Q&A: Phil Walker Director, DTG UK

DTG UK co-founder Phil Walker has spent eight years in printing, graduating from using a tiny vinyl cutter in a back bedroom to a state-of-the-art direct-to-garment printing setup in dedicated premises in Milton Keynes. He’s married with two children and enjoys football and F1 racing.

What is your nickname? 

(Filthy) Phil – I won’t explain why…!

Why did you get into printing? 

We started doing it as a way to generate more income while having full-time jobs, but we soon started to earn more printing part-time than working full-time

What would be your dream job? 

Racing car driver

Who would play you in a movie about your life? 

Will from the Inbetweeners

What is your dream bit of kit? 

Kornit Vulcan

What is your favourite TV programme? 

Only Fools and Horses

Who or what do you hate the most? 

When a garment is spoiled during print – especially the higher end items

What is your favourite album? 

Metallica, The Black Album

What are you reading at the moment? 

Embarrassingly I haven’t read any books in years!

Cat or dog, or…? 

No pets!

What is the strangest job you’ve had? 

Taking money off foot passengers to a car boot 

Who would you like to be stuck on a desert island with? 

Bear Grylls – hopefully then I could put my feet up while he does all the work for me

What is your greatest ambition? 

To have the business run itself without my input or co-director’s input and pass the business down to children

What’s your greatest fear? 

Doing a skydive from an aeroplane

Who or what makes you laugh? 

Only Fools and Horses never fails to deliver

What piece of kit would you like to see invented? 

A time travel machine

Which celebrity would you like to get out of here?

Donald Trump

Where would you like to be right now? 

Australia

Which superpower would you like to have? 

Bernard’s watch – freezing time would be brilliant and the possibilities would be endless

Who would be your favourite party guests? 

Formula 1 drivers

Where would you go if you could time-travel? 

Back to 1600s London

What was your childhood obsession? 

Getting the weekly edition of Match magazine from my local village shop

Life is…? 

Amazing…most of the time!