Digital printing applies the design directly to fabric from a computer file through inkjet print heads, with no screens to engrave, and in Surat the minimum order quantity (MOQ) is low, often a few hundred metres or less per design. This makes it the usual choice for sampling, small collections and designs with many colours or photographic detail. The cost per metre is higher than rotary printing and the machines are slower, so it stops being economical somewhere in the low thousands of metres per design. A buyer who understands where that crossover sits can split an order between the two methods sensibly.
How it works in a Surat process house
Fabric is pre-treated with a coating that holds the ink in place, then printed on a wide-format machine using reactive, disperse or pigment inks depending on the fibre. After printing, the fabric is steamed or heat-fixed to set the dye and then washed and finished. For polyester, many units use sublimation transfer paper instead of printing directly, which is cheaper and gives sharp results on 100 percent polyester. Viscose and cotton are printed directly with reactive inks, and the washing step is where colour fastness is won or lost.
Typical MOQs and what drives them
- Direct digital on polyester or viscose: often a few hundred metres per design, with some units accepting less for repeat customers.
- Sublimation transfer on polyester: can be lower still, since the paper is printed on demand and the heat press handles short lengths easily.
- Sampling: strike-offs of a few metres per design are normal, and most units will run several designs on one length for approval.
- Mixed orders: several designs on the same base fabric can usually share one MOQ, which is a major advantage over rotary.
- What raises the MOQ: unusual base fabrics that need their own pre-treatment, wide widths and tight delivery dates.
Strengths and limits
Digital printing handles unlimited colours, fine gradients and photographic repeats without the registration problems of screens. Repeats can be any size, and a design change costs nothing beyond a new file. The limits are speed, cost per metre and sometimes colour depth, since very deep blacks and bright reds can be harder to achieve than on rotary. Colour matching between a screen proof and fabric needs care, so always approve a printed strike-off on the actual base fabric rather than a paper or on-screen image.
How we help
We visit the process units that do the printing and check their pre-treatment, fixing and washing steps, since these decide fastness more than the printer does. We audit the units, send sealed samples to an NABL-accredited lab for colour fastness to washing and rubbing, inspect rolls before loading and supervise loading. Weekly updates keep you informed, and we hold one approved printer plus one backup. If you are planning a printed range, a free 20-minute sourcing review will help you decide what to print digitally and what to run on rotary.