As any business owner knows, finding ways to maximize your production efficiency is incredibly important to being successful. DTF printing has become a popular way to create custom apparel due to its versatility, durability, and vibrant results. Starting a DTF business can be very profitable, especially if you consider optimizing your output by printing multiple graphics on one sheet.
We talked with Roland DGA Application Specialist Mike Davis about how to incorporate gang sheets to maximize your DTF printing efficiency, your productivity, and your profit.
Would you start by defining what a "gang sheet" is for those who may not be familiar with the term?
A gang sheet is a term taken from the early days of the transfer business when customers paid for prints by the sheet. A gang sheet is a single sheet of film where multiple designs, logos, or graphics are placed so that they can be printed together, rather than printed separately. Using gang sheets minimizes wasted film, reduces overall production time, and allows you to produce multiple items in a single pass.
For DTF printing, using gang sheets can be particularly advantageous, as each sheet can contain a variety of sizes and graphics, which is ideal for custom apparel orders that require multiple design placements (like front and back logos) or variations of a single design.
How do you set up a gang sheet?
The width of the gang sheet is typically the maximum media width for the printer, and the length is up to the user to determine. When you have your dimensions, you fill the space with as many graphics as possible. For example, on one 16” x 18” gang sheet, I could place one 11” x 11” image, six 4” x 4” images, and three 3” x 3” images.
How does using gang sheets affect printing time?
A 16” x 18” gang sheet takes about 10 minutes to print, no matter how many graphics it contains. By optimizing the print area to contain the maximum number of graphics, you speed up your overall production time. It’s just more bang for your buck.
Are there other advantages to using gang sheets?
Gang sheets can also help in setting up production runs. Users can print all the graphics needed for one family or one order by putting them all on one gang sheet.The way the industry is going, people are printing more apparel for a wider range of events and occasions. In addition to team apparel, there are also family reunion shirts, fun run shirts, and corporate apparel. Here are some cases where organizing graphics on gang sheets is especially helpful.
Custom Apparel Orders: For businesses catering to small orders with multiple variations, gang sheets enable you to print various logos, names, and sizes on a single sheet, saving material and setup time.
Bulk Branding: Companies that order branded apparel in bulk will often need logos of various sizes. Gang sheets allow print shops to fulfill these orders efficiently without multiple setups.
Special Events: Event planners may request specific designs for various items, like hats, shirts, and bags. Gang sheets let you consolidate all the graphics for a particular event on one sheet for easy production.
How much space should users leave between graphics on a gang sheet?
The amount of space left between graphics is up to the user to determine. I personally prefer to leave .5 inches between each graphic to allow for easy contour cutting and removal of graphics. Some sources that will print gang sheets for you will specify .25-.5 inches between graphics.What additional features should people bear in mind when considering their DTF options in the market?
It’s very important that before buying a DTF machine, people have an accurate understanding of their production needs. Anyone who wants to produce 50-75 shirts a day on average, which can go up as high as 80 or even 100 shirts a day, should consider a desktop machine like the Roland DG VersaSTUDIO BY-20. These machines can easily keep up with the needs of a shop doing that type of volume.If you are looking to wholesale or retail your printed transfers, you really should consider investing in a production machine. For wholesaling and retailing, you may need to print 300 feet of film a day – an output level which requires a production machine.
It’s important also to know that one person with a DTF printer will find it challenging to finish more than 100 shirts in an 8-hour day. Even with a production machine it’s a lot of work.
What kind of ROI can users earn with their DTF production using gang sheets?
Depending on the size of the gang sheet you use and your equipment, you can print very profitably using gang sheets. For example, by printing a 16” x 18” gang sheet on the BY-20, which prints in about 10 minutes, you can provide several custom apparel items for a sports team and sell these items for a considerable profit.A player’s jersey is valued at about $25 for front and back graphics. Hats with a team logo are sold for about $12 each. Coaches’ dry-fit shirts with a left chest graphic go for about $25. Here is a link to a chart on the Roland DGA website listing the estimated costs and profit for some commonly personalized items.
