Digital Printing Solves Problems

Close Up of DTG Print - Car on White Shirt

There has been many articles written expounding the virtues of digital garment printing over the years.  Most just discuss why it’s a good thing, or compare it to traditional screen-printing.  Not many articles are available discussing exactly what problems a DTG printer can solve though.

So, let’s address why using a digital printer could solve that tricky problem for you, and if you use Visual Impressions, make you more money with that order.

Tight Turn-times

Regardless of how many colors your image uses, using a digital printer to push that order out might be just the trick for those crazy rush ideas your client throws your way.  With traditional screen-printing, there is a production delay as the art has to be approved, and then the screens burned, washed out, dried and made ready to register on press.

With digital, we can handle the art and get the shirts printing with a push of a button.  When your client says “I need these shirts ASAP”, and you are scrambling to figure out how to get it handled…this is the perfect answer.

Photos on a T-shirt

Your client really wants to get that head shot enlarged and printed on a lime green t-shirt.  With any type of screen-printing you are faced with using halftones to replicate the image.  Halftones have that inherent quality problem though in that they are composed of a series of dots, and sometimes these don’t look so hot on a t-shirt when printed.

To make matters worse, occasionally other, less quality-minded  printers that don’t use computer direct to screen imaging systems can get a moiré pattern introduced, and that just never looks right.

Digital prints always make photographs look fantastic because they don’t use halftones as part of the printing process.  If you want to wow that customer, use digital printing instead of screening.  You won’t regret it.

Trade Show Product Shot

Your client is introducing that new gizmo at the next trade show and needs some t-shirts to give away.  How are you going to make that gizmo look fantastic on a t-shirt?  Digital of course.  Remember, there’s no halftones, so you can get a magazine quality photograph on the shirt.

Imagine the high-fives you’ll get when you pull that one off.

High Color Count, Low Order Volume

Fifteen color job for 24 shirts?  Sounds like a perfect DTG order.  Why?  Well, start counting screens and throw in those screen charges and it’s easy to see that either that art has to be drastically changed, the client disappointed, or someone is eating some of the cost.

That doesn’t have to happen…just print it digitally as there’s an unlimited color count as everything is printed CMYK.  Need one more shirt the following Tuesday because someone forgot to register for the event?

No problem.  We can whip one more out in no time, as the art is already saved on our printer server.

Managing Inventory for a Catalog Program

Don’t want to preprint a bunch of shirts and have to sit on that money?  Why not just do them digitally as needed and have them drop shipped to the end user?  Talk to us about what you need to help your customers, we can assist you in building a seamless program.

 

 

So How Does Digital Printing Work at Visual Impressions?

Simple.  Just like any other order, you would send us the art and Purchase Order for the job.  We’re on the PSST network with SanMar, alphabroder, and S&S so you can drop ship us the inventory for free.  We’ll put the order in and schedule the work.  The goods will be received and we’ll print your order and ship.  You’ll get an shipping tracking number automatically sent to you.

If you need help with art, pricing or just simply understanding this stuff we’re here for you.  Our job is to make you a success in the eyes of your client.

Want to see some examples of what we’re describing above?  Click here.

We use a state of the art Kornit Avalanche digital printer, and use a gas powered dryer to cure the inks on the shirt.  Like everything else at Visual Impressions, we do things with best industry practices and the utmost quality.

Want a quote or to learn more?  Click here.

 

Making Connections at PPAI Expo 16

Visual Impressions - PromoKitchen Mixer T-shirt

If you missed us at PPAI Expo, that’s ok.  We were hard to catch.  Whether walking an average of 6+ miles a day at the show, enjoying a beverage while competing in the Rock, Paper, Scissors contest at the PromoKitchen Mixer on Monday, sitting in on the wonderful Seth Godin keynote, or making time to listen to new and existing customers plan for success for this year…it’s no wonder we didn’t connect.

All is not lost though.

Most of these conversations were based on some very similar refrains.  2016 looks to be a huge year for promotional item companies and everyone wants to know how we can help them push for greater success.  To recap, here is a list of the topics of conversations we had in Vegas this year.  We would be ecstatic to have a more detailed conversation with you today.

Just reach out.

Our new facility in St. Louis

Why bury the lead?

This is big news for a lot of our customers and we’re anxious to get it going.  Our slated started day for production will be February 2, 2016.  We’re running the order admin and art through our Milwaukee facility, so the same group of fantastic creative people will be handling your order.  We’ll just use the magic of technology to shoot the orders to St. Louis, and have the inventory shipped there beforehand.

This is a super exciting time, and we’d love to have an in-depth conversation on how our new Missouri production facility can help you grow your business.

Decorating Trends

Because we’re a high volume shop that focuses solely on servicing the promotional item community, we see a lot of great ideas come through the shop.  This is an advantage that we can give you, as we can work together to develop a creative brief for your customers to ensure their decorated apparel has that cutting edge look.  Want to see some?  Check out our Pinterest page for some action shots from around our shop.  Click here.

Need some ideas or artwork?  We have you covered.  Give us a well-written creative brief and stand back for some awesome ideas headed your way.

Digital Garment Decoration Makes a Big Impact

We use a Kornit Avalanche direct to garment printer every day for our customers.  This equipment provides the best in the industry production that you need.  Some promotional item customers that we’ve talked to have had mediocre to poor results with digital, as their print partners either just haven’t understood the capabilities of digital apparel print production, or they’ve invested in inferior equipment.

So how can you use this technology?

DTG printing works fantastic for high color, low volume print runs.  Because it’s digital, it doesn’t use halftones to replicate the image.  Photographs, product shots, and images with tiny details or textures look amazing.  The colors look brilliant and the print hand is soft on the shirt.

While a lot of our orders for our DTG department are under 50 pieces, it is not uncommon to run an order of 1000 or more for a customer that needs a high end image on the shirt.  You simply can’t get this level of detail with traditional screen-printing as that technology uses halftones.  Got a project where digital could work?  Call the experts and let us help you hit a home run for your customer.

Big Orders

With our massive Milwaukee, WI 100,000 sq foot facility and two shifts of production, we can turn your large order and meet your deadline.  We produce big orders for some of the largest promotional item companies in the business, and drop ship the orders all over the world for them.  Why send that order back to your distribution center when we can take your spreadsheet and do it for you at the point of production?  Our job is to take the headache of this type of production run away from you so you can naturally do other things.  Such as breathe easier.  We got this.

Post Production

Sure, anyone can print or embroider a shirt…but what about all those order details afterwards?  One of the great services that Visual Impressions provides is our ability to go the extra mile after production with our packaging department.  We can assemble multiple items and package them for distribution for you.  Our team handles orders that need relabeling or polybagging…and we know how these orders need to be scheduled so that they can still hit your deadlines.

Let’s discuss how we can make these types of programs easier for you.  This is a value add that you can wow your customers with every single day.

Inventory – We’re One Day Away

For major apparel distributors we’re usually only one day ground into Visual Impressions.  Not only that, but because we get a lot of companies ordering and sending their goods into us, we participate in the PSST programs for alphabroder, SanMar and S&S.  (Pack Separately, Ship Together)

This is a huge advantage for you.  Check out what that might mean to your bottom line if you are still paying for freight into your current decorator.

Customer Service – It’s How We Win Together

We’re here to help.  That’s our number one job…to make you a success by being your behind the scenes partner.  Whatever you need, just let us know and our expert customer service team can work out the details to help you scale your business.

Call us today!  (800) 291-8337 or e-mail [email protected]