Patent ID: 11712121

Abstract:
A direct-to-garment personalization system for personalizing an article has a direct-to-garment printer configured to print a graphic onto the article and a packaged article. The packaged article includes the article to be printed and a packaging. The packaging has an upper packaging portion having a top wall; a print-access window formed in the top wall sized and shaped to accommodate access for a direct-to-garment printer; and a plurality of sidewalls connected to the top wall. The packaging has a lower packaging portion having a bottom wall; a print-access window formed in the bottom wall sized and shaped to accommodate access for a direct-to-garment printer; and a plurality of sidewalls connect to the bottom wall. The packaging also has a stiffener configured to support the article in the lower packaging portion, wherein the article has a printable area lying flat against a front side of the stiffener and has a portion folded around the stiffener. The packaging further includes a retainer for securing the folded portion of the article on a back side of the stiffener, wherein the retainer and the stiffener keep the printable area taut during printing. The system also includes a storage area containing the packaged article, and a transfer system for retrieving the packaged article from the storage area and for moving the packaged article to the direct-to-garment printer.