DTG Printer | Why G4 DTG vs Other Printers?
DTG Printers are by far the best way to print custom t-shirts.
That is if you want to produce the best quality images with fades and smoke effects. Something that feels great and holds up exceptionally well in the wash.
And if you want to be able to print and sell one full-color graphic t-shirt at a time. With different images every time.
The G4 DTG Printer is the innovative, clear easy of use leader in the digital garment printer universe.
What Makes a DTG Printer Better?
Here is where DTG Printing, when you compare it with other custom t-shirt making methods, comes out on top:
DTG Printers vs. Screen Printing
It’s almost a cliché at this point, but screen printing is still one of the best ways to print a LOT of shirts with simple designs. For example, if you want to print 10,000 tees with a brand phrase or one-color logo on the front, this is the way to do it.
But they’re almost useless if you need to print one shirt, or 5, or 10, or even a few dozen shirts. ESPECIALLY if you want full color.
DTG Printers are better for most of today’s businesses because there’s no setup time. No color limits. And your first shirt is just as profitable as your last shirt in the long run.
White Toner Printers vs. DTG
White toner printers make t-shirt transfers. And they do a great job.
If you want to sell wholesale transfers, this is the best option. However, if you want to be able to print on just about ANY shirt, white toner printers are not picky. And you can make promotional products too.
For more info on white toner printers, you can go here.
DTG Printers are better in many cases for two reasons:
- First, the images are beautiful – white toner is good, but not this good.
- You are concerned about supply costs – The average transfer will cost you $3.00 sheet to make, but you’ll only spend $.25 to $2.00 for most DTG print.
- The shirts feel AMAZING. You can tell which way a design was made just from the feel.
- No fades on white toner. You just can’t get fade-to-shirt effects.
Sublimation Printers
These are great little printers. You can print beautiful, almost DTG-like images using a Sawgrass sublimation printer. And you can create promotional products like you can with white toner.
But DTG wins against sublimation when you want to print on DARK garments. Sublimation printers can only print on light colors (no white ink) and only on synthetic fabrics like polyester.
This is the opposite of a DTG Printer’s limitations – that it can only print well on cottons. But it will also print on light poly, light cotton, and dark cottons.
Direct to Film Printers
Direct to Film printers, like the DigitalHeat FX DTF Printer, are amazing transfer printers. They produce full color, digital transfers like the white toner printers do, but with a few BIG differences:
- They feel better
- Hold up like DTG after washes
- They… are… FAST
Direct to Film printers are BIG, 24” printers with an adhesive applicator and dryer built-in. So basically, it can print a logo in about 7 seconds or less.
But it’s really designed for printing 1,000 logos. Or doing a run of 100 or 2,000 t-shirt graphics at a time.
Here’s a great place to learn more about Direct to Film Printers
Where the DTG G4 printer wins, here is just printing one. Or 10.
If you’re a very large wholesale t-shirt printer, then DTF is for you. Think of it like a more current version of screen printing for volume requirements.
If you print ten shirts a day, or even 50, the DTG printer is going to be a better choice.
Why Should I Choose G4 DTG Printer?
Now that you’ve narrowed down the answer to the “What’s the best t-shirt printer?” questions, let’s talk about the advantages to the G4 DTG Printer from ColDesi specifically.
G4 Vacuum Platen
There are a few different ways to “hoop” a shirt for printing.
Sticky Hoop Platen
Most DTG printers use a combination of a sticky platen and a kind of frame that sits down over the shirt. This works fine if you get the shirt exactly right on the platen the first time you lay it down.
But moving it slightly to get the alignment just right is time-consuming.
Because you have to lift/unstick the shirt, lay it back down—frame off, Frame on, etc.
Tucking Platen
Other direct to garment machines use a Tuc-Loc system. These hold the shirt very securely, but you’re tucking the sweater into the platen. It’s like folding a shirt into your pants and trying to get the shirt even in the mirror.
Effective, but slow.
Training and Support
ColDesi only sells the G4 DTG in the USA, and they’re known for their professional online training courses. So it’s not just a collection of YouTube videos – it’s an actual online course.
And their training is free.
And their technical support is free.
DTG isn’t perfect, and it’s not always the best solution for your custom t-shirt business. But it IS a great option to consider!
