What is the difference between DTG and UV printers?

Clients who are new to digital printing often have an expectation: I hope to buy a printer that can do all the materials printing for me! It should be a t-shirt print machine and an acrylic, PVC card, signage, metal, golf ball, etc printer. 

Jonathan is one of them. He just started up a new printing center and hoped to upgrade his screen printing to digital printing, to expand his customized products business. However, there are many digital printers, such as UV printers and DTG printers in the market. He feels very confused. To get professional help, Jonathan sent an inquiry to us. 

"What are the differences between UV printers and DTG printers?" Jonathan is wondering, and I believe most clients are wondering.

To get the differences clear, first, we should know the technology differences between the UV printer and the DTG printer.

1, UV printers use the UV curing technology. Configured with a UV lamp and oil-based UV curing inks, the inks will be cured at the same time as printing.

UV printer:

1. DTG printers use water-based textile pigment inks, which are more suitable for fabrics and resistant to washing. After printing, the inks should be dried with a heat press to fix colors.

DTG printer:

Thus, the printing medias of UV printers and DTG printers are absolutely different. 

1. UV printers can do almost all flat materials printing and also cylinder printing, such as glass, bottles, metal, wood, stone, plastic, lighters, cardboard, cups, leather, etc printing. UV printers can do a small amount of garment printing, but unprofessional in it. The effects are not as good as DTG printers.

2. DTG means Direct to Garment. DTG printers focus on professional garment printing, such as t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, bags, etc. The higher the cotton content, the better the effects.

Jonathan got that. His business just started up, and items like bottles, signage, and gifts are having a higher percentage in orders. He finally decided to buy a UV printer for his business upgrade. Now, business is prosperous. Direct printing helped him cut lots of labor, and he got more time and energy to plan his business. 

To expand business again, this time he is thinking of having a DTG printer, since he is going to get a big contract with a fashion corporation which has promotional items orderefd with him before...