Business Evaluation
Evaluating Direct to Garment Printers and Vendors
What should you look out for when you are in the market for a direct to garment printer? The following “Top Ten Factors” are in addition to price – typically the #1 consideration.
Unfortunately, price is also often the one thing that buyers dwell on at the expense of other factors. Don’t discount these other critical elements. They will contribute – or detract from – your long term success.
- Production capacity relative to your needs. In a word, speed. How long does it take to print a good batch of brilliant, full-color prints without a lot of babysitting and hassle?
- Ink control. How granular is the ability to control ink drop size, for high resolution, washable prints? This directly affects aesthetic quality and finish.
- Durability of components, especially print heads. How long do the parts last in normal use, and how costly is it to replace wear items?
- Degree and frequency of maintenance and downtime. How much time and effort does it take to clean and maintain your printer, and are you willing to sacrifice that time?
- WYSIWYG: How faithfully can you reproduce an image? Do the printer and RIP software deliver on expectations for fidelity to the source?
- Ink consumption and cost per print. How much money can I expect to spend printing a given type of image? This highly variable cost can determine pricing strategy and profit.
- Washability of finished goods. How well does my ink cure and adhere to the fabric? How well does the ink work in tandem with a pre-treatment solution?
- Availability of tech support. When are techs available?
- Training and learning curve. What tools and seminars are available and how much do they cost? How long does it take to become competent with the machine?
- Depth of user forums and online community. Are there other people out there doing what I am doing? Have they been able to solve some of the challenges I am facing?
Download the full article: Top 10 Garment Printer Evaluation Factors AnaJet
Which Digital Apparel Printer Is Right for My Business?
Answer the following questions to help you determine which model of printer makes the most sense for your requirements.
| Printer Model | ||
| I need to produce ______ prints every week for my business. | one to several hundred | one to a few thousand |
| My typical order amount is _____. | one to a hundred pieces | one to several hundred pieces |
| My business plan is to ______. | stay small and stable | grow quickly |
| Portability: I need a printer that I can _______. | carry easily from site to site every weekend, OR leave in the shop | set up permanently in my shop |
| I need a digital apparel printer with a learning curve that is: | relatively fast | very fast |
| I prefer to run full maintenance on my printer _______. | multiple times per week | weekly or less often” |
| It’s important to me to have the capability to upgrade my digital apparel printer. | No, I’m happy with the basics. | I want an entry-level price with the ability to eventually double my speed*. |
“All direct to garment printers require minimum daily maintenance when inks are loaded.
* To double your printing speed, you can upgrade an entry-level mPower mP5 model to an mP10 model through the installation of an upgrade kit.
View the Feature Matrix for a more detailed comparison.
