How to Avoid Misprints When DTG Printing Hoodies

Picture this: you're DTG printing a hoodie. You load it up on the platen that came with your machine, and halfway through the printing process, the height sensor goes off. You bring the loaded platen out of the machine to see the hoodie has raised up from under the platen frame. Your only solution is to shift the hoodie around until the height sensor will accept it. And when it is finished printing, inevitably you see there is now a ghost image on your print, a big chunk of the white under base sticking out from under the CMYK layer. This is now a misprinted hoodie that you'll have to reimburse your customer for, and start the process again. Moral of the story: this is not the best way to print a hoodie. Here's a way that is-- the 14x16 Platen + Locking Hoop.

Examining the Problem

The platen that comes with your machine is effective at printing standard unisex t-shirts; plain and simple, it does this job great. However, any apparel print shop will attest that unisex t-shirts are only a small portion of the orders they amass. Items like ladies fitted shirts, baby onesies, hats, and apparel made of thicker fabric such as hoodies, are a different story. You can make them printable, but not without spending a lot of time (and in turn, a lot of money!), to get the order done.

The bulkiness of hoodies makes it difficult for your machine's platen frame to hold the hoodie down, as the motion of the printer during the printing process very easily jiggles the hoodie up from under the frame. This will cause the printer to think there is an obstruction in the print area, and the platen height sensor will go off. This means then that you will have to send the platen out of the machine, fix the tuft of fabric that has pulled up from the frame, and send it back to finish printing. But, because you had to change the alignment of the hoodie, the rest of the print will be misaligned. This creates the dreaded ghost image of the white under base creeping out from under the rest of the print, or worse: a completely warped print overall. And before you stop and think the customer won't notice-- yes, they most definitely will! And the worst part is, this issue will keep happening throughout production if you don't have a proper locking hoop mechanism to keep the apparel securely in place for every print! So, we're about to solve that for you forever. 

The Benefits

• Avoid misprints and ghost images from the white under base by ensuring the hoodie is locked down securely for the entire duration of the printing process.

• Maintain the highest image quality possible by clearing the height check with every print!

• Secure down apparel of any thickness with the Locking Hoop and save time by doing so with certainty for every print.

How to Load the 14x16 Platen + Locking Hoop

1. Install the Master Adaptor on your DTG printer
2. Slide the 14x16 Platen in place using the Loading Tracks on the Master Adaptor
3. Thread the hoodie over the platen and place the Locking Hoop around the platen to lock it in place
4. You are ready to print!

How to Aim the Artwork in Garment Creator

1. Choose the correct color settings according to your garment
2. Select the Medium Platen preset 
3. This 14x16 Platen matches up exactly with the 14x16 that comes with your machine, so aim your artwork as you would any other time
4. Send it to the printer!

Unloading the Hoodie

1. Unlock the 14x16 Hoop and set it aside
2. Carefully remove the printed hoodie
3. Thread it on to your heat press and cure it for 30 seconds at 300F
4. Your printed hoodie is complete without any ghost images!

And just like that, you have a crisp, perfectly aligned hoodie back print! The whole process takes seconds, and you'll find production for the rest of the order will go just as smoothly. You can load up hoodies in a breeze, and rely on the certainty that the hoodie will stay secure the whole time, resulting in a high quality end product, and a happy customer, every time!

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