Branding Guide
Digital Printing
A direct-to-product printing method ideal for detailed, full-colour artwork, gradients and designs that require greater colour flexibility.
What is digital printing?
Digital printing applies artwork directly onto the product surface using digital print technology, without the separate screens or printing plates required by some traditional methods.
It allows detailed, multi-colour artwork to be reproduced and is particularly useful for designs containing gradients, fine detail or a broad range of colours.
Within the Ecosource range, Digital Printing brings together the relevant supplier methods already mapped to this customer-facing branding method, including Digital UV and round digital options where available.
How digital printing works
Digital artwork is sent to the printing equipment, which applies ink directly to the product surface. With UV digital printing, the ink is cured using UV light during the printing process.
- 1
Artwork prepared
Digital artwork is prepared at the correct dimensions and resolution.
- 2
Product positioned
The product is secured in the appropriate position for printing.
- 3
Image printed
The printer applies the artwork directly onto the product surface.
- 4
Ink cured
Where UV printing is used, UV light cures the ink to create the finished print.
Best for
- Full-colour artwork — Well suited to designs requiring multiple colours without separate screens for each colour.
- Fine detail — Suitable for artwork containing smaller details and more complex graphics.
- Gradients & tonal variation — Digital printing can reproduce effects that are difficult to achieve with traditional spot-colour printing methods.
- Detailed logos & graphics — A strong option where the artwork itself is an important visual feature of the finished product.
Benefits
- Full-colour capability — Allows complex and colourful artwork to be reproduced directly onto suitable products.
- High level of detail — Particularly useful for intricate graphics and artwork requiring greater visual detail.
- No individual colour screens — Unlike screen printing, separate screens are not generally required for each artwork colour.
- Versatile branding — Available across a wide variety of suitable promotional products in the Ecosource catalogue.
Things to consider
- Digital Printing is not available on every product or every surface.
- The achievable print area, artwork detail and finished appearance depend on the product material, shape and specific digital-printing option available.
- Artwork quality is particularly important. Low-resolution artwork may not produce the desired result simply because the printing method itself supports fine detail.
- Always refer to the individual product's available branding positions and maximum print areas.
Digital printing variations
Digital UV Printing
Ink is printed directly onto the product surface and cured using UV light.
Round / Circular Digital Printing
Available on selected cylindrical products where the printing equipment supports branding around more of the product surface.
360° / XL Digital Printing
Available on selected products where a larger or extended digital branding area is supported.
Preparing artwork for digital printing
High-quality artwork is important because Digital Printing is capable of reproducing considerable detail.
Vector artwork is ideal for logos and graphics, while suitable high-resolution raster artwork may be used for photographic or detailed designs where supported.
Artwork should be supplied at sufficient resolution and at the appropriate proportions for the available branding area.
Have detailed or full-colour artwork?
Send us your artwork and we'll help determine whether Digital Printing is the right option for your product.
Where can my artwork go?
Available Digital Printing positions and maximum print areas vary by product.
Explore products available with Digital Printing
Browse promotional products in the Ecosource range that support Digital Printing.