Ever since the Direct to Garment (DTG) printing technology came into existence, pretreatment has been its integral part, regardless to the fabric or its color you choose to print something on it. Though it is a very common step of the DTG printing, many people choose to skip this process or have little or no knowledge about the complete process, which often results in poor print quality. So, let’s dig deep into the topic and know everything about pretreatment process.

 

What is pretreatment

Pretreatment is a solution that is used to allow the white ink adhere to the colored t-shirt or other apparel you want to use. In most cases, a pretreatment machine is used for black and dark colored shirts. In simple words, pretreatment can be called as a kind of glue that binds your DTG inks to your garment and keeps colors on the surface for better results.

 

Object of Pretreatment

The objects of the pretreatment are very clear and easy to understand. The goal is to enhance print quality and give the print longer and better lifespan. Some of the common objectives of using a pretreatment machine before taking it to the DTG printer include:

 

Convert fabric from hydrophobic to hydrophilic state

Remove dust or dirt from the fabric

Achieve the desired degree whiteness

 

How to Pre-treat for DTG Printing?

To make things easier, pretreatment is not a rocket science. Its process has been there for quite a long time, but its important has increased after the DTG printing technology as it can breathe life into the fabric, making DTG inks looking better, lively and stay for a longer duration. So, let’s begin with the process involved in the t-shirt pretreatment.

 

Start with a large container and create a stand to hold this container at a semi-upright position.

Start the pretreatment machine. Make sure to set the temperature to the volume suggested by the pre-treatment manufacture. This is a very important step that must be taken carefully.

 

Now, put the t-shirt into a heat press for no longer than 5 seconds. This will help eliminate or reduce the moisture level in the fabric.

 

Adjust the setting to achieve the perfect spray pattern. Remember that you don’t want to drench the fabric with access of spray on it.

 

Start the spraying process from side to side and move downwards the fabric. You may want to repeat the process to achieve perfection in the print quality.

 

Again take your t-shirt to the heat press and hover it over for about 10-15 seconds to reduce excess of moisture.

 

Take a Teflon sheet and use it to press the t-shirt for no longer than 5 seconds.

Replace the Teflon sheet and repeat the process as per the instructions provided by the fabric manufacturer.
With the right process using pretreatment machine, it is possible to achieve the desired results from your DTG printing machine in a better way.