DTG Pretreat Instructions

DTG Pretreat is designed to be applied using a hand-held spray bottle that will mist the fluid as it is being applied to the garment.  This means that the user can apply the fluid using an inexpensive spray bottle, but will want one that does not apply large drops of fluid on the garment.  A high volume, low pressure (HVLP) sprayer or an automatic pretreatment machine can be used to apply the fluid to the garment.

Click here to download a printable version of these instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step #1: Using a hand-held spray bottle, apply the appropriate amount of pretreatment fluid depending on the fabric content for a full 14” x 16” print. For smaller areas, apply a proportional amount of pretreat fluid based on the size of the printable area. You will want to overspray the area a little bit to make sure the pretreatment covers the printable area when loaded on the dtg printer.

APPLICATION AMOUNT PER FABRIC TYPE

* 100% Cotton – 13 to 15 grams
* 50/50 Blends – 16 to 18 grams
* 100% Polyester – 18 to 20 grams

DTG Pretreat - Step 1 Apply Pretreat
Step #2: Heat press the garment to 20-30 seconds at 356 degrees F (or approximately 25-35 seconds for 330 degrees F). Changes in the time and temperature may be used depending on the results of the wash test.

NOTE: It is recommended to cover the garment with a piece of parchment paper to prevent ink from previous garments from attaching to the current garment.

DTG Pretreat - Step #2 Cure Pretreat
Step #3: Print the artwork on the garment using the recommended settings for your dtg printer.

With some light weight fabrics, you may want to decrease the amount of ink applied to the garment.

DTG Pretreat - Step #3 Print the Artwork
Step #4: Cure the garment using the recommended settings for your dtg printer.

NOTE: It is recommended to cover the printed garment during the curing process with a piece of parchment paper.

DTG Pretreat - Step #4 Cure the Ink

NOTE: We recommend that a Print & Wash test be performed before going into production. Download a Print & Wash log by clicking here.

Click on the video below to see the application process and the wash test results.

Learn More about DTG Pretreat

One of the questions that we get asked frequently from direct-to-garment (DTG) users is whether it is really necessary to perform a Print & Wash Test on garments they have never printed on.  The answer is simple – YES!  When you look at all the cost (including your labor expense) that goes into printing a…

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