Impressions - October 2017 - 31

New Products: Digital Equipment & Supplies

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Digital Equipment, Heat Presses and Supplies, which will be emailed Oct. 24.
1. Geo Knight DK32 Heat Press
Exclusively from Condé Systems  A 26" x 32" fixed-head manual drawer
press featuring a dual-handle design  Multi-feature digital control system,
SuperCoil-Microwinding heater technology and solid-steel loading bed with
ultra-thick Nomex padding  Locking casters
Use Info⋅Action #400 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

2. Brother DTG Schulze PRETREATMaking IV Machine
Designed to apply the proper amount of pretreatment solution for DTGprinted garments  Touchscreen panel allows users to control amount of
solution applied, resulting in consistent and repeatable results  Multiphase
motor enables smoother, more accurate spray patterns

Use Info⋅Action #401 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

3. Stahls' Hover Heat Press
Solution for curing digital and direct-to-garment printing inks  Hovers
above the garment without making direct contact to set the ink in the first
mode  Eliminates potential for smearing  Ensures a dry design so the ink
will not transfer onto the heat platen
Use Info⋅Action #402 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

4. Florida Flexible FOREVER Transfer Papers
Includes FOREVER Laser Darks (no cut) and FLEX-SOFT (no cut)  Selfweeding, two-paper system for dark- and light-colored garments  No
cutting or weeding required
Use Info⋅Action #403 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

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5. The PAS Store Cap Platen Kit For Brother DTG Printers
T-Lock Cap Platen Kit is compatible with most structured and unstructured
caps  Brother DTG users can print on the front crown and most of the bill
 Works on all models of GT printers, including the GT-541, GT-782 and GT-3
series  Includes the required T-Lock base
Use Info⋅Action #404 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

6. Great Dane Graphics Wildlife Stock Art Designs
For all decorating processes  Recently added wildlife images include a
parrot, koala bear, salamander and exotic frog  High-quality, full-color
artwork enables service to zoos, pet stores, animal-themed parks, tour
companies, preservation organizations and similar businesses  Royalty-free
Use Info⋅Action #405 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

called a drum or rotary press) that can accommodate the 64- to 72inch requirement. Such a bottom-line investment jumps into the
$50,000-$80,000 range, but monthly payments still will be about
$1,000-$1,600 per month.
The next misconception when it comes to wide-format sublimation is the cost savings. Labor is a big factor in costs and most
products carry enough margin to handle the increased ink costs
associated with a small-format printer. However, when you break
the costs down, the perspective changes.
If you are a small-format sublimator, you most likely are paying about $70 for a 30ml ink cartridge. That is about $2.30 per
millileter. A typical sublimation transfer uses about 1.5ml of ink
per square foot. You have about $3.75 per square foot of ink and
paper costs (assuming paper costs about 25 cents per square foot).
When compared to large-format sublimation, where you are paying about 15 cents per millileter of ink, the cost now is less than
50 cents per square foot.
I have heard people say wide-format software is hard to use. If
you are working with the right supplier, your RIP software should
be set up on the front end as part of the purchase investment. You
can drop jobs into most RIP programs and let them "nest" images
for printing and paper-usage optimization. Most programs also
have a job-cost calculator, allowing sublimators to more accurately
quote their work. Some even can do variable data output, which
makes certain jobs, like jersey creation, even easier.

New Markets

With the misconceptions now clarified, you can figure out what's
possible after an investment in wide-format sublimation. While
most decorators primarily consider sublimation for garments, the
reality is there's so much more you can do.
Let's start with the lucrative garment market and go from there.
Sports Jerseys: For years, the sports-jersey industry was dominated by dye houses and vinyl lettering. A lot of cotton was used and
that business still is strong today. Things have changed, though, and
polyester performance jerseys are becoming the norm. No longer
do you see the solid-colored jersey with one- or two-color names
and numbers on it. Instead, you see excellent designs, multiple
colors and more.
In addition, garments can enhance athletic performance by wicking away moisture and keeping wearers cooler. Jerseys today no
longer are meant simply to designate a number; they are part of
an athlete's success on the court or field of play.
Home Textiles: This category is a rapidly growing market when
it comes to roll-to-roll sublimation. Simply browsing websites like
Etsy reveals tons of personalized home-textile items. Popular items
include pillow cases and throw pillows, but the demand for personalization doesn't end there.
You also will find larger items, like shower curtains, bed sheets,
comforter covers, towels and more. There also is a market for items
OCT./NOV. 2017

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Impressions - October 2017

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