FABRIC BEFORE INK
Blank T-Shirts for DTG Printing: A UK Buying Guide
Compare cotton content, surface, colour and fit before choosing a DTG blank. A good sample tests the garment together with your ink, pretreatment and curing process.
Start with the DTG system’s fabric requirements
Direct-to-garment printing applies ink to the garment itself. Read your printer, ink and pretreatment instructions for supported fabrics. Smooth cotton and cotton-rich T-shirts are useful candidates to compare, but a cotton description alone does not guarantee the best result on every DTG system.
Compare the surface as well as the cotton percentage
Look at the knit, visible texture and construction of a real sample. A ringspun cotton description, such as on the Gildan SoftStyle GD01, helps you shortlist a style. Compare it with the Gildan Heavy Cotton GD05 or Ecologie Cascades EA001 to decide which feel and fit suits your customer.
Test the actual garment colour
A white tee and a dark tee can need different printing and pretreatment steps. Heather or marl versions can also use different fibre blends. Keep the exact colour composition with your sample record, and evaluate the result on the colours you plan to sell.
Plan artwork placement around the garment
A flat, accessible design area makes setup easier. Check pockets, side seams, ribbing and the garment’s shape against your platen and artwork. Smaller sizes may need a different design area from your largest sample.
Cure and wash-test the complete combination
Use the ink system’s instructions and the garment’s care requirements. Review colour, hand feel, detail and washing durability after curing. Keep notes for the garment, pretreatment, artwork and print settings. No single universal temperature or pretreatment recipe applies to every blank and system.
Build your sample shortlist.
These are plain catalogue garments to compare. Open a product to check its current colours, sizes, price and specification.
Find your starting point.
Compare garment photographs, fabric, weight and label details. Order from one garment; UK delivery is £8 plus applicable VAT, or free over £250 excluding VAT.
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