From entry-level and mass-production DTG printers to hybrid and direct-to-film printing systems, here’s our round-up of the industry’s newest digital garment and textile printing solutions
Hybrid Services: Mimaki TS100-1600 Dye-Sublimation Printer
The new Mimaki TS100-1600 offers a maximum speed of 70sqm/hr, says Hybrid Services, the UK and Ireland distributor for Mimaki.
The dye-sublimation printer is designed to enable printing on sportswear, apparel, furnishings, soft signage, décor, giftware and more.
“When combined with a heat transfer press, the TS100-1600 offers a creative and versatile entry to production sublimation,’’ adds Hybrid, “employing
technology from Mimaki’s industrial machines, easing operation and ensuring high quality output with minimum user intervention”.
The new Mimaki TS100-1600 offers a maximum speed of 70sqm/hr
According to Hybrid, the textile printing is currently enjoying significant growth for several reasons: “The personalisation market is booming – with the web-to-digital print sector performing very strongly during the height of the pandemic, as distanced families and friends gift customised presents, furnishings and prints. Equally, the demand for bespoke fashion and décor continues to flourish, as consumers enjoy the opportunity to style important areas of their lives.
“Furthermore, the retail and leisure sectors all benefit from utilising textile graphics, with lightboxes, window displays and other fabric installations decorating the high street and hospitality environments as consumers return. The advantages of digital print enable customised, localised and completely bespoke designs to be created, with varying length print runs delivered swiftly, at high quality and onto an array of fabric types.”
Aeoon Technologies: Plus Systems with Integrated Heat Press
The new Plus systems offer an integrated heat press, enabling businesses to pre-, in-between- and after-press garments during the direct-to-garment printing process, says Aeoon.
“Pre- and in-between-pressing increases the print quality even further, while after-pressing makes for an even more pleasant hand-feel, and enables double-sided printing. Plus, there are no more aesthetically displeasing press marks.”
The new Plus feature is available for Aeoon’s Kyo and Compact systems
The new Plus feature is available for the Kyo and Compact systems — older Kyo models can be upgraded to a Kyo Plus; however, in some cases this might require a control upgrade, adds Aeoon.
“All Aeoon machines, not only the Plus models, will also now come with ‘crash prevention’, a simple but effective new feature that has been developed to protect print heads from crashing.”
Brother: GTX600 Industrial Garment Printer
New from Brother’s GTX Series, the GTX600 industrial garment printer is designed for mass production on an industrial level.
It’s equipped with a built-in humidifier, four industrial print heads with internal cooling fans, and a print size up to 61 x 61cm.
Alongside enabling direct-to-garment printing onto leather and polyester, Brother has now added the option of DTF printing to its GTX series printers.
The new GTX600 is equipped with four industrial print heads with internal cooling fans
“All you need is the reversal driver, which is available free of charge from all our certified dealers,” adds the company. “This makes our customers even more flexible, and allows them to react optimally to all requirements.”
In addition, Brother has launched its new software solution, Brother Merge, which was developed in-house exclusively for the direct-to-garment sector by its ‘digital solutions’ department.
“In cooperation with some of the major manufacturers from a wide range of different business sectors, we’ve not just created a software solution, but a whole package of individual applications that cover all areas and needs of the digital print production.”
Brother’s digital printing solutions are available from its UK & Ireland distributor, MHM Direct GB.
Kornit Digital: Presto Max
The Presto Max is the “first digital print system to offer white printing on coloured fabrics, enhancing the decoration capabilities for dark fabrics”, says Kornit.
“It’s the only single-step solution for direct-to-fabric printing, delivering the softest feel with brilliant whites and brighter neon colours.
“The system is ready to incorporate future iterations and evolutions of XDi technology to 3D decorative applications to produce threadless embroidery, high-density, vinyl, screen transfer and other innovative effects.”
Suitable for fashion, home décor and other textile applications, the Presto Max is compatible with natural fabrics, synthetics and blends. It also includes advanced algorithms for smart, autonomous calibration to deliver high-quality results with short cycle times, adds Kornit.
The Kornit Presto Max digital printing system enables white printing onto coloured fabrics
“The system was devised for compatibility with the KornitX global fulfilment ecosystem to enable anywhere, anytime production, supporting a localised production model that eliminates time and logistical waste from the experience, while empowering brands to ensure quality and consistency across all systems and production sites.
“Kornit Presto Max provides the cornerstone of a smart, efficient and sustainable eco factory, which empowers producers to consolidate their production experience from design to finished product to decrease carbon footprint, use minimum manpower and generate less waste.”
Xpres: Epson SureColor SC-F3000
The Epson SureColor SC-F3000 direct-to-garment printer speedily delivers up to 60 full-platen dark T-shirt prints per hour, says Xpres.
“Featuring new Epson production head technology and Auto Platen gap adjustment, and supplied with a new high-capacity bulk ink system and stand, this latest machine is designed to appeal to T-shirt printers with medium to high-volume output.”
With its nine-litre capacity bulk ink system along with 1.5 litre ink pouches, the production-level machine offers ink costs “as low as 9p per millilitre on both colour and white inks”.
The Epson SureColor SC-F3000 comes with a nine-litre capacity bulk ink system alongside 1.5 litre ink pouches
The SC-F3000’s ink droplet placement results in more stable and accurate printing, according to Xpres, with nozzle verification technology automatically checking whether all nozzles are firing accurately, and intuitively compensating to ensure high-quality printing.
“You can also ensure consistent up-time with a choice of CoverPlus service plans, which include user replaceable head,” says Xpres.
The SC-F3000 meets the Global Organic Textile Standard, in addition to its Eco Passport Certificate, so users “can comply with the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 for high-standard safety ecological textiles”.
Screen Print World: M&R Polaris DTG Printing System
New from M&R, the Polaris direct-to-garment printing system is designed to produce full-colour designs at a rapid pace with repeatable, steady output, says UK and Ireland distributor Screen Print World (SPW).
Working alongside an onboard pretreater, heat presses and flashes, the industrial high-speed system has “two dedicated digital print engines, which work in tandem to produce vibrant artwork quickly and effortlessly”.
The new M&R Polaris has two dedicated digital print engines, says SPW
“A compact, onboard pretreatment station comes standard on every Polaris, which simplifies the DTG process and reduces shirt set-up touches, while inline heat presses and quartz flashes smooth garment fibres to increase DTG quality,” adds SPW.
“By combining successful screen printing traits with our advancements in digital ink delivery, M&R has removed past limitations of digital artwork reproduction without sacrificing cost nor quality.”
For more digital printing options from leading suppliers, check out our April 2022 issue here
