Print-on-Demand Socks Printing Technology Customize Your Socks with Current Trends
What is Socks Printing?
A digital printing solution for custom-printed socks
The digital socks printing technology helps you make custom-print socks, face socks, 360-printed socks, and more. It is an advanced technology to customize socks and meet the demands of target customers.
Digital socks printing has several advantages. Unlike traditional socks customization methods, it is easy, quick, and cost-effective. Compared to jacquard socks knitting, digital printing requires a low setup cost. Moreover, you can achieve high-volume production more quickly.
Since digital socks printing is a simple process, you can provide quick samples. It involves creating designs on a computer using software, and after image ripping, printing on the computer.
On the contrary, knitting jacquard socks is a lengthy process. Therefore, sampling might take a longer time.
UniPrint socks printing adopts 360 spiral printing technology. It ensures seamless design patterns and better color stability.
Socks Printing Advantages
Create seamless designs on your socks with UniPrint digital socks printing solutions
How Does it Work?
Socks printing includes distinct steps for cotton and polyester socks
Polyester
Cotton
- PrintingThe printing process for polyester socks is straightforward. White/Blank polyester socks are put onto the printer’s roller. After that, an operator gives a printing command in software to initiate printing. Socks with a high percentage of polyester material have better printing effects than those with a low one.
- HeatingThe printing process is followed by the heating process. A conveyor heater is used for drying socks. this process requires hanging heating. Since the printed socks’ surface is still with wet ink, a heating press is not suitable as the plate directly contacts the surface of the sock. As a result, socks need to be hooked to the conveyor heater. The conveyor heater set temperature 170~180C for 3~4min curing polyester socks. (temperature and time can be adjusted accordingly)
Preparing Pretreatment
This step involves preparing coating liquid for socks using chemicals. Different chemicals mix with water in the right sequences and make paste-type liquid. The white socks are dipped in the pretreatment liquid to help them adapt the printing color and give clear and bright printing after processes.
Dewatering
Dewatering removes the excessive liquid coating from socks. It is done with the help of an industrial dewatering machine.
Drying of Socks
Drying helps the pretreatment solution to set on socks properly. The drying machine is set at 80 to 90 degree Celsius. Depending on the thickness of the socks, the process can last up to 30 minutes or more.
Printing
Load the image into printer RIP software. The file format is not limited. It can be jpg, tiff, PSD, ai, etc. However, high resolutions patterns will give a better effects than lower ones. The design is converted into a raster image with the help of RIP software. As the operator gives the print command, the printer starts printing the socks.
The UniPrint socks printer gives 360-degree printing, ensuring seamless printing. The combination of CMYK 4 colors can print any color design.
Steaming
The steamer can steam up to 200 pairs of socks in one steaming cycle. Printed socks are hunged individually on the trolley, which moves into the steamer when the steamer’s temperature reaches the relevant setting. The steaming process lasts for 15 to 20 minutes at 102℃ + or –
Washing Cold +Hot
After the steaming procedure, socks get hot and cold-washed. In the cold cleaning process, soap and antifouling agents are added to the water. The process lasts for about 3 to 5 mins.
For hot washing, a color fixing agent and softener are added to the water. Socks are cleaned for 3 to 5 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius.
Dewatering and Drying
Post cold and hot washing, socks are dewatered again. After that, they are dried at a temperature between 80 to 90°C for about 30 minutes. The drying time varies depending on how many socks are being dried altogether.
Why Choose Us
Your Reliable Partner for Digital Socks Printing Solutions
What We Do
UniPrint is one of the trustworthy socks printing solution providers in China. We offer advanced printing solutions, helping socks printing companies meet their customers’ requirements for customization.
We have been supplying digital printing solutions since 2015. UniPrint offers a wide range of digital socks printers. In addition to socks printers, we provide DTF printers, T-shirt printers, sublimation printers, and more. We also offer a custom printing service for t-shirts and socks.
Professional Team
UniPrint has a team of professionals with experience of a decade on average. The team offers full support for both pre-and post-sales services. Our professionals also offer assistance with the operation and maintenance of socks printers.
One-Year Warranty
All our socks printing machines come with a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects. The warranty does not apply to the ink system and its related parts. In addition, we offer lifetime free machine maintenance to our loyal customers.
Up-to-Date Printing Technology
The UniPrint socks printing machine uses advanced printing technology that ensures quality prints. It supports high printing speed and comes with several features. As the printer supports print-on-demand, it saves time, labor, and money.
On-time Customer Support
UniPrint commits to providing its customers with on-time customer support. You can reach us via phone, email, WhatsApp, and WeChat. We also answer queries related to printer’s operation and maintenance.
Equipment and Service
Customize your socks, t-shirts, hoodies, and seamless wear with our digital printers
- Technology: Scanning Printing technology
- Print head: EPSON DX5
- Print speed:40pairs/hour
- Print width:1200mm
- Print mode:2socks per cycle
- Print Diameter:70mm/82mm/88mm
- Application: Socks/sleeves
- Technology: Spiral Printing technology
- Print head: EPSON 7610/i1600/i3200
- Print speed:50pairs/hour
- Print width:1100mm
- Print mode:1sock per cycle
- Print Diameter:70mm/82mm/88mm/260/290/320/360mm or custom(Max400mm)
- Application: Socks/sleeves/Seamless wear etc
Socks Heater
A socks heater used to cures &dry socks’ surface ink adhesion. It can cure 40 pcs. of socks simultaneously. Heating capacity of up to 400 pairs of socks every hour. Enough to support 4~5units socks printer production
Socks Steamer
UniPrint socks steamer used for cotton/nylon/wool/bamboo socks digital printing post process. The function is to steam printed socks at high temperatures and help with color fixation into yarns.
Socks Washer
UniPrint socks washer is capable of bulk washing. It comes with a feature-rich temperature control system to manage the accurate rinsing process.
Socks Dewater
The UniPrint industrial socks dewater machine removes extra water from socks. It allows you to do different dewatering capacity settings as per your needs.
Socks Dryer
UniPrint socks dryer can dry different types of fabrics. Since the dryer revolves 360 degrees, socks dry from all sides. The dryer features a triangle belt transmission and makes low noise. You can set different drying capacities in the dryer as per your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have put together a few frequently asked questions to provide you with more information about UniPrint and its benefits
The UniPrint socks printing solution lets you print socks of different materials. You can print socks made of cotton, bamboo, wool, nylon, polyester, etc. However, the curing processes vary depending on the material of the socks. Furthermore, different materials require distinct inks. For example, reactive ink is ideal for cotton socks, while sublimation ink is suitable for polyester socks.
Yes, you can use blended material for socks printing. However, the printing quality will depend on the ink type and ratio of the fabric materials used. If you are using 60% cotton and 40% polyester, test with reactive ink. After all, cotton material uses reactive dyes. The percentage of cotton should be higher as other materials won’t absorb reactive ink.
People who want to print on polyester socks, but looking for a cotton feel can make toe and heel with cotton. They can use sublimation ink for the part made of polyester yarn. Even if sublimation ink gets printed on the toe and heel a little bit, it will wash off eventually.
Although earnings depend on several factors, we can say that socks printing is a profitable business. The retail price for regular white/black socks is between 3 and 5$ per pair. However, custom print socks are sold at 15 to 25$ per pair.
Personalized socks, such as face socks, could be more costly. You can get an idea of how much money you can make from socks printing.
It depends on what sock material you want to print. For example, if you print polyester socks, the processes are simple. you will need to invest in a printer and heater only. It would cost you around 20000$ +.
On the contrary, if you print cotton socks, you will need to buy a dewatering machine, dryer, printer, steamer, washer, etc. It costs a considerable amount of money.
You can reach us at lily@uniprintcn.com for consulting more information
At UniPrint, we accept socks printing orders as well. We have set a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 100 pairs of polyester socks.
However, for cotton socks, it is 500 pairs/design/size. Even if you need socks in small numbers, you can place an order with us. It will cost you a little more than our standard price.
Yes, we can send you a free sample with our existing printed designs. Freight collect. also, you can send your socks for sampling. We will print the desired designs.
Download the template for socks printing.
We don’t charge anything if you want to see a sample of our printed socks(our existing socks). However, if you want us to print your design, it will cost you 50$ per pair. This is refundable if you buy printing machine sets from us.
Ps: The freight collect or express fee would be extra.
You can use an image of any format for printing, such as PDF, JPG, TIFF, PSD, etc. No matter what image format you choose, it is advisable to use an image with a resolution of 300 pixels.
The UniPrint spiral socks printer uses spiral printing technology. Even It prints 1 sock per time. It’s more humane to the operator. As you do not need to unload the roller each time you put on socks or other seamless clothing for printing. The printer features a motor-controlled roller, making it easy to adjust the roller height. And higher precision in printing.
In old models, it prints 2 socks per cycle. an operator needs to unload and upload the roller each time manually when creating a new print. Some workers may not have enough tall to pull out socks and create defects in prints. Furthermore. when facing to print large seamless wear. It will require 2 operators to hold the roller for installation and unloading.
Such an issue does not exist with a new printer model. Its single roller attached to the printer lets you print seamless wear quickly.
So, These old scanning socks printer models are suitable for printing socks/sleeves with small-diameter printing rollers.
The speed of the scan version printer is up to 40 pairs per hour, while the new model can complete a single printing cycle in 15~30 seconds. So it’s up to 50-pair/hour. Speed improved by 25%
The old printer with Epson DX5 printhead supports a maximum print resolution of up to 720*720dpi. On the contrary, with a new printer model, support with Epson i3200 printhead can achieve the max print resolution of 600*1800dpi.
Comparing the price, the spiral printer model has a higher price than the old scanning socks printer.
All-in-all, both printer types are designed to cater to people’s different needs. You can choose what meets your requirements.