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Important Disclaimers

How does fabric blend affect print quality?

DTG printing process is best suited for garments that are 100% cotton. So if you’re looking for the most opaque result, 100% cotton is your best bet. This fabric generally has a better result due to its tight weave. 

 Bella Canvas 3001100% cotton shirt

However, there are exceptions to this. If a cotton is too thick, it can absorb more of the ink and result in a faded look.

gildan_ultra_cotton100% Ultra Cotton T-Shirt

We also offer printing on poly blends and tri-blends. Our fulfillment team has worked hard to develop a system that allowed us to print on such garments without compromising print quality. Due to the looser weave and combination of fabrics, these garments will have a faded/vintage outcome with DTG printing. This is a pretty cool effect, but may not be ideal for you if you want a more opaque outcome.

Gildan blend
50-50 Blend

 

Bella triblendTri-blend

If you have any further questions regarding printing on a specific fabric, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at service@tankdaddies.com!

Why does my shirt have a vinegar smell?

When unpacking a new shirt or hoodie with a direct-to-garment (DTG) print, you might notice a vinegar-like smell or an off-white residue. Don't worry, that's not unusual - it's from a fixation agent applied during the printing process and it's not permanent.

Fixation agent (sometimes known as pre-treatment) is used for all DTG prints across the industry. It helps the ink bond with the fabric, and without it, the ink would flake off the garment.

The solution is simply to wash the garment! Neither the residue nor the smell is permanent, and both should go away after one wash. If the discoloration is noticeable, the quality control team will include a card explaining that it's from the fixation agent. Here's how it looks: