The next generation of digital-direct fabric printing

By John Gehner

The Durst Rhotex 320 printer used by Rainier Retail and others is touted as the next generation of digital-direct fabric printing. The Rhotex prints directly onto the fabric surface with water-based, heat-activated dyes, resulting in a sharp image with great color saturation..

Print speed is more than twice as fast as the dye-sub process and a 10-foot-wide print area creates large images with no seams. Caldera-RIP software with Adobe Creative Suite® 5 integration is utilized for file handling. And, perhaps above all, the resulting products are decidedly earth-friendly.

According to Rainier’s Scott Powell, “The more technically savvy retailers are beginning to spec ‘Rhotex printing’ on fabric to ensure that they get the best looking images on their final product—especially if they are doing a banner that will be viewed from both sides since the Rhotex gives a more saturated look on the ‘back’ side.

John Gehner is a freelance writer and editor based in Urbana, Ill.