I recently made a big upgrade for AKArctic Press Co. and added a Procolored DTF printer along with a curing oven to my shop. This is something I’ve researched, debated, and planned for over time, and I’m excited to finally bring part of the DTF printing process in-house.
This setup allows me to print many of my designs myself, giving me more control over quality, turnaround time, and consistency — especially for custom and local orders.
What This New Setup Allows Me to Do
With the Procolored DTF printer and oven, I can now print:
- Small to medium chest designs
- Left-chest logos
- Name and personalization details
- Full-color designs with clean, vibrant detail
- Short-run prints without waiting on outside turnaround times
Having both the printer and oven means I can manage the full DTF process for these designs from start to finish, right here in my workspace.
When I’ll Still Outsource Printing
Even with this new equipment, larger designs — especially oversized back prints — will still be outsourced to trusted print partners.
Larger prints require wider formats and specialized setups to ensure proper ink coverage, durability, and overall finish. For those designs, outsourcing continues to be the best option to maintain the quality I expect and that my customers deserve.
For me, it’s not about doing everything in-house — it’s about choosing the best production method for each design.
Why I Chose This Balance
By printing many designs myself and outsourcing larger ones, I’m able to:
- Keep quality consistent
- Choose the right process for each order
- Improve turnaround times when possible
- Maintain flexibility as the business grows
This hybrid approach lets me stay hands-on where it makes sense, while still leaning on experienced partners for larger-scale prints.
What This Means for Customers
From the customer side, nothing changes — except potentially faster turnaround times on certain orders and even more consistency across custom pieces.
Behind the scenes, this upgrade gives me more control and more room to grow, while still keeping quality as the top priority.
I’ll be sharing more behind-the-scenes updates as I get everything set up and start running test prints, so stay tuned.
Check back soon for the unboxing update and first-print results — I can’t wait to share how it all comes together.
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