Want to boost your decoration offerings and rev up production? Apparel decorating equipment suppliers have debuted new solutions that aim to help with just that. Here’s a quick snapshot of some of what’s out there.

New Vinyl Cutter From Roland DGA

Roland DGA Corp. has revealed the newest addition to its VersaSTUDIO series of desktop devices: the compact GS2-24 vinyl cutter. According to the company, the cutter offers users “the ultimate combination of media compatibility, precision, quality and ease of use at an affordable price.” The GS2 is designed to give small and home-based businesses a professional cutting solution. It’s capable of cutting a wide variety of materials, ranging from thin heat transfer sheets and window films to thick paper and rubber sheets for sandblasting, as well as commonly used vinyl sheets. Its small footprint allows it to fit on a desktop, or to free up desk space. The cutter comes with its own stand.

The GS2 is suited to creating custom sports apparel, T-shirts, indoor and outdoor advertisements and signs, vehicle graphics and office displays, Roland says. Stickers and labels can also be created using illustrations or photos printed on commercial inkjet printers. The cutter is able to automatically cut complex shapes with precision that would be difficult to produce by hand, Roland notes.

SureLab D1070 Minilab Printer From Epson

Elsewhere, Epson has released its SureLab D1070 Minilab photo printer. Designed for retail, event and e-commerce applications, the printer is built for high-volume photo and graphic production and engineered for reliable, high-performing printing, according to Epson.

“As the next evolution of minilab printing from Epson, the SureLab D1070 is designed to create innovative, profitable opportunities for photography, events and printing businesses,” says Aaron Brill, associate product manager for professional imaging at Epson America.

Brill continues: “With a small footprint and a wide range of output capabilities, this new model can also help businesses scale – starting with a single printer, companies can gradually add units to create a larger production fleet for handling even greater production volumes.”

The printer is capable of producing up to 460 4-inch-by-6-inch prints per hour, a speed up to 10% faster than Epson’s previous printers, according to the company.

High-Production Garment Dryers From Vastex

Vastex International has come to market with EconoRed Series VI conveyer dryers in 30-inch, 54-inch and 78-inch widths. They’re equipped with six infrared heaters in a single chamber for high-volume curing of plastisol, water-based and discharge inks, as well as direct-to-film adhesives.

“This addition to the EconoRed series offers greater power and high production speeds for screen printers and direct-to-film printers, and the flexibility to print on oversized garments or flat goods,” says Mark Vasilantone, president of Vastex.

The ER-VI-30 dryer, with a 30-inch-wide belt, cures up to 900 garments printed with plastisol ink per hour. The ER-VI-54, with its 54-inch-wide belt, can cure up to 1,800 garments per hour. The ER-VI-78, with a 78-inch-wide belt, can cure as many as 2,700 garments per hour. The heaters come with a 15-year warranty and are height adjustable to accommodate flat or bulky items.

Print Stitch Patches From Stahls’

Stahls’ (asi/88984), a 2022 Counselor Best Place to Work, recently launched Print Stitch patches, a specialty addition to its premium emblems and patch offering. Print Stitch patches blend embroidery and sublimation, two of the promotional products industry’s most popular decoration methods. With Print Stitch patches, distributors and decorators can offer full-color, photorealistic finishes paired with the dimension and texture of traditional stitching, according to Stahls’.

Print Stitch patches are available as heat applied transfers or pressure-sensitive stickers. They can be used on a variety of products, including hats, polos, jackets, outerwear, bags, water bottles, tumblers and mugs.

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