Adding Direct-To-Film Printing To Your Fashion Business
Fashion brands constantly look to upgrade their printing processes when personalising their products. In my latest article, I will examine the pros of adopting direct-to-film printing to see if it is something you can implement into your business. Keep reading for more.
Direct-to-film (also known as DTF) is a fairly new printing technology that offers versatility when you need a fast method and precise printing of high-quality designs on various fabrics and mediums.
Conventional printing techniques have their benefits, but DTF is a massive upgrade, boasting amazing vibrant colours and intricate details in the final product. These factors will catch the attention of both large and small printing operations, especially in the competitive fashion industry (where the demand for fast production quality products is critical). If your business hasn’t adopted this future-proofed printing model yet, the following points just may change your mind.
Enhanced Print Quality
Direct-to-film printing elevates the quality of your fabric designs, delivering sharper, bold prints on all manner of materials, ensuring a fantastic, high-end, finished product that will fly off the shelves. If you switch to DTF printing, your fashion company will be able to meet the demands of your customers who are looking for stylish, personalised apparel that doesn’t compromise on quality.
Your team of designers will be able to experiment with unique and diverse fabrics, which were challenging to work with using older printing machines. You can create standout collections, attracting a new audience in the process.
Faster Production Times
Fast fashion is in high demand, with consumers wanting new styles for their wardrobe in quick time. Traditional production methods can struggle and get overwhelmed with the growing expectation of speed, whereas DTF allows brands to respond quickly to the latest trends as they happen. This new-age tech will enable you to streamline your business via the production process, reducing unforeseen delays and removing the need for large amounts of stock (usually costing money and space). Each new order can be produced on demand when required, which completes the order quickly and reduces wastage (helping the environment, too!).
Eco-friendly Water Based Ink
In the current climate, almost all consumers demand eco-friendly standards in the products they use and purchase (especially clothing). As such, retailers have had to totally revamp their printing methods by using water-based inks that offer a minimal environmental impact on the world we live in.
These types of inks limit harmful chemicals that are otherwise used in older printing inks without negatively impacting the vibrancy of the colours used.
Wide Colour Spectrum
Direct-to-film offers a vast array of colours, allowing your designs to look vivid and colourful once printed (traditional printing sometimes never matches the bold hues on the screen). Additionally, thanks to DTF, even very intricate patterns can be replicated with a superior level of clarity.
As the process is pretty cost-effective, even modest businesses can opt for it. This allows them to enhance their collection without breaking the bank and provide an amazing range to their growing customer base.
Intricate And Detailed Designs
If your business wants to upgrade to DTF, you can create elaborate and complex designs, which would be difficult to achieve using classic printing methods. Direct-to-film boasts unparalleled accuracy, so you can safely produce complicated patterns in your latest stylish, eye-catching pieces, especially in an oversaturated market (such as shirt printing). You can push the limits much further, allowing you to produce something extraordinary for your clients (even one-of-a-kind items).
Durable Prints With Vibrant Colours
DTF is always renowned for offering quality prints that last longer and look fresh and colourful after multiple washes. This will allow you to gather a large base of regular customers who value the quality of the items you produce. It will also guarantee reduced returns and complaints, allowing for an easier inventory management process and cost savings.
No Cracking Or Peeling
Your beloved t-shirt prints typically suffer from cracks or peel after only a few washes (one of the reasons I always avoided these types of tops!), especially with standard printing methods. This problem is usually due to insufficient ink bonding to the fabric. However, direct-to-film printing is a modern format that offers a superior adhesion process, ensuring the design holds firm to the material and stays bright and vibrant for longer.
Cost-Effective For Smaller Batches
In fashion retail, sometimes you will be required to produce smaller runs (especially for limited edition pieces) rather than huge bulk orders. Your inventory will be controlled, and you will be able to meet niche market needs effectively. Additionally, small-batch printing allows your business to try out new designs without wasting resources and financially risking your livelihood. This tech is also ideal for fast turnarounds, keeping up with your competitors, and offering your customer base the latest new trends at a cheaper price point.
Summary
If you are looking to overhaul your fashion print business, consider upgrading to direct-to-film printing, which will provide many benefits over traditional methods. This investment will allow you to craft fantastic designs at an extremely high level while saving you money by reducing waste and allowing you to have limited runs. This will keep your clothing collection on point and ensure your business keeps on growing.
What do you think of my latest fashion-based article? Please let me know in the comments below.
