dtg connection

What dtg connection does

Printer Biz, operating as DTG Connection, LLC, is a Fountain Valley, California-based reseller and distributor of direct-to-garment (DTG), direct-to-film (DTF), and hybrid garment printing equipment, supplies, and support services. The company markets a multi-OEM product portfolio spanning entry-level desktop units (Uninet iColor 560 at $3,995; Uninet 100 bundle at $4,149) through production-class systems (UNINET DTF 6000 at $30,500; Hawk DTF at $21,995), including its own-branded XLabs X2 DTG/DTF hybrid printer. It also distributes commercial embroidery machines (Advance 1501C), white toner transfer printers, pretreatment solutions, ink, film, and accessories. An AI Support Assistant chatbot, launched in August 2025, provides 24/7 text-based technical support for owners of three specific printer models.

The business operates a direct-to-buyer model combining e-commerce (printerbiz.com) with consultative phone-based selling, supplemented by financing facilitated through Synchrony Financial and Quickspark. Revenue derives from one-time hardware sales, recurring consumables and supplies, training and support services, and financing referrals. Pricing is segmented across three tiers—entry-level under $7,000 for side hustles, mid-range $7,000-$15,000 for growing shops, and production-class above $15,000 for high-volume operations—with bundles typically including accessories, supplies, and training. The company targets a horizontal customer base spanning side-hustle and Etsy operators (5-25 garments/week), growing small print shops (30-80 garments/day), and full-time production operations (80-150+ transfers/day).

Founded in May 2020 by former AnaJet/Ricoh DTG executives Karl Tipre, Adam Tipre, and Paul Crocker, the company is privately held with 1-10 employees, no disclosed institutional backing, and US-only distribution. It rebranded from DTG Connection to Printer Biz in July 2025 to reflect broadened positioning beyond pure DTG, and earned inclusion in Digital Output magazine's Readers' Choice Top 50 in December 2025. Distribution is conducted through the company website and a phone sales line (888-676-8458), with M-F 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM PST availability.

Name

dtg connection

Legal name

DTG Connection, LLC

Website

https://dtgconnection.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Printer Biz (formerly DTG Connection) is a Fountain Valley, CA-based reseller of DTG, DTF, hybrid, and embroidery printing equipment and supplies, serving custom apparel decorators from side-hustle startups to production shops via consultative direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Textile Printing Equipment

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermal & Label Printers (HDACAEAC)

Keywords

• Direct to garment printers
• Direct to film printers
• Custom apparel printing equipment
• Digital textile printing supplies
• Commercial embroidery machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Fountain Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of DTG printers, DTF printers, DTG/DTF hybrid printers, embroidery machines, and related equipment. Products are sold as standalone printers or in bundles that include accessories, supplies, and training.
2. Consumables and Supplies: Sale of ink, toner, pretreatment solutions, DTF film, adhesive powder, cleaning supplies, and parts/accessories for the printer equipment sold.
3. Training and Support Services: Virtual onboarding, training sessions, and technical support services offered as add-on purchases or included with certain bundles.
4. Financing Services: Facilitation of equipment financing through partnerships with Synchrony and Quickspark, offering 0% financing and low monthly payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Printer Biz (formerly DTG Connection) sells DTG printers, DTF printers, DTG/DTF hybrid printers, white toner transfer printers, and commercial embroidery machines from brands including XLabs, Epson, UNINET, xTool, Prestige, Hawk, and ColDesi, alongside inks, pretreatment solutions, DTF film, and parts/accessories. The company provides bundled packages with accessories, supplies, and training, plus consultative pre-sale guidance and post-sale technical support including a 24/7 AI Support Assistant. Equipment financing is facilitated through Synchrony Financial and Quickspark partnerships.

Product overview

Printer Biz (formerly DTG Connection) offers a comprehensive portfolio of garment printing equipment and supplies. The core product line includes DTG and DTF printers from multiple brands (XLabs, Epson, UNINET, xTool, Prestige, Hawk), hybrid printers that support both DTG and DTF workflows, white toner transfer printers (iColor 560), and commercial embroidery machines. Accessories include heat presses, curing ovens, pretreatment solutions, cleaning supplies, and DTF film. The company also provides an AI Support Assistant chatbot for technical support. The portfolio serves various business sizes from entry-level home-based operations to full-scale production shops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• XLabs X2 DTG/DTF Hybrid Printer Versatile DTG/DTF hybrid printer offering both direct-to-garment and direct-to-film printing capabilities in one machine, with WiFi connectivity and a 7-inch touchscreen. Targeted at small and mid-market custom apparel decorators.
• Epson F1070 DTG/DTF Hybrid Printer Entry-level DTG/DTF hybrid printer from Epson offering dual-technology printing capabilities on 110V standard power, targeted at home-based and entry-level custom apparel shops.
• Epson F2270 DTG/DTF Hybrid Printer Production-grade DTG/DTF hybrid printer from Epson with lower ink cost per print at volume, built for shops running 200+ shirts per week.
• UNINET Xpress DTF Printer Industrial-compact production DTF printer with inline powder applicator, designed to fit through a standard 30-inch doorway and operate on 120V standard power.
• UNINET DTF 6000 Printer Package Production-level DTF printer with 2 next-gen printheads, embedded roll feeder, and in-line powder applicator; positioned as 200-400% more productive than DTG systems priced between $20,000-$50,000.
• UNINET DTF 100 (Sheet Fed) Printer Bundle Entry-level sheet-fed DTF printer handling up to A3+ size (13 x 19 inches), positioned as the most cost-effective solution for on-demand DTF transfers in home settings.
• UNINET DTF 1000 (Roll Fed) Printer Bundle Entry-level roll-fed DTF printer handling up to 13 inches width, designed for small-scale production with full-color DTF transfers.
• xTool Apparel Printer All-in-one DTF printer that prints, powders, and cures in a single pass, running on standard 110V power for small and home-based print shops.
• Prestige R2 Pro 13-inch DTF Roll Printer High-output production DTF printer for shops stepping up from desktop equipment.
• Epson G6070 DTF Printer Next-generation DTF system built for speed, consistency, and serious production with Epson's industrial ink system and print head reliability.
• Hawk DTF Printer Package 24-inch 2-head high-speed DTF printer with stand and bulk hardware (i3200 premium heads), capable of up to 250 T-shirts per hour.
• Uninet iColor 560 White Toner Transfer Printer Toner-based digital transfer printer with exclusive white overprint and underprint capabilities in a single pass for transfer production of apparel, textile, hard surfaces, and more.
• Advance 1501C Commercial Embroidery Machine 12-needle embroidery machine with 10.1-inch full-color touch screen, 1200 SPM maximum speed, 28 on-board fonts, and WiFi connectivity, targeted at commercial embroidery businesses.
• Inks & Toner Consumable ink and toner supplies for the printers sold, including DTG inks, DTF inks, and white toner for the iColor 560.
• Printing Supplies (Pretreatment, Cleaning, Media) Consumable supplies including DTG pretreatment solutions, DTF film, adhesive powder, cleaning supplies, and media for use with the printers sold.
• Parts & Accessories Replacement parts and accessories for the printers sold, supporting ongoing maintenance and uptime.
• AI Support Assistant AI-powered chatbot providing 24/7 technical support for XLabs X2, XTF Pro, and UNINET Xpress DTF printer owners based on Printer Biz's service manuals and documentation.
• Equipment Financing Facilitation Equipment financing facilitated through Synchrony Financial (0% financing for credit score 640+) and Quickspark (alternative for credit score below 640), with payments as low as $285/month.
• Training and Onboarding Services Virtual onboarding, training sessions, and post-sale technical support offered as add-on purchases or included with certain bundles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% business growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNINETcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized reseller of UNINET DTF printers including DTF 100, DTF 1000, DTF 6000, and DTF Xpress. Partnership includes access to UNINET DTF RIP software, inks, and support services.
• EpsoncoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized reseller of Epson SureColor garment printers including F1070, F2270, and G6070 models. Offers hybrid DTG/DTF capabilities with Epson technology.
• xToolcoreTechnology or IntegrationReseller of xTool apparel printers including DTF starter bundles and all-in-one bundles with OS1 shaker ovens.
• ColDesicoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Advance commercial embroidery machines including the 1201C and 1501C models. Includes training, warranty, and ongoing support.
• RICOHcoreTechnology or IntegrationFormer authorized reseller of RICOH Ri 1000 direct-to-garment printers. Company leadership includes former RICOH DTG executives.
• My Ready ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraphics prep service partner to help customers with artwork preparation for printing projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kornit Digital: Publicly-traded global leader in industrial DTG and on-demand production printing systems for apparel. Sits above Printer Biz in scale and price points (enterprise/production-grade) but competes for the same end customer spending on custom garment printing equipment.
• Epson: Major printer OEM whose SureColor F1070, F2270, and G6070 DTG/DTF models Printer Biz resells. Functions simultaneously as a key supplier and a broad incumbent offering direct purchasing and dealer alternatives to Printer Biz's channel.
• Aeoon Technologies: Austrian manufacturer of high-speed industrial DTG printers serving production-scale apparel decorators. Comparable technology category but focused on enterprise customers rather than SMB/entry-level buyers.
• M&R Companies: Large manufacturer and supplier of screen printing, DTG, and dryers/finishing equipment to commercial print shops. Targets higher-volume and enterprise decorators, partially overlapping Printer Biz's full-time production shop segment.

Direct peers

• Coastal Business Supplies: Distributor of DTG and DTF printers, ink, pretreatment, and supplies to the custom apparel decoration market. Directly comparable product mix and customer base with overlapping brand relationships.
• All American Print Supply: Reseller of DTG and DTF printing equipment and consumables targeting small and mid-sized custom apparel decorators. Similar GTM motion and customer segments as Printer Biz.
• STS Inks (STS Refills): Specializes in DTG ink refills, replacement cartridges, and printer consumables for the same custom garment printing customer base. Directly comparable in the consumables/supply side of the value chain.
• Heat Transfer Warehouse: Multi-channel reseller of heat presses, DTF printers, vinyl cutters, and garment decoration supplies serving the same SMB custom apparel printing customer. Operates a similar consultative sales model and overlapping product portfolio across the same price tiers.
• ProWorld: Long-standing DTG equipment and supplies reseller serving small businesses and entrepreneurs in custom apparel printing. Overlapping product mix and consultative sales approach targeting the same SMB decorators.
• ColDesi: Manufacturer and direct seller of DTG, DTF, and embroidery equipment including the Advance and iColor product lines. ColDesi is both a partner (Advance embroidery machines) and the most directly comparable competitor to Printer Biz in the garment printing equipment channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dtgconnection
• Facebookfacebook.com/PrinterBizUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dtg-connection
• Instagraminstagram.com/printerbiz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about dtg connection