Where The Trade Buys has installed direct to film technology at its London West site to expand the range of printed merchandise it offers, including T-shirts which it can print on different fabrics.
This covers budget, everyday and organic materials including those not suited either to direct print or dye sublimation. Direct to film can decorate cotton fabrics with bright colours. WTTB’s product range will include tote bags, aprons and hoodies as well as T-shirts.
The Magic Touch has supplied the DTF Magic 60 Pro printer which uses Epson printheads for CMYK plus white printing, a shaking powder machine and then an HTP 123 Pro heat press. Printing to a transfer paper also enables WTTB to decorate a wider range of gift items; snow globes and baubles are being lined up for peak season the year.
Louise Stephenson, managing director of WTTB, said that introducing the range was in response to customer demand.
“We are constantly asked about T-shirts and other clothing items so it’s something that has been on our radar for quite a while,” she said.“We have had a very good response so far to the new products and will be adding to our offering on a regular basis.”
The company had a look at the different technologies for printing textiles, direct to garment and dye sublimation as well as direct to film and visiting appropriate exhibitions earlier in the year. The direct to film process offers distinct advantages the company believes with brighter colours and sharper details as well as a softer finish to the item.
The London West plant is the operation acquired from Photobox and has been used to producing one-off personalised products if not clothing. It will supply needs across the group. Promotional item printing will also suit the company’s development of print for the creator economy which has focused on books and similar items for those with a large following for a social media presence for cookery or similar and where branded clothing, say cookery aprons, would fit neatly.
