In textile digital printing, cost decisions often begin with ink pricing. Many businesses compare suppliers based on the price per litre, assuming that lower ink prices automatically improve profitability. However, this approach misses a crucial reality—the real cost driver is not ink cost, but print cost vs ink cost.
Understanding this difference can significantly impact long-term efficiency and margins.
Understanding Ink Cost and Print Cost
Ink cost is straightforward. It refers to the amount paid to purchase ink. Print cost, however, reflects the total expense involved in producing finished, usable printed fabric.
Print cost includes:
- Ink consumption per running meter
- Colour consistency across batches
- Machine downtime and maintenance cycles
- Reprints due to shade mismatch or defects
- Time lost in calibration and cleaning
When businesses evaluate print cost vs ink cost, they begin to see how production inefficiencies quietly increase expenses.
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