No matter if your business is screen printing, dye-sublimation, or even commercial print, you’ve undoubtedly been impacted by commerce migrating to the internet, if not the sudden shock wrought by COVID-19. This “new normal” presents several compelling reasons why now is an ideal time to introduce efficient, eco-friendly, digital DTG printing into your production environment.
DTG offers a versatile safeguard against vulnerability
If community organizations, school activities, large-scale events, and sports constituted your “bread and butter” business, shutdowns probably hurt your shop. Demand for your services might’ve vanished, and if you printed pieces that you expected to sell, you might’ve been left holding worthless inventory. With DTG, you can print quickly and on-demand, only producing pieces you’ve already sold. In many cases, on-demand printing shops repurposed their production floor to supply protective facial masks and fulfill other unforeseen needs. DTG means eliminating inventory risk and adapting to capitalize on new opportunities that arise.
eCommerce is exploding, and digital production aligns perfectly with a digitized marketplace
We’ve long watched the “retail apocalypse” of traditional brick-and-mortar business models unfold, and a three-month period in 2020 doubled the volume of eCommerce for the preceding ten years. By 2024, it’s predicted that two-thirds of apparel in the U.S. will be purchased online. DTG is fast, a production solution capable of delivering imprinted gear at the speed today’s buyers have come to expect. Furthermore, available workflow solutions offer end-to-end visibility and control, integrating POS, product catalogs, production floor, and shipping logistics to enable streamlined (cost-effective) operations and superior customer experience.
DTG speed and efficiency mean capitalizing on social listening
Today’s consumers express themselves via social media and online marketplaces. Fast fashion, micro-moments, and instant gratification are the norm. DTG means you can produce to meet demand resulting from events, causes, and thought leadership in real-time. Recreate images and memes in photorealistic detail. Any inspiration appearing on Etsy can appear on a garment; DTG fulfillers can meet that need for private creators and creative online entrepreneurs.
Consumers demand responsible production practices, and DTG delivers
By eliminating inventory waste, removing harmful plastisol and byproducts from production, using a water-based pigment chemistry, and optimizing productivity relative to floor space, DTG answers the widespread demand for safe, sustainable, eco-friendly (low carbon footprint) practices without sacrificing quality or profitability.
DTG is a proven vehicle for profitability and growth
Supplementing screens with DTG makes every order profitable; screens handle the large, low-color jobs, while DTG handles complex designs in any color, in any quantity, on multiple fabrics, for a low and consistent cost to ensure profitability. When you can take every job, you can capitalize on every opportunity. Waste less, and every resource — labor, capital, and materials — generates profit for your shop. I’ve visited countless print businesses that have grown at a staggering pace by supplementing eCommerce with DTG production, even in 2020.
