The new system is the result of a six-month collaboration between the two companies.

It is roll-fed and combines a 60cm-wide PET film with pigment-based textile inks.

After printing in a Resolute R-Jet Pro direct-to-film printer, the film goes through a unit that lightly coats it with a “unique” hot melt adhesive powder. The resulting transfer is then cured using an inline ‘Shake & Bake’ unit or a traditional dryer.

The R-Jet Pro has dual-CMYK and eight white channels.

The finished transfer can then be applied immediately to garments or textiles using a heat press. No pre-treatment is required.

It is suitable for use with a wide range of materials including “cotton, polyester, leather, softshell, performance fabrics, pique blends, canvas, denim and much more”, with the special inks used delivering a result that is durable and stretchable, with “incredible feel”, according to The Magic Touch. 

A complete system incorporating printer, Shake & Bake unit, RIP, inks, films and powders is £15,000 plus VAT and includes installation, training and warranty support.

The Magic Touch managing director Jim Nicol described the system as a “game changer” that could bridge the gap between direct-to-garment printing, screen printing, and existing transfer printing methods.

He said the direct-to-film process was “simply the best new transfer solution for many, many years”.

“With our transfer experience combined with Resolute’s knowledge and experience with DTG we believe we have the perfect combination to market and more importantly support this product beyond customer expectations. This really is a game changer for this industry”.

Nicol said the finished transfers had a shelf life of more than two years, and could be batch printed for application at a later date, or be shipped elsewhere for application.

“The finished product is superb and the cost per full colour transfer is the lowest possible,” he added.

Chesterfield-based Resolute also launched a low-cost DTG system earlier this year.