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Direct to garment printing machinery
Direct to Garment printing process
Full-colour D2G print on white t-shirt
Full colour CMYK direct-to-garment print with base coat on Dark (coloured) tee Direct to Garment Printing
Why Direct to Garment?
With an almost unlimited scope for customisation, Direct to Garment (DTG) printing is the perfect way to create a photographic, full-colour, retail quality t-shirt print without needing to pay expensive screen print setup fees. Due to its soft-feel and slightly less vibrant colour reproduction, DTG printing is a popular choice for retro and vintage style designs.
Pro’s:
(+) Full colour CMYK prints & photographic images can be printed.
(+) Ink is applied directly to the t-shirt, so no transfer backing or "plastic" feel exists; the ink sinks directly into the fabric fibres. DTG offers the softest feel of all our print methods.
(+) No minimums (1 unit + available).
(+) Prints up to A3 size can be achieved.
(+) Low setup costs.
(+) Repeat orders (of the same design) do not incur setup fees. Once your artwork has been set up, we'll keep it on file indefinitely.
Con’s:
(-) This print method is not as cost-effective for larger orders as the print process is far slower than screen printing, and the machinery & inks more expensive.
(-) DTG prints are very sensitive to fabric composition and will not reproduce as vibrantly as digital transfer prints.
(-) The durability of DTG prints is lower than that of transfers; making them ideal for prints that require a "worn" or vintage look/feel, but making them generally unsuitable for uniform use or heavy duty wear.
(-) Some artwork may not be suitable for this print method. Mabuzi reserve the right to refuse unsuitable artwork.
(-) Colours in final prints are greatly affected by colour of backing fabric & will fade with time.
(-) Artwork approvals are only provided for orders over 15 units.
Direct to Garment prints are Ideal for:
Custom T-Shirts & More
With no minimum orders and an unrivalled soft-to-the-touch finish, DTG prints are a popular choice for our steady stream of local artisans and their one-off t-shirt designs; especially those looking to create a high-quality full colour t-shirt, that feels great when worn. Check out our Online T-Shirt lab & get creating today!
Promotional Wear
Don't like the feel of digital transfers? What about a Direct to Garment print for your next campaign? We've printed stunning full-colour DTG prints for LOUD, Staples, Double Impact Displays & more.
Garments for Printing:
Mabuzi offer printing onto a large range of items for varying budgets, which can be found in our online catalogue. All items with "Direct to Garment" listed as an option in the decoration field are available for this method.
Note: Mabuzi does not offer direct to Garment Printing on BYO garments. If you have BYO garments that require printing, please see our digital transfers and vinyl transfers pages.
How it works:
The garment to be printed first undergoes a pre-treatment, which removes any dye residue or excess chemicals from your shirt and creates the fixative ability for the ink. It is imperative that this pre-treatment is evenly applied to the shirt or else the print may wash out of fade faster in low-coverage areas.
Once the pre-treatment has dried, the shirt is placed over the print board and the print heads pass over the shirt; printing directly onto the fabric similar to the way your home ink jet printer can print onto paper.
Once the printing is completed, the shirt is left to air dry and then is cured under a heat press to ensure the ink is fully dried and affixed to your shirt.
Looking for pricing?
View Mabuzi’s garments and pricing in our Online Catalogue.
Need a quick fix? Mabuzi keep a range of high-end retail t-shirts & garments in stock for orders under 15 units.
Still can’t find what you need? Request a Quote or Contact us.
More info:
Direct to Garment Artwork SpecificationsProducts & Packages we can print on
FAQ's
4-Colour Process Printing:
A 4-colour process screen print is made up entirely, as the name suggests, of only four colours - Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black (CMYK) - and a white base underneath, if printing on a dark garment.
This printing process works around a similar method to an inkjet printer, which also uses CMYK colours only. Although only four colours are used, each colour (each screen) is printed as a half-tone print (very small, very fine dots).
When these tiny dots are viewed from a normal distance, they appear to the human eye to "blend" to form new colours; depending on the ratio of each colour to another.
This process is unique in that it allows an almost full-photographic image to be screenprinted, with only a small number of colours.
Please note, however, that 4-colour process printing is subject to your artwork. Some designs may be unsuitable for this type of print.
Image: 4-colour CMYK process screenprint detail
