Custom T-Shirts in Barcelona and Madrid

DTG on T-shirts

Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing can be done on T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, and canvas bags that are at least 80% cotton. These four categories make up nearly 95% of the orders we receive for digital textile printing. We typically print on 100% cotton garments or those made from an 80% cotton/20% polyester blend.

An important detail to keep in mind is that we cannot print on 100% polyester fabrics, as the ink would repel or run off during washing (polyester garments are usually “sublimated”). We usually print on 100% cotton fabrics, although we are now increasingly printing on 100% organic or eco-friendly cotton fabrics.

Ink manufacturers state that a properly executed print should withstand between 25 and 50 washes, depending, of course, on how the garment is cared for and used.

To test the resistance and durability of our prints, at TEXTILO we conduct a test called “RDL” (Resistance, Durability, and Wash Test) on every garment we offer as “printable,” as we say in the workshop.

This involves performing a series of print tests on each garment to determine whether it is printable and to calibrate the machine correctly to achieve an ideal finish.

To perform this test and approve a garment for our digital printing service, we conduct tests to adjust the fixative used, perform color calibration tests, and wash the garments five times in a row at 30°C with concentrated detergent for a full hour; Between each wash, the garments are dried in an industrial dryer, and once they come out, the process is repeated four more times. This test simulates about six months of intensive use of the garment.

Once the wash cycles are complete, the condition of the print and the T-shirt is checked to draw conclusions. Only if everything is OK is a technical data sheet generated with the “magic formula”—the specific parameters needed to reproduce a correct digital print on that garment and thereby meet our quality standard.

It is very important to us that the color of the design printed on the T-shirt, sweatshirt, polo shirt, or bag matches the customer’s expectations and complies with the corporate color guide.

To achieve this, it is essential that the file to be printed be of the highest possible quality and have a high resolution of between 300–500 dpi. We typically work with .png files with a transparent background at 300 dpi in sRGB. Some designs are simple enough that color separation can be performed if necessary, while others—such as photos, gradients, or designs with many colors—cannot.

Therefore, once the file is loaded into the machine’s software, the machine converts those colors to CMYK. It does this because the machine prints like an office printer—that is, by mixing percentages of inks that, when combined, create the desired color. These colors are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, and White. 

The printed bags look absolutely amazing! Now, thanks to this technology, you can produce small runs with full-color designs.