DTG PRINTING

Welcome to Imperial Custom Apparel, your destination for revolutionary Direct to Garment (DTG) printing services! Based in the vibrant heart of South Florida, we cater to a diverse nationwide clientele, offering unparalleled DTG printing solutions for shirts, sweatshirts, and a wide range of apparel.

What is DTG Printing? DTG printing is a modern printing technique where a printer directly applies ink onto the fabric of your apparel using inkjet technology. It's like printing on paper, but on clothing. This cutting edge method allows for high quality, detailed designs that are perfect for intricate graphics and vivid colorations.

Why Choose DTG Printing?

1. Unmatched Detail and Color Vibrancy: DTG printing stands out for its ability to produce crisp, high resolution prints. Whether it’s a colorful artistic design or a photo realistic image, DTG brings every hue and detail to life with stunning clarity.

2. Low Minimum Orders: DTG is perfect for small orders, even single items. Whether you’re a small business, a startup, or an individual, we cater to all your printing needs without the requirement for large minimum orders.

3. Eco Friendly Printing: Our DTG printers use water based inks, which are gentler on the environment. This makes DTG a more eco friendly choice for environmentally conscious brands and customers.

4. Versatility in Fabric Choices: DTG printing works well on a variety of fabrics, giving you more options for your custom apparel needs.

Our Process: Printed, Packaged, and Shipped from South Florida At Imperial Custom Apparel, we handle every aspect of the DTG printing process in house. From the initial design to the final shipment, every step is conducted at our South Florida facility, ensuring quality control, lightning fast turnaround times, and a personal touch.

Nationwide Service, Locally Crafted Quality We may be based in South Florida, but our services know no bounds. We’re proud to offer nationwide shipping, bringing South Florida’s warmth and quality to your doorstep, no matter where you are in the USA.

Get Started with Imperial Custom Apparel Ready to transform your apparel ideas into vividly printed realities? Contact us today to explore our DTG printing services and start your custom apparel journey. Experience the blend of quality, efficiency, and creativity that only Imperial Custom Apparel can offer.

What direct to garment printing actually is

Direct to garment printing sprays ink straight into the fibers of the shirt, the way an inkjet lays ink into paper. There are no screens and no transfers, so nothing is set up per color. The file goes to the printer, the image is laid down, and the ink is cured into the fabric.

That matters twice over. The first is detail: because the image is built from fine droplets rather than solid layers, DTG reproduces gradients, photographs and unlimited colors at no extra cost. The second is feel. We print with water based ink that stays soft and does not crack or peel, so the graphic reads as part of the shirt rather than a patch stuck on top. We print on Kornit Atlas MAX PLUS direct to garment printers in house in Hollywood, Florida for businesses across Miami and South Florida.

Garments and fabrics that suit DTG

DTG wants cotton. Water based ink needs natural fibers to bond with, so the higher the cotton content, the richer the print.

• Cotton tees: the core of the method. Gildan, Bella+Canvas, Comfort Colors and Shaka Wear all print well, and the heavier the cotton the deeper the color sits.
• Hoodies and crewnecks: fleece takes a large full color graphic cleanly.
• Dark garments: printable, with an underbase laid first so color reads true on black. See printing on dark garments.
• Branded blanks: we print inner and outer neck labels, which is how a tee stops looking like a blank. More in custom neck labels.

Standard print areas are front 12 by 16 inches, back 12 by 16 inches, left chest 5 by 5 inches and top back 12 by 4 inches, all shown on our print placements page. Artwork should be supplied at full print size with a transparent background, as set out in the design guide.

When DTG is the wrong choice

• Polyester and performance fabrics. Water based ink will not bond properly to polyester, so athletic wear, moisture wicking shirts and poly blends get DTF transfers instead.
• Very high volume on a simple design. If the artwork is one or two flat colors and the count is high, screen printing spreads its setup across enough pieces to beat DTG on cost. Our screen printing service covers that side.
• Hats, polos and structured items. A cap panel is not flat and a polo is a stitching garment, so those belong with custom embroidery.
• Metallic, neon and specialty finishes. DTG ink cannot reproduce foil, glitter or true metallic. If the point of the garment is to sparkle, that is rhinestone and bling work.

Who DTG printing is for

DTG fits the South Florida buyer whose artwork is complicated or whose quantity is small, and often both. Clothing brands launching a drop, agencies producing merch for a client, gyms and studios, and online sellers shipping one piece at a time. There is no minimum order, so a single sample costs nothing in setup and tells you more than a proof ever will. For why we built the shop around this method, see why we print DTG, and for team rollouts start at our bulk and corporate apparel orders page.

DTG compared with the other methods we offer

• Direct to garment printing. Best for full color and photographic artwork, cotton garments, small runs and soft hand feel. No screens, no per color charge, no minimum.
• DTF transfers. Best for polyester blends and performance fabrics that DTG ink cannot bond to.
• Screen printing. Best at higher volume on designs with few flat colors, where per color setup pays for itself.
• Custom embroidery. Best for hats, polos, bags, jackets, aprons and beanies, where thread reads as more permanent than ink.
• Bling and rhinestone work. Best when the garment is meant to catch the light.

Most real orders mix them, printed tees for an event alongside embroidered caps for the staff.

DTG printing questions we get asked

What is DTG printing?

DTG stands for direct to garment, a method that sprays ink directly into the fibers of the shirt rather than pressing it through a screen. Because the image is built from fine droplets, it handles photographs, gradients and unlimited colors at no extra cost.

How much does DTG printing cost?

DTG printing is quoted per project, and the cost per piece falls as quantity rises. Unlike screen printing there is no charge per color, so a full color photographic design and a one color logo cost the same to run.

Does DTG printing crack or fade?

No, our water based DTG ink stays soft and does not crack or peel, because it bonds into the fibers instead of sitting on top of them. Washing inside out in cold water and skipping high heat drying keeps any printed garment looking newer, and print durability explained goes further into it.

Can you DTG print on polyester?

Not well, which is why we use DTF transfers for polyester and performance fabrics instead. Water based ink needs natural fibers to bond with, so a poly heavy garment printed DTG would look washed out next to the same art on cotton.

Is there a minimum order for DTG printing?

There is no minimum order at Imperial Custom Apparel, so one shirt is a real order. That is the structural advantage of DTG: with no screens to make, printing one piece and three hundred is the same process.

Start your DTG order

Imperial Custom Apparel prints in house in Hollywood, Florida for businesses across Miami and South Florida, ships nationwide and has no minimum order. Volume pricing applies as counts rise, and our facility is open by appointment. Call or text (954) 280 0627 or email info@imperialcustomapparel.com.