrator or dealer for equipment, supplies, and support. be a very lucrative vertical as we move into the next decade. “Know that there is a learning curve in dye-sublimation,” she says. “Be wise with your capital investment, and yes – the initial This article originally appeared in the June/July 2020 issue of investment is high. This is not the time to cut corners on quality. Be Wide-format Impressions.

460-189 BeefyT_PrintingUnited__8.5x11_mech.indd 1 10/6/20 8:21 AM We started this business with yours in mind

1975 was a good year — the legendary Beefy-T was born. Our 6.1 ounce, 100% ring spun cotton tee was conceived from creative minds to provide engineered apparel speciﬁ cally for the imprint market. With 45 years of thick, rich comfort and durable construction, the Beefy-T continues to be a top-shelf choice for your customers. Find it at HanesLocator.com.

460-189 BeefyT_PrintingUnited__8.5x11_mech.indd 1 10/6/20 8:21 AM DTG Print Technology Helps Launch Blooming Business

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives in ways we never could have predicted. For some, it has created a need to start something new. Ada Asenjo, founder of Pétalos by Ada and FreshPressedDesigns.com, based in Louisville, Ky., sat down to talk about how she began her new apparel business

Q. Tell us why you decided to start an Q. What products did you start with, and apparel business? what products have you added? A. I have been a Spanish/English A. I started by printing on ecologically interpreter for almost 20 years. sustainable T-shirts. Then people started Unfortunately, my income has drastically asking about tea towels, so I started dropped during the pandemic. I decided producing those. From there, my product line I wanted to try selling my pressed flower has grown to include onesies, tote bags, and a designs on apparel as a way to make scarf that has two soft ear loops sewn on it so additional money, and also to share that it can be used as a mask. something beautiful during this difficult time. Q. How do you market your business? A. My son and daughter have helped me Q. How did you handle production? develop my website. I try to take the advice A. At first, I outsourced my production, us- of a marketing guru who said: “done is Ada Asenjo, owner of Pétalos, uses a ing companies that put artists’ designs on better than perfect.” I sold my first T-shirt Roland DG VersaSTUDIO BT-12 a variety of objects and apparel. However, on Instagram. direct-to-garment to create original there’s only a very small profit for the artist. I sell through Etsy, social media, and on T-shirt designs, the most popular item. Then I tried using some print-on-demand my website. I also sell my products directly services, which provided a little more prof- at a local market. It’s very exciting to see it, but it was still not enough. It was also my business come to life. very important to me to use sustainable fabrics for my products. I really wanted Q. What are your current top sellers? to create beautiful things and do it in an A. Sales of my products have been growing eco-friendly way. steadily. T-shirts are the most popular item, I did some research online about but people also love the tea towels. The printing apparel myself. I couldn’t afford a scarf/mask is also a big seller. It’s printed on huge machine, and when I saw the Roland linen, which makes it more elegant. DG VersaSTUDIO BT-12 direct-to-garment printer, it seemed perfect. It’s not too Q. What’s your favorite thing about big, it’s not too complicated, and it’s not owning your own business? too expensive. I watched Roland DGA’s A. Printing my designs and realizing, “Oh! webinar on how to use it, and then I called I can print anything!” There’s some real my local distributor. Between the online freedom there. I’ve enjoyed working with tutorial and help from my distributor, I felt my BT-12 to put my art on different types of like I had a lot of support. apparel. I keep my BT-12 on a table in my home I wanted to show people the beauty in Pétalos’ product line has grown to studio. As I’ve begun offering different something as ephemeral as flowers — so include onsies, tote bags, and scarves types of apparel, I purchased an additional maybe they would start to see the beauty that can function as a mask. cassette tray. The inks are really rich and in everything. Lately I’ve been taking some vibrant. I’ve been able to print every color I online information classes on how to boost need for my designs — and they come out your business. I’m expanding my horizons looking great. to see what else I can do with my BT-12.

12 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com The ROQ NOW presents a groundbreaking inline process that takes your garment from pre-treat- ment to ﬁnal ﬁnishing in one touch, taking DTG printing to a whole new dimension.

The ROQ Hybrid oﬀers an unbeatable combination of direct-to-garment and screen printing technologies that aligns the best of both worlds.

By utilizing a ROQ automatic press like the ROQ NOW to print your white ink underbase, the ROQ Hybrid boosts your production capacity while lowering your cost per print by mind-numbing factors. YOUR TIME IS NOW digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 13 WHEN RETAIL-READY QUALITY IS A MUST

Marsuno Creative is a small business that print technology has been a major key to the allowed us to work with clients that are started with just one FreeJet 330TX DTG success of Marsuno Creative. Bringing value to looking to do the same for their brands,” printer, and has now grown to more than 10 the customer with retail-ready printed garments says Lefebre. “With the FreeJet and Cheetah FreeJet printers plus one Cheetah Industrial is especially crucial in an environment where printers, we were able to really dial in the DTG printer. In just five years, this Southern you want your printed garments to stand out color profiles to produce high quality prints California full-service creative agency from the rest. Because of this, Marsuno Creative on a wide variety of garments, so our clients multiplied production to more than 20,000 now works with some of the hottest streetwear can resell with confidence in a retail or shirts per month, using solely DTG. brands, producing on-demand fulfillment and e-commerce environment.” “DTG printing with OmniPrint’s FreeJets and drop-shipping to thousands of clients around Marsuno Creative could have easily started the Cheetah Industrial DTG has been a great the country. to outsource the ever-growing list of orders to solution for us. These printers allow us to “If you were to take a look at what they’re another business, but it was the retail-ready offer drop-shipping fulfillment for a variety of printing, you instantly see that the resolution, quality from the OmniPrint DTG printers that clients, ranging from clothing brands and retail colors, quality, and garment is on point,” says was keeping the business, their customers, stores, to models, and even walk-in traffic Victor Peña, CEO and founder, OmniPrint and their retailers happy. who want one-offs,” says manager Travis International. “Retail-ready quality means that “DTG printing — and working with a Lefebre. “DTG has really empowered us to if someone were to take this printed garment company that can do it well — can really be grow with the on-demand abilities and the fast off the shelf in a store, they can instantly see a turn-key solution for people trying to break production time compared to screen printing the value in it, and they want to buy it.” into the market,” says Lefebre. “Customers or vinyl.” “The type of quality we are producing can come to us with an idea, and we can get The “retail-ready” quality of OmniPrint’s DTG not only scaled our own business, but also them up and running in the market.”

14 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com From One- Offs to Mass Customization

READY TO CONQUER E-COMMERCE. With the ever-changing uncertainty of the current retail world... now is the best time ever to get your e-commerce business up and running. Deliver to your customers faster WHEN RETAIL-READY with on-demand digital textile printing. Whether you are a screen printer looking to add or switch to DTG, or you’re just starting out and looking to capitalize on the e-commerce QUALITY IS A MUST boom – Kornit can help you select the best system to help you achieve your business goals.

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digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 15 FASHION FORWARD The Fast-Paced Business of Digital Garment Printing

See how top fashion garment printers are leveraging technology, service, and know-how to meet the high demands of this evolving market.

By Laurie Weller

Digitally printed garments is one of the wide-format printing industry’s worked with him until his death in 2016, learning the ins and outs of the fastest growing markets. In fact, according to a recent Smithers Pira production process for traditional dye-sublimation.” report, “The Future of Digital Textile Printing to 2021,” the overall digital Today, notes Marino, Paterson Fabric Printing has “the whole package textile print market is growing at 17.5% annually through 2021, with available under one roof — everything from digital artwork creation, “the greatest acceleration [in growth] . . . in clothing, which has the key pattern creation, digital dye-sub, heat transfer, cutting, sewing, finishing, sub-segments of fashion, haute couture, and sportswear.” and packaging.” As projected by Credence Research, in its report “Custom T-Shirt Printing Market — Growth, Share, Opportunities, Competitive Analysis, A Digitally Transformed Industry and Forecast 2017-2025,” the global custom t-shirt printing market alone According to Marino, recent advances in digital sublimation printing is expected to “cross $10 billion” by 2025. technology have transformed the industry — and shaped consumer This is great news for print service providers (PSPs) who may already expectations. have many of the technologies needed in-house to expand into the “We added the digital division to our business in 2015, as we saw digitally printed apparel market. However, print technology for this appli- the shift in the marketplace beginning to gain momentum,” she says, cation marches on, and working with fabrics — and the processes used adding that the company today prints its fabrics with an Epson SureColor to print them — can be tricky. F9200. “Clients were looking for custom designs, quick turnaround time, “Anyone can sublimate a print, and anyone can go to a wide-format and fair pricing at the highest quality to gain a competitive edge. We printer manufacturer and buy the equipment to do it,” says Kai Low, wanted to be that provider for the New York metro area, as California owner of Vancouver-based Oddball Workshop. “To do it well, though, to was already booming with this type of business offering.” understand how to color correct and print consistently, that is where our Oddball Workshop, says Low, has carved out a niche for itself for experience comes into play.” small and mid-size apparel brands, as well as for team sportswear and The shop entered the market in 2008 with direct-to-garment printing, uniforms, relying on its Mimaki JV300-160 and JV150-160 wide-format and now specializes in digital dye-sublimation, though Low emphasizes printers. “We provide roll-to-roll printing for U.S. and Canadian compa- that his company does more than print fabrics. “We offer graphic design, nies in smaller runs where it doesn’t make sense to do the printing in screen printing, and embroidery services, and we have a cut-and-sew Asia,” he said. operation in-house as well,” he says. “The challenge is always pricing against the Chinese marketplace,” Paterson Fabric Printing, LLC, of Paterson, N.J., also has an estab- adds Marino. “But we feel that we provide enough of a custom, differen- lished history in the garment printing industry. tiated service that not only merits the price point but also allows us to be “Our father started our first dye-sublimation business in 1978,” says very competitive domestically.” Ginetta Marino, creative director for Paterson Fabric Printing. “We For brands that produce apparel in volume runs in Asia, prototyping

16 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com and sampling are a growing business for Oddball Workshop. “It is He also notes that for quicker to have us sample their prints than for a brand to go to Asia, some clients, it is easier get a fabric dyed — make the adjustments and go back and forth until to dye-sublimate a team the colors are right,” Low says. “We can get a file and print it within a or brand’s colors across day. Then the client can proof it, make changes, and send it to the mill all fabrics required in Asia for production.” than to match another printed fabric. Not Your Father’s Polyester “We have clients who Low sees new fabrics as helping drive demand for digitally printed will order dyed fabric garments today. from a supplier and ask “One of the biggest challenges has been the perception of the fabrics us to match a certain with clients,” he says. “Polyester media is used for sublimation, and shade of purple,” he the fabric is very athletic. But people remember the old tracksuits that says. “We explain to were kind of hot and rough — unless you are 40 or under. Then you them that we are using understand the technical attributes of polyester, the wicking, and other process inks to create benefits of it. And in the past two or three years, the knitting mills have spot colors — and some- embraced polyester fabrics and improved them — making them more times you can’t print the ex- comfortable and functional.” act shade using this process. He emphasizes that today there are many new types of synthetic The sheen of a fabric impacts fabrics available to brands. “The athleisure industry has taken off and the color as well.” propelled our own industry,” he says. Regardless of its complex- Among today’s design trends, adds Low, are fashion-forward fabrics ities, sublimation technology and fabrics that mimic natural fibers. continues to open doors for “Designers today want natural fibers,” he says. “Recycled polyester is Paterson Fabric Printing. getting more sustainable, though, and there are different ways to make “Our clients span from the polyester fabric where it is environmentally friendly, using recycled pop intimate apparel market and bottles, for example. That gives a better story to it. Plus, it takes a lot of outerwear markets to active- resources to produce many natural fabrics.” wear and promotional item Although working with fabrics Another factor driving demand for Paterson Fabric Printing’s ser- companies,” Marino says. “With our can be tricky, offering digitally vices, says Marino, is its clientele’s preference for high-touch service technology, we have acquired new printed garments, like the experiences. clients, such as a large shower cap ones seen above, can be a “Clients want to be hands-on and on the premises with the service account and our latest new business competitive advantage for providers,” she says. “We have always prided ourselves as being account in the specialized bowling PSPs. partners in our clients’ businesses and encouraging clients to schedule marketplace, EJ Bowling. For this on-site meetings, be it creative development, quality control, etc.” client, we provide everything from concept development, digital marker creation, fabric sourcing, custom Getting Color Right prints, cut/sew/finishing, packaging, and distribution.” When it comes to sublimation processes, having quality control practices in place is essential to achieving color consistency, Marino notes. Fabric’s Bright, Bold Future “We know fabric, we know how it will perform under the dye-sublima- As for the future of garment printing, Low expects advances in digital tion process, and we can adjust and tweak our processes — including printing technology to further enhance print quality. machinery, software, tension, and speed — to achieve the color, quality, “Up until a couple of years ago, there wasn’t even such a thing as and goals of the client, providing an advantage over our competitors,” a sublimation printer,” he says. “Our equipment was repurposed from she says. eco-solvent printers that were converted into sublimation printers. So, Low adds that several factors can impact the quality of sublimated now Mimaki, HP, Epson, and others are making application-specific fabrics. “Heat, the temperature of the press, the amount of ink laid down sublimation printers and fine-tuning them for water-based inks.” on the paper, and the shop environment for the press all affect how true Marino sees the industry migrating online. “The future of retail is the color is,” he says. “For example, our falls and winters are very wet in e-commerce, and the business models are consistently calling for no Vancouver. If we print a job in the fall when it is wet and cold, it will print inventory and production on-demand,” she says. “Quick turn for quality differently than in the spring and summer when it is dry.” items is key to both Paterson Fabric and our clients.” Which is why, over the years, Oddball Workshop has adopted a set of And Low expects the service demands of clients to remain high. “If seasonal “checks and balances.” there is a problem, they want to talk to a designer right away,” he says. “We ensure for our clients that if we print one job this month and then “Unlike print providers located overseas, we are here in North America, another four months later, the jobs will look the same,” Low says. “I’ve and we can air ship the same day.” seen local sports teams where you can tell when one half of the team ordered jerseys one year, and the other half the next year. We work within This article originally appeared in the July/August 2019 issue of a 5% tolerance — while some shops work with up to a 15% tolerance.” Wide-format Impressions. digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 17 4 Misconceptions About DTG Printing

By Amanda L. Cole, Editor-in-Chief and Content Director, Special Projects, Promo Marketing Media Group, NAPCO Media

Direct-to-garment is a great option for small decorators that isn’t as complicated as others and has a relatively low entry outsource screen printing but want to offer something in-house for cost (approximately $15,000 to start). Yes, distributors need to smaller runs. It’s also a good choice for those who want to use inkjet understand which fabrics work better and how to design the technology, since it doesn’t have a color limit, a large equipment artwork, but new equipment purchases should come with not only footprint or setup charges. However, there are some lingering a warranty, but technical support. DTG manufacturer OmniPrint misconceptions about this decoration method, which has evolved International Inc., Costa Mesa, Calif., offers ample training and tremendously over its approximately two-decade existence. Let’s recommends taking time to learn the process anyway, Victor Peña, dispel four of them. the company’s president and CEO, said. His team puts a lot of effort into newbies because within a 1. Production is too complicated month or so, technical support requests reduce drastically. On the There’s a learning curve to any decoration method, but DTG other hand, OmniPrint doesn’t push an inexperienced decorator into an equipment purchase. Instead Peña encourages outsourcing until the distributor builds up to five shirts per day. “The reality is the customer that gets more orders makes more money, and they also become more of an expert on their equipment, which lowers the support and maintenance,” Peña said. “It’s that customer that prints once a month, once every two months that always has constant issues. So there’s customers like that that are better off outsourcing, and we don’t sell to them until they’re going to have some kind of volume. … Our most successful customers are the ones that print every day.” 2. Printers require too much maintenance Direct-to-garment printing is a great option for printers that want As technology in general has evolved, so has DTG printing — both want to offer services for smaller runs. the machines and the inks. Previously, maintenance was a big part of the process, but OmniPrint uses a wet-cap system that prevents the

18 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com printheads from drying out, as well as a filtration system that keeps and that it’s bright and it’s washable,” Peña said. “Otherwise, the the inks flowing throughout the machine to virtually eliminate clogs. pigments that are heavier would go through the fabric. It would look This technology also resolved white ink issues as well. A decade grayish, kind of like a worn look, and it wouldn’t be that bright type ago, white ink — which contains a heavier pigment called titanium of print, so that’s why you have to do the pretreatment.” dioxide that needs to be agitated to avoid settling — was new, so machines weren’t equipped to handle it, Peña said. 4. Costs are too high to make a profit “Now there’s a lot of successful customers that are using this At OmniPrint, Peña has designed a complete vertical system to make technology that don’t have issues with maintenance, and it’s just the entire process easier and boost ROI for its customers. Instead 4 Misconceptions going to get easier and easier as we push not only the machine of cartridges, OmniPrint sells ink by the liter, allowing decorators to forward but we push the [ink] chemistry forward,” he said. pour it into their machines, which he estimates reduces the cost per However, confirm the DTG printer has all the technology print by about 50%. advancements before purchasing. Some printers may still require a The machinery also comes with software that helps with color lot of maintenance, and steps like manually circulating ink will force matching to eliminate cost-straining test prints, as well as figuring About DTG Printing you to spend time on maintenance as opposed to selling. out pricing by indicating how much ink is used in a given print. Peña noted this not only eliminates unexpected costs, but allows 3. Print quality is substandard distributors to nail down costs faster when quoting a project, In fact, the opposite is true. Not only will it provide a photographic- especially if blank goods prices have been pre-negotiated with the quality print, but a properly pretreated and cured imprint will stand up vendor as well. Distributors can input exact charges for each cost, to multiple washes with no fading. including each print location or per square inch of print, which will The pretreatment spray allows wet-on-wet printing. In other words, allow for automated and on-demand quotes, which Peña sees as an the white ink base printed on dark shirts won’t seep into the fabric and important feature with consumers becoming less patient. the color layer printed on top won’t run. Also, there’s no need to cure “Some customers are focused on quoting so much that they forget between layers. But curing the print with a heat press at the end locks to just have a clean offer,” he said. “So, I see that a lot and I think in everything in place and ensures an item’s washability. the future, there’s going to be no room for people to wait, so make “It’s kind of like the magic that makes all this direct-to-garment sure you have a clean offer and you have your pricing ready to go so thing work is making sure that the ink stays on top of the shirt, you can focus on closing instead of quoting.”

RICOH Ri 2000

• Blazing-Fast Single Pass Printing • Innovative Automatic Head Cleaning Jig • Software Solutions to Grow Your Business 866-332-3409 digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 PRINTING United Digital Experience | 19 RicohDTG.com/PrintingUnited Call for a FREE Deluxe Sample Pack! PRODUCT DEMO VIDEOS

OmniPrint International Demos Epson Highlights the SureColor FreeJet 330TX Plus, Cheetah F3070 DTG Printer DTG Printers Timothy Check, senior product manager, During the PRINTING United Professional Imaging, Epson, will walk Digital Experience, OmniPrint viewers through the innovations in the International will take the time to company’s SureColor F3070 direct-to- demonstrate its FreeJet 330TX garment (DTG) printer. Users can achieve Plus and Cheetah Industrial high productivity without sacrificing direct-to-garment (DTG) printers. quality, with automatic garment thickness The FreeJet 330TX optimization to ensure high quality without series has low production OmniPrint Cheetah user intervention. It features industrial- Epson SureColor F3070 costs, easy maintenance, level reliability for years of consistent and stunning print quality performance, with minimal maintenance required for less downtime. on a wide variety of garments Designed for mid-to-large size garment printers looking for a and mediums. It showcases high-production, cost-effective equipment, the SureColor F3070 can impeccable print quality and produce a full-size shirt in about a minute, allowing shops to print vibrancy at resolutions up to hundreds of shirts per day. Ideal for digitally printing custom garments 2,880 dpi on a wide range of on a variety of fabric types including cotton, linen, and rayon, the dark/light garments, including SureColor F3070 is designed to meet the increasing market demand 100% polyester and blends. The OmniPrint FreeJet 330TX for unique clothing driven by the millennial population in the United bulk ink delivery system elimi- States. The printer leverages a new dual 2.6" PrecisionCore print- nates cartridges and allows for ink refills on-demand, resulting in the head for high-quality output at production speeds with true one-pass lowest production costs in the industry, and empowering the user printing for both color and white ink. Coupled with the first bulk ink with better profit margins. It also features an interchangeable platen system integrated into an Epson DTG printer, it is capable of housing system that, in addition to traditional garment prints, empowers the 1.5 liters per color and 3.0 liters of white ink for less frequent refill- user to print on hats, shoes, sleeves, chest pockets, and more. ing, lower operating costs, and less waste. The Cheetah Industrial DTG printer, was designed from the ground up for high-volume and high-quality direct-to-garment printing. Ricoh Presents its DTG Solutions This new technology was developed and engineered for fulfillment Morita Tetsuya, corporate VP, general manager, IP Business Group; centers and other large volume facilities with a high demand for and Haziel Mitchell, national sales director, Ricoh DTG — the direct- speed and quality. The Cheetah prints at up to 2,400 dpi, delivering to-garment printing division of Ricoh Printing Systems America — will retail-ready, high-quality prints at amazing speeds. In addition, the present the Ri 2000 direct-to- new Cheetah Industrial DTG printer showcases true one-pass print- garment (DTG) solution during ing technology. Traditionally, a DTG print on dark garments requires the PRINTING United Digital two passes (one for a white underbase, and one for the color layer). Experience. The Cheetah’s print engine has been engineered to work together in The dual-carriage Ri 2000 printing both a white underbase and a color/highlight layer simulta- delivers ultra-fast print speeds neously without the need for a second print pass. Print times on the — under 10 seconds for a Cheetah are 30 seconds on average for a dark garment print, and full-color, 10x8" CMYK graphic. under 10 seconds on average for a white/light garment print. Designed to meet the needs Ricoh Ri 2000 The Cheetah’s design features dual independent platen technology of the modern custom apparel to maximize productivity. The dual independent platens allow the market, the Ri 2000 delivers high-performance industrial print capa- printer to keep printing a garment while an operator is loading and bility at a lower price point than its competitors. unloading the other. OmniPrint has taken its bulk ink delivery system The Ri 2000 is capable of producing full-color graphics at up to and engineered a new industrial bulk ink delivery system that main- 1,200x1,200 dpi, and is designed to print on a full range of gar- tains the ink at exact conditions while keeping operational and pro- ments, as well as face masks, art canvas, and promotional products, duction costs low. The orange and green inks enable an increased like wooden plaques, glass coasters, and mouse pads. To streamline color gamut to increase the “pop” in printed colors and setting operation and save users time, the Ri 2000 integrates automatic a new standard of print vibrancy in the industrial DTG world. The table height adjustment and quick-change magnetic platens in sizes Cheetah comes standard with Wurk, an advanced workflow suite for up to 16x19.6". These platens easily snap on and off the machine, print shop management, and Color iOS, an RIP software technology so switching between different garment styles and sizes requires designed to both increase efficiency and save money. practically no downtime.

20 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com Kornit’s Atlas System Provides DTG Brother’s GTXpro Series On Display Options Brother has been an industry leader in the direct-to-garment (DTG) Kornit offers a full line of industri- segment for more than 15 years. The company recently launched al-grade direct-to-garment (DTG) its fifth generation of DTG printers: the GTXpro Series. With options printers that produce retail quality from for both the small- to mid-size market, and the high volume results for a variety of production print shops, the GTXpro Series has faster print speeds, a lower needs, ranging from 2,000 to 12,000 running cost, and impressions per week. In particular, has simplified the company will give viewers a closer the process for look at its Atlas system. Kornit Atlas operators. GTXpro The Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty replaces the bulk system created for super-industrial garment decoration businesses. ink system with It was designed to deliver a typical annual production capacity of up smaller pouches, Brother GTXpro to 350,000 impressions, optimizing production efficiency and cost of making it ideal for ownership. The Kornit Atlas is aimed at highly productive garment dec- small to medium orators, and mid- to large-size screen printers. The system is equipped shops doing less than 1,500 prints a month. with new recirculating printheads and comes with a newly developed This latest model offers the ability to produce prints at speeds of up ink, NeoPigment Eco-Rapid. The Atlas printing engine features an to 40 dark garments and 55 light garments per hour using the high enhanced version of Kornit’s HD technology, complemented by a speed print mode on an 11x11" design. GTXpro outputs 1,200x1,200 professional RIP software solution, and produces prints that meet the dpi dark prints up to 15% faster than its predecessor. Ink is supplied highest standards of retail quality and durability. via replaceable ink pouches, which minimizes the amount of plastic, NeoPigment Eco-Rapid ink is a main driver of the Atlas’ retail quality helping reduce the environmental impact. Designed exclusively for the prints. It provides a white ink opacity matched to those of conventional GTXpro, ink pouches come in three sizes: 350cc, 500cc, and 700cc. screen inks, and meets highest durability standards on multiple fabric Money can be saved thanks to the daily start-up maintenance cost types. Its increased color gamut and saturation allow for deep full being reduced by up to 63% due to internal recirculation in the new tones and precise spot color matching. The ink has been developed white ink printhead. Its large printing area — 16x21" — and specialty with sustainability in mind, carrying the Oeko-Tex Eco-Passport platens allow shops to expand their substrates and markets with the certification and is GOTS pre-approved. ability to print over seams and across zippers.

Pr pr c c ll D m b

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SEE THE VIDEO SEGMENT ALL digital.printingunited.com | November 9, 2020 ABOUTPRINTING THE United GTXpro Digital Experience DURING | 21 BrotherDTG.com PRINTED UNITED ON NOV 9.

InsightDays_GTXpro_HalfPage_Hori.indd 2 10/20/20 9:39 AM PRODUCTS

Products included in this section were updated as of October 13, 2020. For additional products within this category and others, please visit digital.printingunited.com/new-products. Brother International Nazdar SourceOne Corporation GTXpro M&R Maverick Industrial The GTXpro direct-to-garment printer puts more features, more flex- High-Speed DTG ibility, and more capabilities into your bag of printing and decorating tricks. It works harder and more efficiently for you, so you can work Printing System harder on growing your business and tapping into new markets. The The Maverick exemplifies M&R’s com- mitment to future technologies in the garment decoration process. With an emphasis on print quality and speed, M&R set out to build a leading-class, industrial-grade DTG printer. With fast print speeds, expanded color gamut and rugged construction, the Maverick has a dual-shuttling platform that allows independent pallet shuttling based on the operator’s needs, the Maverick can print images one-off or as multiple copies. GTXpro printer is designed for print shops that print less than 1,500 prints a month. TVF Heavy Stealth TVF’s made in the U.S. Heavy Stealth is a premium interlock shirt fabric with an engineered two-way stretch. It features a comfortable weight Brother International and fit, a UPF 50 rating, as well as Corporation GTXpro B Advanced Moisture Management. This The GTXpro B is an industrial-grade garment printer, with printheads, fabric is available with a premium EPA software, and firmware that Brother manufactures. We’ve developed a proprietary bulk feed system for our own specially formulated inks & Blue Sign approved antimicrobial to help increase production and minimize maintenance time. The finish to help eliminate bacteria that GTXpro B printer is designed for print shops that print 1,500 prints a causes body odor, stains, and fabric month or more. degradation. Heavy Stealth is an excellent product for activewear, athleisure applications, and face coverings. TVF REPREVE T-Shirt Jersey TVF’s REPREVE T-Shirt Jersey fabric is ideal for manufacturing athletic jerseys, T-shirts, and other related applications where a quality, light-weight, comfortable fabric is needed — now with the bonus of using recycled Nazdar SourceOne M&R DS-4000 Digital polyester. This recycled material Squeegee Hybrid Printing System offers excellent UV protection and M&R’s DS-4000 has a wicking finish for performance Digital Squeegee is aiding in comfort. The REPREVE setting the standard polyester microfiber yarn used in for hybrid printing. At this fabric construction has a light- production rates of weight, silky feel and is ideal for a 400+ prints per hour soft, comfortable active apparel. the DS-4000 bridges the gap between direct-to-garment Roland DG VersaUV LEF2-300D (DTG) printing and Flatbed UV Printer screen printing. The VersaUV LEF2-300D printer’s expanded workspace supports a Since the Digital height of up to 7.87" (200 mm) – twice that of standard LEF2 models – Squeegee prints enabling users to print text, full-color graphics, and unique textural ef- on top of a screen- fects directly onto an even broader range printed underbase, a of objects. Like all Roland DG LEF2 series wide array of fabrics printers, the LEF2-300D employs UV-LED - including synthetic and performance blends, can now be printed lamps to instantly cure ink, making it easy digitally, opening the door to new market trends and cost-effective to customize or personalize a vast array high-end digital textile imaging. of items, including smartphone cases, awards, giftware, leather goods, and more.

22 | PRINTING United Digital Experience November 9, 2020 | digital.printingunited.com TEXTILE DIGITAL & SCREEN PRINT SOLUTIONS

EQUIPMENT, INKS & SUPPLIES

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