Essex-based Natural Print Solutions has installed Ricoh's latest direct-to-garment (DTG) printer, the Ricoh Ri 100, to bring the production of branded workwear and personalised merchandise in-house. The company says it is now able to offer its clients a same-day service at ‘exceptional' levels of quality.
A successful family-run business, Natural Print Solutions prides itself on the personal service it extends to its clients. Proudly claiming ‘if it can be printed, we can supply it', the company supports London city clients and local businesses with a range of printed collateral, including stationery, brochures, signage, promotional merchandise and clothing.
Until recently, Natural Print Solutions used external suppliers to print T-shirts and other garments - a process that increased costs and lead times. Thanks to a chance conversation with a sales representative, the business discovered that Ricoh had introduced an all-in-one, compact inkjet system that could print directly onto garments at outstanding quality: the Ricoh Ri 100.
With a price tag of under £4,250 and an assurance that it would ‘pay for itself within two sets of ink', the Ri 100 was an affordable investment that would allow Natural Print Solutions to produce high-quality merchandise in-house. The new system was installed at its Leigh-on-Sea premises at the end of 2019.
Matthew Bradford, owner of Natural Print Solutions, comments: "The Ri 100 is simple to use. It is as easy as printing onto paper. And, because the process is digital, we can change the design from one garment to the next."
The Ri 100 is perfect for short-run applications and compatible with a wide variety of merchandise, enabling the business to expand its range to include branded workwear such as polo shirts and fleeces, and event merchandising like promotional T-shirts and tote bags.
Matthew adds: "Our customers love the quality of the merchandise produced on the Ri 100. The ink is absorbed into the fabric, giving it a soft finish. The garments can be washed, and unlike vinyl or transfer media, the images don't crack or peel."
Images are printed directly onto garments mounted on interchangeable trays. The ink is absorbed by the fabric and cured when the tray is moved to the integral heating unit - a process, according to Natural Print Solutions, that takes less than five minutes from start to finish. Furthermore, Ricoh's bundled design app makes it easy to create eye-catching graphics: images can be dropped into a pre-set template and overlaid with text, with designs previewed on-screen before they are printed.
As well as the speed of order fulfilment, Natural Print Solutions says its clients appreciate the quality of the merchandise printed on the Ricoh Ri 100. It plans to reach even more customers with its garment printing business in the future, with an Etsy store opening soon.
