Transfer-based printing remains more common for garments, while direct disperse printing may be more effective for flags and banners, but both processes are feasible for most general applications.
Production logistics
Digital printing has made it possible for dye sublimation to produce individually designed items in small quantities and in a short time frame. In principle,
no matter whether the production room is set up for transfer-based or direct printing, digital technology should enable quick production for each job.
With a growing number of possible applications, however, and with the maturation of the textile printing business in general, customers’ demands are starting to become more stringent. Some will require an identical print across a range of textiles, requiring the sign shop to be flexible in working with different substrates.
In other cases, shops will need their printing equipment available for non-repeat single orders, while the calender is dedicated for orders of only the highest priority. Transfer-based dye sublimation allows them to separating the printer from the calender, to ensure the most efficient use of their in-house equipment.
Investment
A wide-format printer that can directly print on textiles will be more expensive than one that cannot, but on the other hand, the additional cost of the built-in fixation unit will be less than the cost of a calender for transfer-based printing. In the final analysis, both types of dye sublimation require a similar level of capital—and even when there is a difference, a lower initial investment needs to be weighed against whether or not the equipment can deliver exactly what the sign shop’s target market requires.
Production costs
Similarly, direct disperse dye sublimation appears less expensive at first glance. Only one operator is needed, since the fixation unit is attached directly to the printer, and there is no outlay required for transfer and protection paper. A shop can also keep less material in stock.
There are also added costs to the direct process, however, including the coating necessary to make textiles compatible with the printer. And while the cost of inks is similar across the two processes, direct disperse dye sublimation requires a higher ink load than transfer printing. Further, if the application calls for 100 per cent ink fixation, the direct-printed material may require an additional production step for washing.
In the final analysis
For all of these reasons, there is no one, general answer to the question, “Is transfer or direct printing better?” Both processes can yield high-quality products, but the best method can only be identified on the basis of a sign shop’s specific situation. As signmakers analyze their customer base and conduct their cost calculations, the best answer will be that which best meets their market’s needs at the lowest price.
John Selfhout is manager of marketing and sales for Klieverik, which develops rotary thermoprocessing equipment for use in the digital printing of textiles. This article is based on a seminar he presented at the 2014 Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Expo in October in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information, visit www.klieverik.com and www.sgia.org.
