Hi all
Been skimming through different apparel sites to scope out some business models, noticed that cafe press is now offering direct printing. Now, being that i currenly run a screenprinting shop, i'm finding cafepress' direct printing service a bit hard to swallow.
The one particular aspect that really gets me is how they can offer direct printing for one-off garments, without substantially raising the price over a heat transfer? I went through their order process and attempted to order a fleece hoodie with a full color PHOTO on the front of it, and selected direct printing as my method of application, and the price remained at $25. Not only is the price $25, but they said it could be at my door in 2 days - these details alone make me think that this can not be traditional screen printing - no set up charge and no fees per color used means that they cannot be accomodating for much higher COST involved in this.
For example, its much cheaper to print a one color design ( one screen ), than it is to print a process color job ( at least 4 screens + films + registration?) (particularly on fleece!) , so how can they afford to charge the same amount, regardless if it is a heat transfer, a single color direct, or a process color direct? Is it likely that cafepress is such a behemoth of a company that they can afford to take the hit in production costs or is there something else going on here?
I have this sneaking suspicion that cafepress is actually just using huge direct garment printing machines like the Tjets. I also think its smarmy that they always use 'Direct Printing' as a term, but you can't find the word 'Screen Printed' anywhere on their site! If anyone has some knowledge on the subject id love to hear, its just that it seems like theyre breaking every rule in the business book for actual screenprinting if thats what theyre doing - does anyone else agree with me on this?
Been skimming through different apparel sites to scope out some business models, noticed that cafe press is now offering direct printing. Now, being that i currenly run a screenprinting shop, i'm finding cafepress' direct printing service a bit hard to swallow.
The one particular aspect that really gets me is how they can offer direct printing for one-off garments, without substantially raising the price over a heat transfer? I went through their order process and attempted to order a fleece hoodie with a full color PHOTO on the front of it, and selected direct printing as my method of application, and the price remained at $25. Not only is the price $25, but they said it could be at my door in 2 days - these details alone make me think that this can not be traditional screen printing - no set up charge and no fees per color used means that they cannot be accomodating for much higher COST involved in this.
For example, its much cheaper to print a one color design ( one screen ), than it is to print a process color job ( at least 4 screens + films + registration?) (particularly on fleece!) , so how can they afford to charge the same amount, regardless if it is a heat transfer, a single color direct, or a process color direct? Is it likely that cafepress is such a behemoth of a company that they can afford to take the hit in production costs or is there something else going on here?
I have this sneaking suspicion that cafepress is actually just using huge direct garment printing machines like the Tjets. I also think its smarmy that they always use 'Direct Printing' as a term, but you can't find the word 'Screen Printed' anywhere on their site! If anyone has some knowledge on the subject id love to hear, its just that it seems like theyre breaking every rule in the business book for actual screenprinting if thats what theyre doing - does anyone else agree with me on this?