Slick New Desktop Printer from Epson Offers a Classy Entry-Level Direct-to-Garment, Direct-to-Film Solution

Direct-to-Garment and Direct-to-Film printing have become hot topics for businesses of all sizes. But to get the necessary quality and productivity for a successful small business, these printers were often out of reach from a cost perspective. The new Epson SureColor F1070 promises to change that—featuring CMYK+W, ease of use, and a sub-$10K price point.

Epson today announced a new printer in its SureColor line-up, the SureColor F1070, a hybrid Direct-to-Garment (DTG)/Direct-to-Film (DTFilm) entry level desktop printer. The printer, a prototype of which was shown at PRINTING United, will debut at Impressions Expo, scheduled for January 19 in Long Beach, California. Shipments are expected to begin in May 2024.

The SureColor F1070 rounds out Epson’s SureColor F-Series DTG printing systems, with seamless transfer between DTG and DTFilm printing. Epson’s other DTG printing solutions are the SureColor F2270, that weighs in at an MSRP of $18,995, and the SureColor F3070 at an MSRP of $59,995. The new printer is positioned as an ease of entry device with an MSRP of $7,495, affordable for almost anyone looking to start or expand their garment decoration business, or add it into the mix for other uses, including artwork and other fabric applications.

The SureColor F1070 features clear viewing windows with internal LED lights to enable monitoring of what is going on in the printing process from a variety of angles. The top of the printer can be used as a workspace, including placing a laptop there. It can print on materials up to one inch in thickness and uses 250 mL ink packs. It also has a 4.3-in. touchscreen menu panel providing easy access to operating controls. The printer can connect via Ethernet, WiFi, or USB and also has a USB flash drive port to allow easy importing of files via thumb drive. It uses Epson’s PrecisionCore printhead technology, purpose-built for Epson’s UltraChrome DG2 DTG textile inks in CMYK+White, with Variable-Sized Ink Droplet Technology with a resolution up to 2,400 dpi.

Even at its low price point, this printer includes much of the same technology and features as its more expensive brethren. It includes an automated maintenance system, important for new users of DTG/DTFilm technology, minimizing user maintenance time and activities.

Epson indicates that the total print time for a full-size 10 x 12-in. print in quality mode for a light garment is one minute, 42 seconds,* so even a beginner could turn out a lot of shirts in a day! Dark garments and DTFilm take longer, at 4:25 and 4:22* respectively—still decent throughput for an entry-level printer. Epson indicates that Quality mode is adequate for most applications, but Speed and High-Quality modes are also available.

This printer is a good example of Epson’s Sho-Sho-Sei philosophy, meaning Efficient, Compact, Precise. The company notes, “Designing for low energy consumption, minimized waste, small footprints, high reliability, and minimal moving parts results in outstanding solutions for our customers. And also supports our Environmental Vision 2050.”

DTG printing delivers premium soft hand feel, quality, and breathability, according to Epson. And DTFilm printing can be used for synthetic fabric and unusual shaped items, such as hats, shoes, bags, and more.

It should be noted that for DTFilm printing, supplementary hardware is required, including a shaker system and a heat press. This video, which actually features the Epson SureColor F2100, explains the DTFilm printing process. The heat press can also be used with other garment decorating technologies, including DTG and dye sublimation printing where the image is printed onto transfer paper and applied to the target item with heat. Since these printers and the supplemental hardware are sold through dealers, buyers can rely on their dealer to recommend the most relevant hardware configuration for their needs.

One question we had was related to the shaker system, or powder applicator. Some users are concerned about powder getting into the ambient air, and those users would likely prefer to use an enclosed powder applicator such as this one. Other options are available as well. Again, potential purchasers should rely on their dealer for the most appropriate recommendations for their needs.

If you are looking into starting a garment decorating business or adding this capability to an existing business—whether you are a garage startup, a franchise shop, or small commercial printer, this printer—and the rest of the Epson DTG family, are well worth looking into!

*Print times measured reflect the continuous period beginning when the printer start button is pushed, includes auto height adjustment, ink applied to the garment, and ends when the menu indicates “done” for the garment removal. Computer processing, network transmission, loading and unloading of garments are not included in these times. Actual print times may vary. Testing conducted by Epson America, Inc. as of November 2023.

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