SixTeeSix expands t-shirt printing business

SixTeeSix has invested in an Epson SureColor SC-F2000 direct-to-garment printer to expand its service offering to print t-shirts while-you-wait, which has led to a significant increase in production and profits.

The Hampshire-based t-shirt printing company has been offering bespoke garment design and printing services since 1999. Owner Mark Rhone originally ran the online t-shirt printing business from home and opened the retail premises in January 2015, in order to have a more visible presence and to offer his customers a more personalised experience.

The opening of the new shop was the perfect timing for Mark to put his plans to print direct-to-garment into action. Mark says, “I had been looking at direct-to-garment printing for around three years and could see the benefits to my customers and my business. I evaluated several printers during that time and decided on the Epson SureColor SC-F2000 direct-to-garment printer, which is fairly new to the market. I’ve worked with Epson printers before and they have a great reputation for good quality and reliability, plus I really like the fact that the whole system – from chassis to printhead to ink - is designed and built entirely by Epson.” The SureColor SC-F2000 sits alongside a Schulze Pre-Treatment machine, Graphtec CE-6000-40 cutting plotter and two Stahls heat presses.

Epson reseller Adelco supplied and installed the SureColor SC-F2000 in March 2015. “Adelco are fantastic and have been really helpful before, during and after the sale and installation,” says Mark. “The printer was very straightforward to install and set up and couldn’t be easier to use.”

Mark is delighted with his new Epson printer and has printed over 6,000 garments since installation. “I’ve had absolutely no problems with the SureColor printer and can happily print one-offs or multiple orders – I’ve recently fulfilled an order for 100 hoodies for local school leavers and the quality was outstanding. My retail customers like it too as they can bring in their own design or photo and have their t-shirt printed while-they-wait.”

He also prints his own branded cotton tote bags on the SC-F2000, which he uses instead of carrier bags – re-useable and more eco-friendly than plastic bags with the added benefit of free advertising for his business.

Mark is keen to offer his customers a memorable retail experience and has plans to hold ‘Print Parties’ on the premises – an opportunity for his customers to create and bring their own designs which they can have printed onto their own customised t-shirt. Mark says: “The SureColor SC-F2000 has enabled me to expand my business in a number of very creative ways. Without the Epson printer I wouldn’t have the business I have today.”

The Epson SureColor SC-F2000 direct-to-garment printer offers high performance, low maintenance and running costs and enables small-to-medium businesses like SixTeeSix to offer a high quality t-shirt design and print service that is fast and cost-effective.

Garment Creator software by Epson comes as standard with the SureColor SC-F2000 and enables designers to unleash their creativity and easily produce customised, eye-catching designs on a range of items such as t-shirts, caps and bags up to 25mm thick. Garment Creator also includes a cost calculation function, a useful tool which enables businesses to estimate the print cost by calculating the amount and cost of the ink used for each print job.

Featuring Epson’s durable new TFP printhead the SureColor SC-F2000 offers a resolution of 1440 x 1440 dpi for accurate dot shape and placement and its wide colour gamut produces vibrant colours, sharp contours and smooth gradations. The printer uses Epson’s UltraChrome DG inks which are the perfect solution for garment applications as they are hard wearing, crack resistant yet feel soft against the skin.

Production is quick without sacrificing print quality: the SureColor SC-F2000 is capable of printing a single white t-shirt in 27 seconds when using dual colour mode, and a dark coloured t-shirt in less than two minutes, using white ink as a base colour.

Luke Smith, Sales, Adelco, says: “The Epson SureColor SC-F2000 delivers on performance, cost and reliability, it also opens up new revenue streams for customers. SixTeeSix is a perfect example of how Epson technology is assisting users to develop their creative ideas to expand their businesses further.”