33 / Printing, signage & branding
Branding kit that pays for itself in the first season
Heat presses, DTF and sublimation, vinyl cutters, engravers and embroidery sourced direct. This is the cheapest way into manufacturing in South Africa, and the most crowded — which makes the running cost per print matter far more than the price of the machine.
Machines we are currently placing
Every price below is landed, cleared and delivered. Ask about anything not listed — most of this class is available to order.
Embroidery machines (Single & multi-head)
Flat heat presses (38 × 38 – 60 × 80 cm)
Mug, cap & plate presses (Single & multi-station)
Sublimation printers (A4 – 1.8 m)
DTF printers & shakers (30 – 60 cm)
DTG printers (Platen sizes)
Vinyl cutters & plotters (60 cm – 1.8 m)
Eco-solvent & UV printers (1.6 – 3.2 m)
UV flatbed printers (60 × 90 cm and up)
Laser engravers & cutters (CO2 & fibre)
Screen printing (Manual & rotary carousel)
Laminators & applicators (Cold & hot)
Cutting tables & trimmers (Manual & powered)
Extraction & filtration (Fume & powder)
What we source in this line
Capacities below are the common bands. Tell us what you print on and how much of it and we'll size the kit to it.
| Equipment | Typical range | Worth specifying |
|---|---|---|
| Flat heat presses | 38 × 38 – 60 × 80 cm | Platen size, pressure adjustment, even heat |
| Mug, cap & plate presses | Single & multi-station | Attachment set included, temperature control |
| Sublimation printers | A4 – 1.8 m | Print head type, ink cost per ml, ICC profiles |
| DTF printers & shakers | 30 – 60 cm | Head count, powder shaker included, extraction |
| DTG printers | Platen sizes | Pretreatment requirement, head maintenance cost |
| Vinyl cutters & plotters | 60 cm – 1.8 m | Cutting force, contour cut sensor, software |
| Eco-solvent & UV printers | 1.6 – 3.2 m | Head type, ink system, media handling |
| UV flatbed printers | 60 × 90 cm and up | Bed size, object height, varnish capability |
| Laser engravers & cutters | CO2 & fibre | Bed size, tube or source wattage, extraction |
| Embroidery machines | Single & multi-head | Needle count, hoop sizes, digitising software |
| Screen printing | Manual & rotary carousel | Station count, registration, flash dryer |
| Laminators & applicators | Cold & hot | Roll width, heat range |
| Cutting tables & trimmers | Manual & powered | Working width, blade type |
| Extraction & filtration | Fume & powder | Airflow, filter type and replacement cost |
Not on the list? Send a photo or a model number — most printing and branding kit in this class is available.
What actually decides whether it works
Price is the easy part. In this line the machine is cheap and the running cost is where the business is won or lost.
Work out the cost per print before you buy
Two printers with the same price can differ by three times on ink and film per print. Ask what a litre of ink costs, what a metre of film costs, and how many prints that produces. In a crowded market that number, not the machine price, decides whether you make money.
The head is the machine, and it is consumable
Print heads wear out and they are the most expensive part. Ask which head the machine uses, what a replacement costs, whether it is available in South Africa, and how long one typically lasts. A cheap printer using a head nobody stocks here is a disposable machine.
DTF powder and laser fumes need extracting
This is a health requirement, not a preference. DTF shakers throw fine powder and laser cutters produce fumes that must be filtered or ducted out. Budget for the extraction with the machine rather than discovering it once the shop smells.
Even heat and even pressure is what separates presses
Every heat press claims a temperature. The difference between a good one and a cheap one is whether that temperature is the same across the whole platen and stays there under load. Uneven presses produce work you cannot sell and you will not see it until the fifth garment.
Check your phase and your capacity first
South Africa runs 230 V single phase and 400 V three phase at 50 Hz, and so does most equipment built for 50 Hz markets. Most of this kit is single phase and undemanding, but a large flatbed, a laser chiller and a compressor together add up. Confirm the amps before you order.
You're trading the dealer network for the price
That's the honest trade. There is no branded technician on standby. Budget for a relationship with a good local technician, and buy with that in mind — which is an argument for machines using widely available heads and standard components.
Print shops ask these
Will it run on South African power?
Yes, if it is specified correctly — we specify 50 Hz equipment for a 50 Hz country. Most of this equipment is single phase and straightforward. We confirm voltage against your actual supply before ordering, and we will tell you when something needs a dedicated circuit.
What does it actually cost me per print?
That is the question we ask suppliers on your behalf, because it decides your margin far more than the machine price does. We ask for ink and film cost, coverage per litre or per roll, and head life, and we put those figures on the quote next to the price.
Can I get ink, film and heads locally?
For the common systems, generally yes, and that is a reason to prefer them. Where a machine uses a proprietary consumable we say so plainly, because it means every future order goes through one supplier at whatever price they set.
Which should I start with — DTF, sublimation or vinyl?
It depends on what you sell. Sublimation only works on polyester and hard-coated blanks; DTF works on almost anything including cotton and dark garments; vinyl is cheapest to start and slowest per unit. Tell us your customers and we will say which we would buy first.
Tell us what you print on, not the model number
What you produce, roughly how much of it, and the space and power you have — that's enough for us to come back with options, a landed price in Rand and a realistic delivery date.
- No obligation and no cost to quote
- Options at more than one build quality
- Landed price — duty, VAT and delivery included
- We reply within one working day