Brother International Australia has launched the GTX300NC, a garment printer that runs both Direct to Garment (DTG) and Direct to Film (DTF) processes from the one unit.
Most decorators today run DTG and DTF as separate processes, often on separate machines, because the two methods suit different fabrics – DTG prints directly onto cotton, while DTF prints onto film that's then heat-transferred onto polyester, blends and performance wear.
The GTX300NC is built to switch between the two on demand, which Brother positions as a way to take on a wider mix of jobs – such as T-shirts, hoodies, polos, kidswear, tote bags, canvas, denim, workwear, sleeve prints and pocket placements – without adding a dedicated printer for each fabric type.
In practice, that means an operator can print a cotton T-shirt run directly onto garments, then reload the same printer with film to produce transfers for a polyester or blended-fabric order, rather than routing that second job to different equipment or an outside supplier.
Brother says the intent is to let a single GTX300NC work across a broader range of customer requests than a DTG-only or DTF-only setup would allow.
The hybrid capability sits inside a front-facing design, with garment loading, platen access, consumable replacement and daily maintenance all handled from the operator's side of the machine. Platens use quick-release levers and swap in seconds – relevant when a job mix means moving between DTG and DTF setups within a shift.
The machine ships with a 355.6mm x 420.1mm (14in x 16.54in) Regular Platen, with an optional 406.4mm x 533.4mm (16in x 21in) Wide Platen sold separately for larger print areas.
DTF-specific engineering
As DTF is one half of the hybrid workflow, Brother has added features aimed specifically at film handling.
Magnetic strips on both platens are designed to hold film flat during loading, addressing a common source of misalignment and wasted film in cut-sheet DTF work.
The GTX Graphics Lab software, included with the printer, is built to handle design and print preparation for both DTG and DTF jobs from one interface rather than requiring separate software for each process.
Speed is a secondary benefit of the same engineering changes. Brother's published figures show the GTX300NC completing CMYK printing on light garments in approximately 41 seconds and CMYK+W printing on dark garments in 63 seconds, with DTF cut-sheet jobs at approximately 75 seconds – improvements the company attributes to an upgraded carriage drive system and newly developed print heads across both print modes, not just one.
Print quality across both processes
Output quality claims apply equally to DTG and DTF work – 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, ICC colour profiling, and Brother's Innobella Textile inks, a five-colour CMYKW water-based pigment system with AATCC Wash Fastness Test Grade 4 certification and ECO PASSPORT certification for use on children's clothing.
A new White Enhancement Function in the GTX Graphics Lab software is designed to produce brighter white base layers with reduced colour bleed on dark garments, regardless of which print process is used.
Managing a hybrid workflow at scale
The GTX300NC connects to Brother's Device Core cloud dashboard, which tracks total print counts, ink usage and error information in real time over a network connection.
Combined with the 7-inch touchscreen's illustrated maintenance and troubleshooting guides, automated maintenance functions and continuous white ink circulation, Brother positions the monitoring layer as support for operators running a mixed DTG/DTF job queue across one or more machines.
According to Greg Benardos, national sales manager (DTG) at Brother International Australia, the GTX300NC is intended to let businesses expand production without adding operational complexity.
“Today's businesses need equipment that can adapt to changing customer demands without adding unnecessary complexity to their workflow,” he said.
“The Brother GTX300NC will make it easier to produce a wider range of products while delivering the speed, print quality and reliability Brother is known for.”
The Brother GTX300NC is backed by a 12-month onsite warranty, including printheads.