Direct to Garment

Direct to garment printing, also known as DTG, is a process of printing on textiles and garments using specialized ink jet technology. The two key requirements of a DTG printer are a transport mechanism for the garment and specialty inks (ink jet textile inks) that are applied to the textile directly and are absorbed by the fibers.

DTG is a viable solution for low-quantity orders, especially if there are multiple designs or very complicated designs, that would otherwise require numerous screens with screen printing. This also opens the door for e-commerce solutions. For more information, see our FULFILLMENT on page 12.

Heritage uses top of the line Kornit printers in conjunction with Viper pretreaters to provide a vivid, consistent print.

Artwork Requirements:

• We prefer to work with Adobe Photoshop files that are at least 200 pixels per inch (ppi). However, we recommend 300 ppi for maximum print quality.
• We also accept the following vector based formats: Adobe Illustrator (up to CS6), Corel Draw (up to X4), vector EPS, or vector PDF.
• Always start creating your art in RGB color mode.
• Convert all text to outlines/curves. For more information on this, see ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
• Make sure the art you submit is sized correctly to the desired printing size.

Artwork Restrictions:

• Any file under 200 ppi is not guaranteed to print clearly.
• Our printers read RGB color data. If you convert CMYK files to RGB at a later time, the color data may change with unexpected results.
• Make sure NOT to use anti-aliasing. For more information on this, see ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
• Keep text larger than 12 points. Anything less is not guaranteed to print clearly.
• Do not use gradients/transparencies that fade into the shirt color, unless the art is being printed on black or white shirts only. The mode we use to print on colored shirts differs and cannot achieve this effect.
• We cannot match Pantone colors with digital printing. Unlike screen printing, where ink pigments are mixed by hand to achieve color matching, digital printing uses only cyan, magenta, yellow, and black to produce color. In the same vein as above, we cannot print neon or metallic inks.

If any of the above requirements are not met and you are unable to make the necessary adjustments, Heritage will be happy to adjust your files for our art charge fee of $55.00 per hour, 1/2 hour minimum. 

We accept files:

• Via flash drive, DVD/CD, e-mail, Dropbox folder sharing, or through our online system at www.hsp1.com.

*Special notes: The final printed product’s ink colors will vary due to fluctuations in monitor calibrations. Different brands and colors yield different results. To preserve print colors and to ensure maximum durability, wash inside-out in cold water. Never bleach. We recommend air drying. If you put your garment(s) in the dryer, use the lowest heat setting. Never iron directly over the print! Digitally printed items require a pretreatment that may be noticed around the printed area. This pretreatment will vanish after a maximum of two wash cycles. DTG is proved most effective on 100% cotton goods. If the customer wishes to print on blended garments, they understand that printing and washing results will vary.