[CoolHandLuke]

Is anyone using a T-Jet printer? I just saw the 2nd version at the ISS show in Long Beach and it’s pretty impressive. Screeners were telling me that the print fades too quick, but it’s hard to tell who’s knocking the competition and who’s being real. It’s pretty dam close to a screen print in quality, but if it does fade out 20% in the first wash, that’s only good if you have a churn & burn market, or the faded look stays in vogue.

Here’s a link to the machine I saw, http://screenprinters.net/product.php?pid=tjetpro&PHPSESSID=49027ad1c602d5ae042ee9f1bfbf7db8, print straight from art, no more burning screens, setting up, messing w/ paint, etc!

I think the next generation, or soon after, will change the whole screening industry! Not to mention a large reduction of heat transfers. Now the companies like Café’ Press will be able to offer one-offs in ink instead of just transfers.

Any take?

 

[Rodney]

CafePress and Zazzle are already both using versions of this technology.

Right now, I think it's way too expensive for use in a wholesale printing environment and the quality still isn't there to match with screen printing.

Maybe in a few years as they refine it.

I think there may have been a few discussions on here before about the T-Jet.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Cafe' Press and Zazzle are not using ink jet for shirts. Just for posters and prints.

I know you run this thing, but let's make sure the information that is posted is at least somewhat accurate!

 

[Rodney]

CoolHandLuke, actually, I said:

CafePress and Zazzle are already both using versions of this technology.

I just added the bold part.

The T-Jet is a "Direct to Garment Textile Printer" which is EXACTLY what cafepress and zazzle are using to print their dark shirts. Maybe not the T-Jet, but a similar machine manufactured in Israel.

It IS an inkjet based printer (manufactured by Kornit...at least the CafePress one is).

I know you run this thing, but let's make sure the information that is posted is at least somewhat accurate!

I try to make sure I only post accurate information (unless I'm posting an opinion). But I've been known to be wrong before. In this case, I'm sure of my facts

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Well then I may stand corrected? You know what Cafe' Press doesn’t. I was on the phone with them this morning before I posted that. From my understanding, which is only from what they told me, everything is still a transfer and not direct to garment.

Ravel on...

 

[Rodney]

Well then I may stand corrected? You know what Cafe' Press doesn’t. I was on the phone with them this morning before I posted that. From my understanding, which is only from what they told me, everything is still a transfer and not direct to garment.

Ravel on...

You may have spoken to an uninformed customer service representative.

I'm pretty knowledgeable about CafePress (used them for almost 7 years, I'm a moderator in their forums, been to their offices a few times, been to their Meet & Greets, seen their direct printed garments, etc)

The fact that they are selling designs printed on dark colored shirts makes it pretty clear they are doing direct garment printing since they can't do they effectively with heat press on the scale that they work. But you can find more info on their machines at:
http://www.kornit-digital.com/ReleaseDetails.asp?RelieseId=20

From the CafePress site itself (regarding which garments are printed using the direct-to-garment process):
http://help.cafepress.com/hc/s-7405...ETYPE?sf=101133&documentid=154939&action=view

Them describing their direct printing process:
http://help.cafepress.com/hc/s-7405...ETYPE?sf=101133&documentid=154928&action=view

 

[das_king]

How much do one of those Direct Transfer machine cost?

 

[Rodney]

Lots and Lots

 

[CoolHandLuke]

I do stand corrected! Kind of funny because the guy was pretty adamant they weren’t. Just goes to show what you can learn in here!

T-Jet has a single shirt machine for 14K. You can lease the thing for +/- $300/mo. Not too bad for the right to one-off shirts. If your printer requires a minimum order, and you want to produce a large number of different designs, add it up. Not a bad deal!

Of course you can easily drop 300K if you need to do more than 300 shirts an hour.