Printing United Expo took place October 18-20, 2023, in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. More than 28,000 attendees walked the tradeshow floor during the three-day event showcasing the latest innovations and applications in specialized printing. This year, the expo provided hands-on education, live podcasts, speaker sessions, and more dedicated to apparel decorators and their businesses in the Apparel Zone.
Business leaders and experts in the apparel decorating market met as a panel to discuss all things DTF in the Future State Theatre, moderated by Ross Hunter, ROQ.US. When asked where DTF stands with current technology, Jed Seifert of Stakes Manufacturing said, “There’s room for DTF, DTF, and screen printing.” Scott Donovan, Dupont Artistri Inks, followed by saying, “DTF is displacing lower, slower systems than DTG. DTF is a more open system and substrate agnostic.” For those just getting into the space, “DTF is a great entry point for small numbers and controlling your inventory,” said Michelle Moxley, print consultant. Josh Merrell of Liquid Graphics and Don Whaley, Kornit agreed: “It opens the industry to so many people,” and “DTF is easy to get into and low risk,” respectively.
Roland DG displayed its 19-in. VersaStudio BN-20D desktop direct-to-film printer. Dan Wilson, VP of Marketing and Customer Development, Roland DG, says the machine is perfect for SOHO: small office/home office. Learn more about the DTF printer here.
Stahls’ held a press conference announcing its acquisition of Fulfill Engine, a software technology company specializing in order fulfillment, supply chain management, and ecommerce store integration. Read more about the acquisition here.
Mimaki’s Josh Hope shared the latest from Mimaki, including the two-head TxF300-75 DTF printer. The brand-new machine caters to a diverse set of printing demands and a wider range of fabric such as cotton, mixed fabric, polyester, and dark coloured fabrics. Read more about the printer here.
M&R shows the possibilities of what can be offered to your customers through school or sports team online stores with its new Quatro direct-to-film transfer printing system. More information about the printer can be found here.
S&S Activewear provides high-quality apparel from brands such as Gildan, Hanes, and Next Level Apparel to a broad wholesale customer base. You can meet them in person at DTF Expo in Phoenix, February 23-24.
STS Inks showcased its STS XPJ-1682D 64-inch direct-to-film printer. The machine has a staggered dual-head that produces smooth gradations while delivering high-quality printing even with reduced resolution, according to the company. Learn more about it here.
Dupont Artistri Inks highlights the variety of substrates compatible with direct-to-film technology, like this belt. Dupont was printing via a Cobraflex DTF Printer at the expo.
Lane Seven is an apparel manufacturing brand that makes fleece with a finer 3-end knit, allowing an easier-to-print surface area for your DTF designs.
ROQ.US debuted its ROQ Impress for DTF and DTF, offering eight stations for pre-treating, heat pressing, and flash curing for an expedited workflow.
Equipment Zone displayed its EZ-Jet Pro 24 direct-to-film printer with powder applicator/shaker/dryer units. You can learn more about the machine here.
Firebird Digital Inks offers a DTF starter kit, DTF sheets, DTF powder, and DTF film rolls.
Forever Digital Transfer Applications Technology started in 1987 developing transfer paper for color copiers and laser printers. Today, they offer three transfer papers: glossy, matte, and premium matte.
Fiery Production Solutions’s most recent DTF-related software is Digital Factory v11.1 Direct-to-Film Edition. Its features include unique white ink handling, single pass highlight white and underbase ink capability, knock-out tools for automatic black, white, or color removal from designs, auto nesting of jobs, barcode support, roll-mode support without the need for additional hardware or software, and more. Read about it here.
“The Velox DTF System is a Chinese-made printer and dryer set up, we just have a support team built around it with technicians who know how to print,” said Steve Southard, director of marketing, SPSI.
The OmniDTF printer from OmniPrint International features direct-to-film printing up to 14.5 inches wide and up to 238 feet continuously and includes a transfer sheet dryer
Printing United Alliance’s Women in Print Alliance hosted a sold-out luncheon for female leaders in the print industry. Keynote speaker Madeline Fetterly, CEO of Be the Brand Collective, led a workshop on how to build your professional brand on LinkedIn. The Women in Print Alliance’s mission is to attract, retain, advance, and advocate for women in the printing industry through education, personal, and professional development, networking and community building. Learn more about the Women in Print Alliance here.
To continue the spirit of inclusivity, members of the Women in Print Alliance and U.N.I.T.E Together gathered for a happy hour at U.N.I.T.E Together’s booth. The two organizations have a joint goal of leveling the playing field for all in the industry and making it a more diverse space. Learn more about UNITE Together here.
Printing United Expo 2024 will take place in Las Vegas September 10-12. Register for the event here.
