When you look dead right into the camera without blinking! That mean that man is telling you the absolute got dam truth!!! I don't want that machine now!!
This guy is so full of it... It is ridiculous. I was in the printing industry literally. Like as in retail based industry. I ran 2 machines. You ask me anything about the printer or industry.
Educative ....smart man .... Thank God for people like you ...opening the eyes of young entrepreneurs before they run into a cage of investing all capital into high end machines and fail
Dude, you are the real deal. Genuine, honest and good business sense. I am not in the business but must let you know how valuable your tips are to anyone watching your channel. I wish you continued success in your business and TH-cam channel. Thanks for the tips.
@@brandsandempires - This video came up on my TV subscription and Ihad to log on to tell you that you HAVE to hire yourself out to Pixar or Aardman Animation for lip-synch practice. I teach beginner animation and I could watch you speak for hours. I learn new tips each time you speak.
Good detailed info here. I have a lot of people asking what I think about DTG I will be sure to recommend this video to them in the future. Keep up the awesome videos!
Thanks @TshirtChick, that means a lot! I know this video is a bit rough so once I get more efficient and polished I'll probably release another version of it.
@@brandsandempires @Brands & Empires the video is fine you don't need to change anything about it. When we look at our own videos it's always something that we will notice that we want to do better and we get better as we post more. Nothing wrong with the video the way it is.
Refreshing to hear his advice. It was well thought out, and filled with tons of useful and relevant information explained in a clear, articulate manner...
As a 30+ year screen printing veteran I say; Well said. DTG machines as expensive as they are still tend to be low lifetime, throw away machines. I have screen printing equipment that is over 25 years old and still use it everyday. My vinyl cutter is 30 years old and still works as good as the day I bought it.
This is a fantastic exposé of the full reality of this business which has been made glamorous but is difficult behind the scenes, really appreciate your candour.
I bought my Epson F2100 and paid 14k total. It's paid off now and I've only had it for 3 months and my profit margin has increased. That's my experience, so to each his own.
I wish you published this on July 2017 when we were planning our business. Now, 2 years after taking delivery of our DTG printer I agree 100% with everything. Though I don't regret it and now we're almost scaled enough, it has been a pain and almost bankrupt me and my partners. One caveat though is that it can be good in less sophisticated markets than US and others because you become the disruptor, but it takes a loooot of effort to evangelize leads and get traction
You just saved this guy a bunch money. I generally make vinyl decals and started HTV. The way you broke it down made me realize that I need that large customer base to go all in on DTG. Thanks bro!
Glad to hear Edward. We own a 24 or 30 inch plotter and a few presses as well, a good plotter is something that scales with your business for custom names and numbers indefinitely!
As a business owner for the last 25 years, your video is absolutely common sense and logical in every way! I subbed off of the good advice you offered here alone. Nice job. 👍💯💯💯💯
As a new business start up I have found that partnering with a shop that has a DTG machine and can print for you as needed saves a ton of expense. He's ready when you are. No money out of your pocket until you actually have orders. You know your actual costs because your vendor will quote you a price. Anything you sell for above that is your profit.
As someone looking into this I appreciate someone actually telling THE TRUTH when other videos won’t even tell you how much a DTG machine is. I’m subscribing for that fact alone
Some good valid points but bad advise. I started with 1 dtg printer and now have 15+ with our most expensive units costing over 300k. First mistake most small prints shops make new to the business is assume dtg is a competitor of screen printing. These are 2 seperate decoration methods that meet different needs. My fulfillment center also does screen printing where some orders get done there, some in dtg and some get mix decoration which is screen print front and dtg back. We do alot of dtg printing for smaller shops that have 1 dtg printer and need high volume help to fulfill an order or there printer is down. Seems to me you might have purchased the wrong printer. When I first added screen printing as a rookie I purchased the wrong equipment and suffered which lead me to hate screen printing. I learned from mistake and later added the right equipment. Since then I have added more decoration methods and the main thing I learned from purchasing equipment is that I would never let a bad equipment decision affect how I feel about that printing method because someone is going to take that business. I also never add equipment or production lines until we need them. I would suggest outsourcing to wholesale print shops until the volume is there to bring in-house.
Very valid points. I did some clarifying in my most recent video by focusing on my main concern; lack of preparation, capital, experience, and clients. DTG and Screen Printing are powerful solutions for the markets they serve, and as long as you don't expect them to perform miracles outside their strengths, they can really shine. I'm glad to hear that you have a successfully executed DTG centric business Edgar, and I think we have the same opinion on this.
I agree with Edgar Ive ran brother machines for 10 years started with a GT541 with no white ink. Just upgraded last year to the GTX I get 700CCs of ink for 240.00 so on average a shirt has a 1.5 to 2.00 ink cost. It has a wet capping station and circulates the white ink to keep it flowing. I have to clean the caps maybe once a week. I do runs from a walk-in that takes 5 mins to do. and also runs of 300 that take quite a bit of time but this machine is really fast. pretreat in under a min. print maybe take 1 min to 1.5 mins. the heat press again takes 36 seconds. our customers like the way the ink feels more than the screen print so they don't mind paying a couple dollars more. If we do need screen prints or vinyl we use the guy down the road from our shop. we share customers with each other no reason to hate or rival companies.
look at spreadshirt company, 3 years back starts with 5 machines, now have in Las Veges , DE, CZ, PL etc ..... maybe over 100+ DTG printers, Kornits Atlas, Kornit Avalanche, Kornit Poly Pro, Kornit Storm, Brother GTX, Brother GT3.. so much machine and still profits...
It’s amazing how different our experiences have been. I have had my first 2 DTG machines for about 6 months now. I’m a smaller shop that does between 150 and 400 shirts a week on average and the machines we purchased have required very little maintenance. As long as you spend a about 5 minutes a day doing a couple pretty simple steps before and at the end of each production day. I rarely run into clogging or other issues. Our machines are based on modified Epson P600s running Kodak inks and dark garment pre-treat. We purchased each machine for less than 3k and and and also were able to afford an excellent automatic pre-treat machine all for about a third of the cost of a single machine made by Ana, Freejet etc. Consumable cost are relatively low and because the market we serve margins have been great - and we get the creative flexibility to change up the designs as often as the client wants without it destroying our profits. I honestly couldn’t be happier. Sorry DTG was such a bust for you - I have to wonder what deviated so much in our experiences?
Jordan, thank you for your articulate and amicable approach to sharing your experience. The internet is so prone to extremes that your casual and friendly tone stands out. I'd like to hear more about your personal setup because it sounds like you have a low cost high value solution on your hands! So a few factors are important to note about my experience. I was running an older machine that couldn't break 10 imprints an hour, despite it's cost. Also even though we ran a lot of volume, most of that was on our screen printing press and embroidery equipment with a small staff. Ink cost wise, even back then there were lower priced options, only it took me about six months to switch over to them. That said I embrace DTG as a viable and profitable operation for some production environments. The low acquisition and operating cost DTG setup you're running sounds like a wonderful example of a well researched and viable business model. Specifically what I disapprove of is the predatory nature of some distributors. They use powerful sales tactics to unethically trap unqualified buyers in high interest financing, on above retail inks and equipment. The break even point becomes untenable between the lease and their consumables and people get crushed. I articulate that and differentiate it better in my other, more recent content. Thank you for sharing and I genuinely hope to see you in the discord and future videos! I'd value your input in our community.
Brands & Empires Hey there! I completely agree on the financing portion. There are definitely some predatory lenders out there. I can see how getting stuck in a high interest loan on a machine that doesn’t produce would be a disaster. I just saw your video on toner based transfer equipment. Looks awesome! I may take a closer look at your setup at some point in the future especially if cost are competitive with DTG. Enjoying your videos and learning quite a bit from them! Subscribed! While I’m not on Discord yet I will take a look soon!
Thanks man! I am from Brazil and almost Buy a DTG machine. Your video are open my eyes about the DTG Business. I go Back to the tradicional screen printing services because yours awesome advices. Thanks again
@Jakeson Rocca what limits that? Screen quality will always be ahead of dtg, the only reason dtgs are popular is for short setups and short runs, screen has no limits, trust me ive been printing for 15 years for the likes of Nike,Reebok,WRU. I operate a Kornit Avalanche HD6 and they're fucking wank!, If you have proper artists who can seperate artwork properly theres no issue, apart from dtg is great for short runs
Hello there, hope you doing well today! I would like to contribute a little to this topic as well. In my opinion, most of the comments made are quite correct. Especially in regard to the hidden costs. Please also take in consideration: spare parts, inks, pretreatment, and other consumables, the cost of a clean room for your machine and very important; how the post-sales service works? Or, how much one visit from a technician cost? Ask all these questions to the printer manufacturer before making the purchase. However, the rest of the content in the video can be a little different, depending on the circumstances/equipment. In terms of production volume; clearly, this video is made for tabletop units only. However, there are workhorses producing quite a lot of t-shirts per hour nowadays. Expensive? Sure. But they exist too. The maintenance; although there are several brands in the market, the procedures are more or less the same: purging, flushing, wiping the printheads and keeping an eye on the moisture of the capping station. On tabletop printers, it should take no time to check these items. Create a checklist and give it to the operator. The setup; you will need knowledge. To manipulate the images received, to operate the RIP software and to do colour management. Training is a must! Above all, thanks for helping out. Information is key. In my opinion, DTG can be a great business when you know what you are doing. So, the more information you have, the fewer headaches you're going to get. If you like (and if I can mention this) to anyone looking for some more support on DTG businnes visit me www.dtgmerch.com. All the best to you all, always! Everson
This video needs more views! I can't tell you how many people comment and tell me, DTG is better for spot process jobs, etc. Uhh, not when you're doing 100-200 pieces. It's not often we do 12 pieces with 6 colors, but when we do. It cost us less, and we still make a good profit. Just a lot more work.
Thanks Matt*, You're a brave man to run a six color job for 12 shirts on a press. But you're absolutely right, 24+ pieces on DTG could be half a day tethered to it, I don't miss that at all, much less a hundred!
I love this, animated & concise, this guy tells us the unblinking truth and notice there's no stopping and reading, it is straight experience from the heart. Thank you for the video and I hope you inspire people to really run the numbers because you can lose everything in just a couple of months...
Thank you for saving me $20,000. I am retired now and wanted a toy but the DGT sounds more like a headache than an asset. I owned Custom T-shirts back in 1980-2010 (30 years) and I never printed a shirt in my life--I chose to subcontract a quality screen printer out to do all my work for a fraction of what I would have had to invested. I like the design end and providing the artwork and dealing with the customer so while I went to sleep my shirt jobs were being printed. I supplied shirts, artwork and paid for screens and printing by the piece and made way more than the silk screener did. Plus when I was slow I had no overhead to speak of. That method worked for me for 30 years and I did a lot of quality shirts and never got ink on my hands. I like dealing with the customer- picking up my shirts -dropping my shirts off and picking up a check. The secret to shirts is ARTWORK-SELLING THE CUSTOMER ON A IDEA that makes the person in charge look good to his company.
Bruce, I'm not sure if you're aware of what discord is but we would love to have you join the channel. With 30 years of experience there are a lot of young guys who are just getting into the industry and they could use your wisdom and knowledge. Beyond that though, has been In contacts with a company that Produces a competing decoration method. I'm about to release my review about that method and it probably is going to be of interest to you. I look forward to seeing you in the discord Channel!
Well done vid. I do large scale printing on specialty substrates and it is only a small sub sector of a larger operation. While higher margins the work load is scattered. The equipment regardless where its from is expensive and costly to maintain even if done yourself. Cost of print heads can be in the thousands on a regular basis. There is just so many costly factors. This only is the tip of the conversation.
I think you really nailed it. What it comes down to is experience and understanding of the 90% that goes on outside of what makes for good entertaining youtube content.
DUDE!!!!!! YOU ROCK!.... that was a clear and logical explanation of everything a newbie needs to know before diving in.... thanks.... I have hit the subscribe button for sure👍👍👍
I had a DTG Kiosk 2! As others have pointed out, maintenance has undergone a huge improvement. The key points of monthly payments, high per print costs, and limited production speed stand on their own. However I may release a part two video that explores target markets, and specific business plans that work with different imprint methods.
this is something that i needed to see, i have always wondered about DTG printers, i use a specific person for my personal things and when i do go its always just like 2-5 pieces. i love how you talk about scaling and all that because you have been in the trenches, and you know. I thought that once you have the customers all you had to do was let the machine run. I knew about maintenance but not as much as you said. I will continue to do graphics but by screen printing, like you said the set up time might take longer but it will run a lot smoother. Thanks boss
Go to kids soccer games and print shirts for parents/families. Easy money. Lastly, if you're selling shirts for $20+ online then you will not sell much UNLESS you're the new Off White. You better have FIRE designs if you want to sell shirts for $20+. Most don't realize initial cost/price will be high until you grow your customer base so you better be ready to eat cost first year or so. But all the other feedback you provided is really useful. Cleaning cycles are confusing to me, why are they needed every 6 hours?
For all new, wanta be printing peeps, this is the TRUTH with cheese on it. Watch and listen to what this man is saying. His advice will save you Thousands of $$$, not to mention the a ton of grief.
i needed to hear this out! great video. i was about to fork over some heavy cash for one and now after watching this i appreciate you for speaking on what was not said before. looking into putting my money into actual screen printing equipment now
Thank You!! So Much!! also...goddamn!! its a hell of a thing!! I screen print and i love it. I live the idea of owning a Brother DTG or an Omni DTG...but was hesitant. Lots of other people relay the same points of experience, real-world.
Some shops can get one, pay an employee to be a DTG manager, and be ROI positive. For others a DYG is crucial. In our shop the same money invested in automatic equipment has been vastly more beneficial. Of course every situation varies!
Well done. Absolute truth here. I had the misfortune of buying an Anajet DTG machine about 8 years ago, and I experienced all the same problems you describe. After first weekend where the machine sat unused I couldn't believe how much white ink it had used without printing anything.
I have had my Brother GTX for over a year now and I do not have to do all the maintenance you speak about. I perform a nozzle guard, wiper blade and suction cap cleaning once a week, 15 minutes at most, that with changing air filters every 4 - 6 months is the only maintenance that I do. My printer does not waste alot of ink when it's not printing since it only recirculates the existing ink that's within the tubes 4 times a day, not use new ink. It only uses more ink when doing a cleaning process or refilling. I often go 1 - 2 weeks without running a single print and the printer doesn't use any ink while sitting, only when I start printing again. The machine has a wet capping station which keeps the printhead ready to print, even after long periods of inactivity. The most printhead cleanings that I have ever had to do to get the printer's test print perfect was 2, and that was when two weeks went by without a single print. This printer is a far cry from previous models I have seen
I'm glad to hear that Andre! As the years go by, the maintenance issues were sure to be addressed. I've only seen the GTX in passing at shows so I had to look it up. With the Kiosk I quite literally had to be weary of weekends, and forget about leaving for vacation without flushing the lines and replacing ink with cleaning fluid for the down time. If I had to guess, in the next 10 years, the other gripes like production speed will probably approach screen printing as well, leaving only the OEM's monopoly on ink price as a barrier between screen printing and DTG! We may see screen printing even become marginalized to large shops that run huge production numbers like the offset printing industry after the bubble jet took hold.
just wait im sure your machine was new. I had a freejet that shit was garbage. there is one thing that really is keeping sublimation from blowing dtg out the water and that cause it cant print on black. once that happens dtg printers will drop in price fast. dtg is ok for 1offs but then you have jpss inkjet transfers that can do the samething as a dtg.
Thank you this was very informative. I was considering DTG you have changed my mind. I will stick with my screen printer and eco solvent printer cutter. Sometimes you just have to pass on a customers job.
I'm glad you made the right decision for you Sam. As the technology continues to evolve it may very well overtake screen printing in the near future, so keep your eyes out for what's next!
@@brandsandempires Over the next decade I see these DTG printers in peoples homes, like everything else, printing will go to the side, digital will take over, Japan has a new fiber optic material, you can change shirt color and print to whatever you want with your phone, I think its $2,000 a yard, prototypes in high end mens suits are already in production for 10 to 15 thousand $, let's hope it stays there awhile, great vids BTW
@@samkuhns149 Thanks Sam, wouldn't that be something? Your shirt design could end up being a digital download that you could change at will! The 7 shirts in your closet would be the last ones you need so to speak!
I had a DTG Kiosk 1 converted to a Kiosk 2. This was definitely a machine built during the wild west of DTG's when manufacturers could get away with a bad product. Many of the maintenance issues have been improved upon - especially the breaking down over a weekend ridiculousness. However, even with the latest machines, they need a high volume of low volume sales. As soon as you get into a few dozen pieces of the same design, screen printing gets an order of magnitude cheaper - and faster. My main concern is for young entrepreneurs getting into the market with rose tinted goggles. They see the simplicity DTG offers and that was what drew me in too! But 10 years in, I can tell you that the good sales, $500-$4000 are going to be soaked up by screen printers who's prices are much lower. The biggest sales are literally impossible from a time and cost standpoint. (Could a single DTG shop run 2000 2 location shirts in under a week? Could they run them for
If u wanna dabble with dtg, find a verified Chinese supplier. The machine and inks are about 1/4 the price and print at 1440 dpi using i think a dx500 printhead. Still a heavy cost but not crazy like a epson or brother. As much as i hate the machines, Im considering getting a dtg that prints only colored inks for white shirts. Never had a headache on a white shirt and the prints are immaculate. Reason i dont mind investing in this is cause the manufacturer i work with sells em for bout 1200usd which is not bad at all.
Brands & Empires Lol, I’d rewatched the video. Although, you didn’t mention, which type of brand of printing machine, you were using. Different brand of machines are operate differently. I’m sure there are market for this type of printing.
@Sal VelasquezThat's two very big assumptions. If after watching my videos about helping people succeed with minimal financial risk you still feel this way, there isn't much I can add. I urge you to decide for yourself, and look forward to hearing that you are successful - regardless of which way you decide. Meanwhile I'll count my millions in DTG profit just off screen.
@Sal Velasquez You're welcome to reach out via e-mail, facebook, phone, or discord if it's something that genuinely concerns you or will impact a personal decision. I'm a pretty open book. On the other hand if you're just keyboard jockeying or throwing shade, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
@@brandsandempires Fuck this idiot!!!👆🖕 You're way nicer than I am. Why in the hell would you go thru all of this time and effort to thwart your competition!? This is the most idiotic comment I've seen in years! You are a proven genuine guy that gave a very honest and fair review at no benefit to yourself only to help others from making a huge mistake. I usually don't bother with a response like this bc they're is always one turn in the virtual punch bowl in every comment section but fuck this guy! Anyway keep doing what you're doing! ✌️👌❤️
I joined several Facebook DTG groups, to see how folks were doing with their DTG, most of the time in those groups they had constant problems, or were selling the printers. This put me off for life. Great video and the honest truth.
@johnny walker obviously you're programmed that clothes have value only if you pay premium so therefore you are validated by your friends. I get 4 shirts for $20 at Modells. A have handful of friends that think the same. We all have homes.
@@wileecoyote5749 Does the shirts at Modells have your custom design printed on them? This isn't about getting a cheap shirt, it's about getting a CUSTOMIZED shirt.
So I am a brand new printer with a 20k DTG...and everythign you said is correct. I am now a total of 30K in on the business and we are making nowhere near that to cover. Now I have an existing business so it is not a game ending loss....but the learning curve is steep and the clients as you mentioned are different than screen printing . We are around 25 dollars a shirt and I burned the print head already ( due to maintenance). My advice is the same as yours....make sure you are putting the right jobs on the DTG machine....it has a niche place
you are so spot on,,, i hate my dtg, i didnt keep up the cleaning,,, 1200 and its clogged again,,, pretreat is a pain in ass too.,,,, even when you dont use it it will eat money,,,,, You defintiely know your stuff
Thanks to a wonderful viewer: the first 5 blinks occur at 0:37, 2:14 (kinda), 2:19, 2:53, 3:10.
Thanks man. You made great points and this comment is the best...lol
Thanks bro
Hi mate, Can you please suggest the best printing method and machine for tshirts printing. Your experience in this matter is much appreciated. Thanks
Nitpicking lol
why are cleaning cycles needed every 6 hours? Is this your machine specifically?
When you look dead right into the camera without blinking! That mean that man is telling you the absolute got dam truth!!! I don't want that machine now!!
STOP IT SKIIIUUUP shit you right
This guy is so full of it... It is ridiculous. I was in the printing industry literally. Like as in retail based industry. I ran 2 machines. You ask me anything about the printer or industry.
😂😂😂😂😂
😆😆
@@donmeyer3541 so you're telling me he's lying and you know from experience this is a good machine to have?
Educative ....smart man .... Thank God for people like you ...opening the eyes of young entrepreneurs before they run into a cage of investing all capital into high end machines and fail
I am straight up having a staring competion with this guy.....
And he won
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
When you thought he's about to blink, his eyes just opens bigger..
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lmfaoooooooooo
I saw him blink once or twice
One of the best comments on the internet
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣blinkmaster
Thanks for opening my eyes.. while not closing yours 😳
Oh that's good, lol.
😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣
Lmaoooooooooooooo
I know you're going to upset a lot of people revealing this information but it needed to be told. Great content keep up the work 👍
I agree
makes u think!
Wow a walkie talkie entrepreneur hand book🤩...great content‼️
You explained very well and with all the details. I am in this business for 20 years and I must say that you are perfectly right.
Dude, you are the real deal. Genuine, honest and good business sense. I am not in the business but must let you know how valuable your tips are to anyone watching your channel. I wish you continued success in your business and TH-cam channel. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks Omey!
You sir, are criminally undersubscribed. You have made some many great points and they're obviously from experience.
He just got started, won't be that way for long.
This guy looks straight animated when he talks.
I am a quarter Japanese, practically full blown anime genes.
@@brandsandempires lol
CGI
@@brandsandempires - This video came up on my TV subscription and Ihad to log on to tell you that you HAVE to hire yourself out to Pixar or Aardman Animation for lip-synch practice. I teach beginner animation and I could watch you speak for hours. I learn new tips each time you speak.
For sure , Awesome ! .
Beautiful video for people who want to invest in DTG machines without understanding the cost "upfront". Thank you very much for this eye opener video.
Thank you very much for saying that Naresh. Are you in the print industry?
Good detailed info here. I have a lot of people asking what I think about DTG I will be sure to recommend this video to them in the future. Keep up the awesome videos!
Thanks @TshirtChick, that means a lot! I know this video is a bit rough so once I get more efficient and polished I'll probably release another version of it.
@TshirtChick I'm a subbie. Thank you for all the valuable information you give. Love your channel.
@@brandsandempires @Brands & Empires the video is fine you don't need to change anything about it. When we look at our own videos it's always something that we will notice that we want to do better and we get better as we post more. Nothing wrong with the video the way it is.
@@queenstinga3572 @QueenStinga 357 Thanks for subscribing!! I appreciate the support!!
Sin I'm already here with you, stop giving people information for free, let them find out on their own
Refreshing to hear his advice. It was well thought out, and filled with tons of useful and relevant information explained in a clear, articulate manner...
As a 30+ year screen printing veteran I say; Well said. DTG machines as expensive as they are still tend to be low lifetime, throw away machines. I have screen printing equipment that is over 25 years old and still use it everyday. My vinyl cutter is 30 years old and still works as good as the day I bought it.
sgsellsit Screen Printing is the shit. DTG is good too, but not worth 20,000 to me.
Thank you! I was about to put down a deposit tomorrow and I'm glad I stumbled onto your video...Much appreciated!
This is a fantastic exposé of the full reality of this business which has been made glamorous but is difficult behind the scenes, really appreciate your candour.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Doubtful, even with the help of both Merriam and Webster.
This guy doesn’t blink one time!
lol
Hahahaha lol
What if he blinked at the exact times you blinked and you never saw it...
@@brandom8057 smart question
He made pauses ..is clear.
Welp, you made a believer out of me. I was ready to get a DTG printer! I'm out! You are SPOT ON...whether you blink not!! #awesome
I'm glad you managed to find my video before you made a purchase decision that you might have regretted. Good luck Mikki.
I bought my Epson F2100 and paid 14k total. It's paid off now and I've only had it for 3 months and my profit margin has increased. That's my experience, so to each his own.
💪💪💪
Exactly the Epson eliminates most of the issues he is talking about. sound like a lot of inexperience going on here with DTG. and a bad business plan.
I wish you published this on July 2017 when we were planning our business. Now, 2 years after taking delivery of our DTG printer I agree 100% with everything. Though I don't regret it and now we're almost scaled enough, it has been a pain and almost bankrupt me and my partners. One caveat though is that it can be good in less sophisticated markets than US and others because you become the disruptor, but it takes a loooot of effort to evangelize leads and get traction
Hi Jose, what printing method do you use now?
Thank you!! I was so excited for the DTG and this really calmed me down 😂
Me too😂🙈
You just saved this guy a bunch money. I generally make vinyl decals and started HTV. The way you broke it down made me realize that I need that large customer base to go all in on DTG. Thanks bro!
Glad to hear Edward. We own a 24 or 30 inch plotter and a few presses as well, a good plotter is something that scales with your business for custom names and numbers indefinitely!
Ironically after watching this video it reminded me to run and do the head cleaning on my printer😂👌🏼
Lol I used to dream of forgetting a maintenance cycle.
lol
As a business owner for the last 25 years, your video is absolutely common sense and logical in every way! I subbed off of the good advice you offered here alone. Nice job. 👍💯💯💯💯
As a new business start up I have found that partnering with a shop that has a DTG machine and can print for you as needed saves a ton of expense. He's ready when you are. No money out of your pocket until you actually have orders. You know your actual costs because your vendor will quote you a price. Anything you sell for above that is your profit.
As someone looking into this I appreciate someone actually telling THE TRUTH when other videos won’t even tell you how much a DTG machine is. I’m subscribing for that fact alone
3 minutes in, I'm convinced.
Some good valid points but bad advise. I started with 1 dtg printer and now have 15+ with our most expensive units costing over 300k. First mistake most small prints shops make new to the business is assume dtg is a competitor of screen printing. These are 2 seperate decoration methods that meet different needs. My fulfillment center also does screen printing where some orders get done there, some in dtg and some get mix decoration which is screen print front and dtg back. We do alot of dtg printing for smaller shops that have 1 dtg printer and need high volume help to fulfill an order or there printer is down. Seems to me you might have purchased the wrong printer. When I first added screen printing as a rookie I purchased the wrong equipment and suffered which lead me to hate screen printing. I learned from mistake and later added the right equipment. Since then I have added more decoration methods and the main thing I learned from purchasing equipment is that I would never let a bad equipment decision affect how I feel about that printing method because someone is going to take that business. I also never add equipment or production lines until we need them. I would suggest outsourcing to wholesale print shops until the volume is there to bring in-house.
Very valid points. I did some clarifying in my most recent video by focusing on my main concern; lack of preparation, capital, experience, and clients. DTG and Screen Printing are powerful solutions for the markets they serve, and as long as you don't expect them to perform miracles outside their strengths, they can really shine. I'm glad to hear that you have a successfully executed DTG centric business Edgar, and I think we have the same opinion on this.
I agree with Edgar Ive ran brother machines for 10 years started with a GT541 with no white ink. Just upgraded last year to the GTX I get 700CCs of ink for 240.00 so on average a shirt has a 1.5 to 2.00 ink cost. It has a wet capping station and circulates the white ink to keep it flowing. I have to clean the caps maybe once a week. I do runs from a walk-in that takes 5 mins to do. and also runs of 300 that take quite a bit of time but this machine is really fast. pretreat in under a min. print maybe take 1 min to 1.5 mins. the heat press again takes 36 seconds. our customers like the way the ink feels more than the screen print so they don't mind paying a couple dollars more. If we do need screen prints or vinyl we use the guy down the road from our shop. we share customers with each other no reason to hate or rival companies.
look at spreadshirt company, 3 years back starts with 5 machines, now have in Las Veges , DE, CZ, PL etc ..... maybe over 100+ DTG printers, Kornits Atlas, Kornit Avalanche, Kornit Poly Pro, Kornit Storm, Brother GTX, Brother GT3.. so much machine and still profits...
@@jeeyzeet7415 kornit machines suck ass!
Finally someone that realizes you have to make money at this instead of a hobby
There are dozens of us!
This guy doesn't blink.
He is literally like this ➡️😳
so scary right?
Some say I'm still staring to this day, unblinking.
@@brandsandempires haha
@@brandsandempires You must be the man that Weeping Angels
afraid .....
👀 wow
It’s amazing how different our experiences have been. I have had my first 2 DTG machines for about 6 months now. I’m a smaller shop that does between 150 and 400 shirts a week on average and the machines we purchased have required very little maintenance. As long as you spend a about 5 minutes a day doing a couple pretty simple steps before and at the end of each production day.
I rarely run into clogging or other issues. Our machines are based on modified Epson P600s running Kodak inks and dark garment pre-treat. We purchased each machine for less than 3k and and and also were able to afford an excellent automatic pre-treat machine all for about a third of the cost of a single machine made by Ana, Freejet etc.
Consumable cost are relatively low and because the market we serve margins have been great - and we get the creative flexibility to change up the designs as often as the client wants without it destroying our profits. I honestly couldn’t be happier. Sorry DTG was such a bust for you - I have to wonder what deviated so much in our experiences?
Jordan, thank you for your articulate and amicable approach to sharing your experience. The internet is so prone to extremes that your casual and friendly tone stands out.
I'd like to hear more about your personal setup because it sounds like you have a low cost high value solution on your hands!
So a few factors are important to note about my experience. I was running an older machine that couldn't break 10 imprints an hour, despite it's cost. Also even though we ran a lot of volume, most of that was on our screen printing press and embroidery equipment with a small staff. Ink cost wise, even back then there were lower priced options, only it took me about six months to switch over to them.
That said I embrace DTG as a viable and profitable operation for some production environments. The low acquisition and operating cost DTG setup you're running sounds like a wonderful example of a well researched and viable business model.
Specifically what I disapprove of is the predatory nature of some distributors. They use powerful sales tactics to unethically trap unqualified buyers in high interest financing, on above retail inks and equipment. The break even point becomes untenable between the lease and their consumables and people get crushed. I articulate that and differentiate it better in my other, more recent content.
Thank you for sharing and I genuinely hope to see you in the discord and future videos! I'd value your input in our community.
Brands & Empires Hey there! I completely agree on the financing portion. There are definitely some predatory lenders out there. I can see how getting stuck in a high interest loan on a machine that doesn’t produce would be a disaster.
I just saw your video on toner based transfer equipment. Looks awesome! I may take a closer look at your setup at some point in the future especially if cost are competitive with DTG.
Enjoying your videos and learning quite a bit from them! Subscribed!
While I’m not on Discord yet I will take a look soon!
Good time Jordan Wright, would you recommend the brand of your DTG and the cost of each machine, thank you.
Wow he just informed me of everything I was trying to find out....💪🏾👌🏾
Yes! Everything.
This video was very insightful, bar far one of the most informative I've seen so far. Thank you so much for opening my eyes.
Absolutely Phelipe, I'm glad it was valuable information for you.
Very hounest, clear and good info.
Keep it up, i subscribed.
Thank you, I hope to live up to your subscription!
Forget whatever anyone else is saying. I appreciate this video a lot. I’m looking to get into the shirt business. And you just saved me a lot of time!
I'm glad you liked it brother. We'd love to have you in the discord and help you along the way.
Instead of blinking, he periodically opens his eyes even wider.
Florida is so humid we natives rarely need to blink for added eye moisture.
Naw, I think he just edited the blinks out.
@@mlapchick thanks for looking out for me Mike. Heh heh
So funny I laughed out loud.
Maybe his asleep...
Thanks man! I am from Brazil and almost Buy a DTG machine. Your video are open my eyes about the DTG Business.
I go Back to the tradicional screen printing services because yours awesome advices.
Thanks again
True story !!! I have been in the t-shirt business for almost 16 years and I can say that screen printing is way better than DTG
@Jakeson Rocca what limits that? Screen quality will always be ahead of dtg, the only reason dtgs are popular is for short setups and short runs, screen has no limits, trust me ive been printing for 15 years for the likes of Nike,Reebok,WRU.
I operate a Kornit Avalanche HD6 and they're fucking wank!, If you have proper artists who can seperate artwork properly theres no issue, apart from dtg is great for short runs
Hello there, hope you doing well today!
I would like to contribute a little to this topic as well.
In my opinion, most of the comments made are quite correct. Especially in regard to the hidden costs. Please also take in consideration: spare parts, inks, pretreatment, and other consumables, the cost of a clean room for your machine and very important; how the post-sales service works? Or, how much one visit from a technician cost? Ask all these questions to the printer manufacturer before making the purchase.
However, the rest of the content in the video can be a little different, depending on the circumstances/equipment.
In terms of production volume; clearly, this video is made for tabletop units only. However, there are workhorses producing quite a lot of t-shirts per hour nowadays. Expensive? Sure. But they exist too.
The maintenance; although there are several brands in the market, the procedures are more or less the same: purging, flushing, wiping the printheads and keeping an eye on the moisture of the capping station. On tabletop printers, it should take no time to check these items. Create a checklist and give it to the operator.
The setup; you will need knowledge. To manipulate the images received, to operate the RIP software and to do colour management. Training is a must!
Above all, thanks for helping out. Information is key.
In my opinion, DTG can be a great business when you know what you are doing. So, the more information you have, the fewer headaches you're going to get. If you like (and if I can mention this) to anyone looking for some more support on DTG businnes visit me www.dtgmerch.com.
All the best to you all, always!
Everson
This video needs more views! I can't tell you how many people comment and tell me, DTG is better for spot process jobs, etc. Uhh, not when you're doing 100-200 pieces. It's not often we do 12 pieces with 6 colors, but when we do. It cost us less, and we still make a good profit. Just a lot more work.
Thanks Matt*, You're a brave man to run a six color job for 12 shirts on a press. But you're absolutely right, 24+ pieces on DTG could be half a day tethered to it, I don't miss that at all, much less a hundred!
I love this, animated & concise, this guy tells us the unblinking truth and notice there's no stopping and reading, it is straight experience from the heart. Thank you for the video and I hope you inspire people to really run the numbers because you can lose everything in just a couple of months...
Finally a video on youtube that tells everyone not to buy a DTG :)
I LOST!
...I lost the staring contest 😥
Wow just as I thought. Very low ROI on that machine! Thanks for the info dude!
This is the truth that people need to hear..awesome job
I'm glad you edited that comment Latonna, I was completely lost when the notification first hit my inbox!
So dramatic and entertaining. Looks like your eyes are about to pop out of your socket. No disrespect. Great video. Love the content
Thanks Andre! And it's a rare condition, but I get by day by day with it. Just kidding, still working on my game face for the camera.
Really great video for people thinking about the DTG. Thanks for creating and sharing your experiences.
Thanks for the honesty insightful information bro!👑😎🤜🏾🤛🏾
Absolutely, thanks Maurice!
Thank you for saving me $20,000. I am retired now and wanted a toy but the DGT sounds more like a headache than an asset. I owned Custom T-shirts back in 1980-2010 (30 years) and I never printed a shirt in my life--I chose to subcontract a quality screen printer out to do all my work for a fraction of what I would have had to invested. I like the design end and providing the artwork and dealing with the customer so while I went to sleep my shirt jobs were being printed. I supplied shirts, artwork and paid for screens and printing by the piece and made way more than the silk screener did. Plus when I was slow I had no overhead to speak of. That method worked for me for 30 years and I did a lot of quality shirts and never got ink on my hands. I like dealing with the customer- picking up my shirts -dropping my shirts off and picking up a check. The secret to shirts is ARTWORK-SELLING THE CUSTOMER ON A IDEA that makes the person in charge look good to his company.
Bruce, I'm not sure if you're aware of what discord is but we would love to have you join the channel. With 30 years of experience there are a lot of young guys who are just getting into the industry and they could use your wisdom and knowledge. Beyond that though, has been In contacts with a company that Produces a competing decoration method. I'm about to release my review about that method and it probably is going to be of interest to you. I look forward to seeing you in the discord Channel!
Well done vid. I do large scale printing on specialty substrates and it is only a small sub sector of a larger operation. While higher margins the work load is scattered.
The equipment regardless where its from is expensive and costly to maintain even if done yourself. Cost of print heads can be in the thousands on a regular basis. There is just so many costly factors. This only is the tip of the conversation.
I think you really nailed it. What it comes down to is experience and understanding of the 90% that goes on outside of what makes for good entertaining youtube content.
Very very knowledgeable you can't help but take his words as true. But agree with him.
Wonderful information. Thank you for explaining all the pros & cons, specially cons. and saving me
DUDE!!!!!! YOU ROCK!.... that was a clear and logical explanation of everything a newbie needs to know before diving in.... thanks.... I have hit the subscribe button for sure👍👍👍
So what kind of dtg Machine did you have , that’s important
I had a DTG Kiosk 2! As others have pointed out, maintenance has undergone a huge improvement. The key points of monthly payments, high per print costs, and limited production speed stand on their own. However I may release a part two video that explores target markets, and specific business plans that work with different imprint methods.
AWESOME THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THE AIR..I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE..IS WHY I DON'T LIKE PRINTERS..
You're very welcome. Are you in the industry right now?
I am curious as to which brand and model DTG you had. That info may help people with their decisions. Thanks for your point of view however.
All of them bro!
I was wowed when I first saw DTG in use, but I felt like it was too good to be true. And this confirms it to me.
That's what it comes down to: it's amazing, with huge caveats that get downplayed on the sales floor.
thank you for telling the truth blessings to you
Thanks Patricia, you too.
BRO!! this is SO factual!!! My Anajet Mp5i makes me feel EXACTLY how you describe.
this is something that i needed to see, i have always wondered about DTG printers, i use a specific person for my personal things and when i do go its always just like 2-5 pieces. i love how you talk about scaling and all that because you have been in the trenches, and you know. I thought that once you have the customers all you had to do was let the machine run. I knew about maintenance but not as much as you said. I will continue to do graphics but by screen printing, like you said the set up time might take longer but it will run a lot smoother. Thanks boss
I'm glad you found the video too. There's nothing worse than jumping into a big purchase and it not being anything like you had expected.
Very honest and sound advice from a guy who has his head screwed on the right way ! Refreshing to watch and listen too. Bravo !
Well done... I'm very glad to have seen this video.
Thanks Kevin, as this video slows down, I'm glad to see that it's still finding relevant eyes!
Go to kids soccer games and print shirts for parents/families. Easy money.
Lastly, if you're selling shirts for $20+ online then you will not sell much UNLESS you're the new Off White. You better have FIRE designs if you want to sell shirts for $20+. Most don't realize initial cost/price will be high until you grow your customer base so you better be ready to eat cost first year or so.
But all the other feedback you provided is really useful. Cleaning cycles are confusing to me, why are they needed every 6 hours?
I feel like everytime I blinked he blinked cuz I didn't catch him once
Lol 🤣🤣
Thank you so much for these honest advice you always give. God bless!
thank you!!!! this really put things in perspective. I appreciate this knowledge.
Absolutely Jovonn, glad I could help you!
Excellent video. You explained everything very well and threw a bucket of cold water on my desire for a DTG machine. Thank you.
thanks for being so real
Of course! Haven't logged into albion in over a year, you still play?
no i havent played for over a year too my name was actually arrowofdeath how much did you play
Eh I was pretty deep. Led a Martlock guild and an alliance for a while. I didnt survive the player contraction though.
For all new, wanta be printing peeps, this is the TRUTH with cheese on it. Watch and listen to what this man is saying. His advice will save you Thousands of $$$, not to mention the a ton of grief.
You sir are the man thank you for this info was going to get a lease on a dtg machine not now.
I'm just doing research to hopefully get into t-shirt printing. I'm really thankful I came across this video!
The dude is an actual AI robot paid by the screen industry.
He never blinked.
The trick is coating my eyes in clearbase plastisol. It never dries on print heads or robot heads.
And you are a guy paid by the DTG industry.
Thanks for this!!! Literally saves me time and money!!!!
Really great informative video! Although your video cuts make it look like you never blink lol :P
Lol I know man, I actually took the time to blink within the cuts for my future videos for just that reason.
i needed to hear this out! great video. i was about to fork over some heavy cash for one and now after watching this i appreciate you for speaking on what was not said before. looking into putting my money into actual screen printing equipment now
Wow, as a DTG (AnaJet owner) this guy is spot on. Nice Truth video.
I like this guy!!! He is looking dead into your face without blinking to tell you the truth!
Brilliant work!! Brilliant
Thank You!! So Much!!
also...goddamn!! its a hell of a thing!!
I screen print and i love it. I live the idea of owning a Brother DTG or an Omni DTG...but was hesitant. Lots of other people relay the same points of experience, real-world.
Some shops can get one, pay an employee to be a DTG manager, and be ROI positive. For others a DYG is crucial. In our shop the same money invested in automatic equipment has been vastly more beneficial. Of course every situation varies!
Damn. I was going to buy an Epson DTG Printer Monday. I'm glad I saw this.
Same here bro!!!!
Damn I hope Reyes knows about the ink.
He has to, Reyes is a smart guy so he knows what's coming and it probably fits his clientbase/youtube content.
But Reyes...
But what about the gas?
Well done. Absolute truth here. I had the misfortune of buying an Anajet DTG machine about 8 years ago, and I experienced all the same problems you describe. After first weekend where the machine sat unused I couldn't believe how much white ink it had used without printing anything.
I have had my Brother GTX for over a year now and I do not have to do all the maintenance you speak about. I perform a nozzle guard, wiper blade and suction cap cleaning once a week, 15 minutes at most, that with changing air filters every 4 - 6 months is the only maintenance that I do. My printer does not waste alot of ink when it's not printing since it only recirculates the existing ink that's within the tubes 4 times a day, not use new ink. It only uses more ink when doing a cleaning process or refilling. I often go 1 - 2 weeks without running a single print and the printer doesn't use any ink while sitting, only when I start printing again. The machine has a wet capping station which keeps the printhead ready to print, even after long periods of inactivity. The most printhead cleanings that I have ever had to do to get the printer's test print perfect was 2, and that was when two weeks went by without a single print. This printer is a far cry from previous models I have seen
I'm glad to hear that Andre! As the years go by, the maintenance issues were sure to be addressed. I've only seen the GTX in passing at shows so I had to look it up. With the Kiosk I quite literally had to be weary of weekends, and forget about leaving for vacation without flushing the lines and replacing ink with cleaning fluid for the down time. If I had to guess, in the next 10 years, the other gripes like production speed will probably approach screen printing as well, leaving only the OEM's monopoly on ink price as a barrier between screen printing and DTG! We may see screen printing even become marginalized to large shops that run huge production numbers like the offset printing industry after the bubble jet took hold.
@@brandsandempires -wait awhile,they'll get better!
just wait im sure your machine was new. I had a freejet that shit was garbage. there is one thing that really is keeping sublimation from blowing dtg out the water and that cause it cant print on black. once that happens dtg printers will drop in price fast. dtg is ok for 1offs but then you have jpss inkjet transfers that can do the samething as a dtg.
Thank you this was very informative. I was considering DTG you have changed my mind. I will stick with my screen printer and eco solvent printer cutter. Sometimes you just have to pass on a customers job.
Exactly, better to pass on a bad job than take it on and lose money.
THANK YOU!!! SCREEN PRINTING IS KING!!! THIS VIDEO TALKED ME OUT OF BUYING ONE, THANKS AGAIN!!!!
I'm glad you made the right decision for you Sam. As the technology continues to evolve it may very well overtake screen printing in the near future, so keep your eyes out for what's next!
@@brandsandempires Over the next decade I see these DTG printers in peoples homes, like everything else, printing will go to the side, digital will take over, Japan has a new fiber optic material, you can change shirt color and print to whatever you want with your phone, I think its $2,000 a yard, prototypes in high end mens suits are already in production for 10 to 15 thousand $, let's hope it stays there awhile, great vids BTW
@@samkuhns149 Thanks Sam, wouldn't that be something? Your shirt design could end up being a digital download that you could change at will! The 7 shirts in your closet would be the last ones you need so to speak!
OK.... am I tripping? Or isn't that a dtg printer in his background? Right corner? SOLD MY ASS! 🤣
Lol, search up Epson 4800. Big old printer, but not quite a DTG.
This guy didn't blink once. Staring contest anyone?
ah ah ah
so scary
So far I'm 47,800:0 and counting :). Good luck!
@@brandsandempires I know what you did last summer..
@@kittykitterson9713 me too, I printed!
Makes a lot of sense …. straight forward right to the point….Thanks for the excellent vid.
No one: ..........
this guy: 👀
Wow thank you . I do not have the funds or the will to keep up with this machine . Will continue to outsource 🙏🏾
isnt that a dtg printer in the back?
Great video! It was straight to the point and well explained!
May I ask what machine you had? Some machines have higher maintenance costs.
I had a DTG Kiosk 1 converted to a Kiosk 2. This was definitely a machine built during the wild west of DTG's when manufacturers could get away with a bad product. Many of the maintenance issues have been improved upon - especially the breaking down over a weekend ridiculousness. However, even with the latest machines, they need a high volume of low volume sales. As soon as you get into a few dozen pieces of the same design, screen printing gets an order of magnitude cheaper - and faster.
My main concern is for young entrepreneurs getting into the market with rose tinted goggles. They see the simplicity DTG offers and that was what drew me in too! But 10 years in, I can tell you that the good sales, $500-$4000 are going to be soaked up by screen printers who's prices are much lower. The biggest sales are literally impossible from a time and cost standpoint. (Could a single DTG shop run 2000 2 location shirts in under a week? Could they run them for
Brands & Empires you don’t think the new printers are a bit more advance then the one you had an was running into problems?
@@dayounghustler No. A tad faster, but everything else is the same.
If u wanna dabble with dtg, find a verified Chinese supplier. The machine and inks are about 1/4 the price and print at 1440 dpi using i think a dx500 printhead. Still a heavy cost but not crazy like a epson or brother. As much as i hate the machines, Im considering getting a dtg that prints only colored inks for white shirts. Never had a headache on a white shirt and the prints are immaculate. Reason i dont mind investing in this is cause the manufacturer i work with sells em for bout 1200usd which is not bad at all.
Two minutes in, and I realised that, I didn't listen to a single thing he said. This guy doesn't blink.
Ah that's a shame, the content was super relevant. No worries though, my therapist has taught me how to imitate human blinking for future videos.
Brands & Empires Lol, I’d rewatched the video. Although, you didn’t mention, which type of brand of printing machine, you were using. Different brand of machines are operate differently. I’m sure there are market for this type of printing.
can't stop watching this video money pit...
Thanks Levite! I appreciate you sticking with me while I figure it out.
@Sal VelasquezThat's two very big assumptions. If after watching my videos about helping people succeed with minimal financial risk you still feel this way, there isn't much I can add. I urge you to decide for yourself, and look forward to hearing that you are successful - regardless of which way you decide. Meanwhile I'll count my millions in DTG profit just off screen.
@Sal Velasquez You're welcome to reach out via e-mail, facebook, phone, or discord if it's something that genuinely concerns you or will impact a personal decision. I'm a pretty open book. On the other hand if you're just keyboard jockeying or throwing shade, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
@@brandsandempires Fuck this idiot!!!👆🖕 You're way nicer than I am. Why in the hell would you go thru all of this time and effort to thwart your competition!? This is the most idiotic comment I've seen in years! You are a proven genuine guy that gave a very honest and fair review at no benefit to yourself only to help others from making a huge mistake. I usually don't bother with a response like this bc they're is always one turn in the virtual punch bowl in every comment section but fuck this guy! Anyway keep doing what you're doing! ✌️👌❤️
I joined several Facebook DTG groups, to see how folks were doing with their DTG, most of the time in those groups they had constant problems, or were selling the printers. This put me off for life. Great video and the honest truth.
What do you suggest? I'm trying to get into this business
$25-$30 a shirt? You're lucky you get $10. You got some rich clients. Damn
Wile E Coyote ..they will pay it for 1-3 qty
@johnny walker obviously you're programmed that clothes have value only if you pay premium so therefore you are validated by your friends. I get 4 shirts for $20 at Modells. A have handful of friends that think the same. We all have homes.
@@wileecoyote5749 Does the shirts at Modells have your custom design printed on them? This isn't about getting a cheap shirt, it's about getting a CUSTOMIZED shirt.
So I am a brand new printer with a 20k DTG...and everythign you said is correct. I am now a total of 30K in on the business and we are making nowhere near that to cover. Now I have an existing business so it is not a game ending loss....but the learning curve is steep and the clients as you mentioned are different than screen printing . We are around 25 dollars a shirt and I burned the print head already ( due to maintenance). My advice is the same as yours....make sure you are putting the right jobs on the DTG machine....it has a niche place
Something kenyonken won’t tell us
Never had any problems with mine. It's been super profitable & reliable.. He might have had a different model then mine.
you are so spot on,,, i hate my dtg, i didnt keep up the cleaning,,, 1200 and its clogged again,,, pretreat is a pain in ass too.,,,, even when you dont use it it will eat money,,,,, You defintiely know your stuff