The custom garment printing industry achieved breakthrough status with direct-to-film (DTF) printing, which rapidly established itself as an innovative technology. The ability to easily place intricate designs onto various fabrics creates an appealing fantasy that comes true through DTF printing. DTF printing enables users to achieve their dream of creating vibrant designs on any fabric type. DTF printing becomes your flexible artistic tool, which helps individuals who want to create branded apparel start-ups as well as traditional print shops and textile art enthusiasts explore previously inaccessible opportunities.

Do you understand why DTF printing has emerged as a prominent player in the printing industry? Well, DTF eliminates fabric discrimination, which distinguishes it from screen and direct-to-garment printing methods. DTF printing accommodates all materials without discrimination, including cotton, polyester, nylon, leather, fabric mixes, and any surface materials.

Prompted by how DTF offers unmatched quality combined with flexible applications, it keeps growing in popularity. DTF printing attracts business users because it displays bright designs that dominate audiences rather than simply attracting attention. Your designs will shine from the day they come out of press production, along with enduring wash cycles and continuous wear. The art of DTF goes beyond mere printing because it enables artists to express their creative ideas with absolute vividness regardless of the material they work on.

This blog is all about DTF printing, its pros and cons, and whether it's the right choice for you! Let's go! 

What is DTF printing? 

The major question that comes to your mind is, what exactly is DTF printing? Don't worry, we have the perfect explanation for you! DTF printing is one of the techniques of textile printing. It means to apply designs or patterns on the fabric of any kind. But what makes DTF printing so special? Well, under DTF printing, we first print designs on a special film, and thereafter, with the help of the film, we transfer the design onto the fabric. To use this method of printing, we use a special kind of ink that sticks to both the film and the fabric at the same time. 

Furthermore, the best part about DTF printing is that there is no pre-treatment of fabric required. You can use this printing method on any type of fabric, like cotton, nylon, leather, blends, polyester, and even non-textile materials.  

How to print DTF transfers?

Printing a DTF transfer involves a step-by-step process, but once you understand the correct method, it becomes effortless for you! Let's unfold the process of DTF printing through the following steps: 

Step 1 Prepare the design 

Design preparation starts with creating designs using professional graphic design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or CorelDRAW. The printing quality depends heavily on creating high-resolution images while establishing proper color layers and using white underbase layers if required.

Step 2 Printing on PET film 

The specialized DTF printer applies design content to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film through its printing process. DTF printers differ from traditional inkjet devices because they use textile inks with white ink to achieve visible imagery on dark fabric surfaces.

Step 3 Use adhesive powder 

The printed design gets an even distribution of adhesive powder as the ink stays wet. The powder functions as the essential element that enables the film to stick properly to fabrics when the transfer method occurs.

Step 4 Lets cure the print 

A heat press along with a curing oven or heat gun creates the final product after the printed and powdered film completes its process. The adhesive becomes set at this stage before transferring it onto fabric.

Step 5 Transferring the print onto the fabric 

The prepared PET film receives application under heat pressure from a heat press device, so ink and adhesive bond with fabric fibers.

Step 6 Peel the film 

The paper can be removed from the PET film immediately after pressing, as hot-peeling or cold-peeling requires waiting until it cools before extraction. The final phase displays an enduring, high-quality print with rich color on the fabric material.

What do I need to print DTF transfers?

To print DTF transfers, from designing to getting the perfect, new addition for your wardrobe, all you need are seven things. 

1. DTF printers

2. DTF inks

3. PET films

4. Adhesive powder

5. Curing oven or heat gun

6. Heat press machine

7. Software

How much does DTF equipment cost?

As mentioned above, you will need seven things to start a DTF printing business. DTF requires a high investment initially, but later on, it's just you and your equipment that do the business. To determine the right cost of the DTF printing equipment, check the following table: 

What is the difference between DTF, DTG, and white toner printing?

To understand the clear difference between DTF, DTG, and white toner printing, look at the following table: 

 

Pros and Cons of DTF Printing

Pros:

Versatility stands among the greatest advantages of DTF printing. DTF printing behaves differently from conventional printing techniques because it can function on a wide variety of fabrics consisting of cotton along with polyester as well as blends between different materials and nylon and leather and additional textile types. DTF offers enough functionality to serve business operations that require addressing various customer requirements.

In a practical sense, DTF provides durable print results. The designs show elastic properties during stretches and preserve their original colors no matter how often the product gets washed. The high ability of such printing to create durable designs with intricate patterns makes them excellent for use in apparel production.

DTF printing does not need any upfront preparative process as another key advantage. The fabric pre-treatment requirement of DTG printing is omitted by DTF printing, which leads to faster production and reduced expenses.

DTF printing offers excellent cost-effectiveness along with its other benefits. The printing process uses lower ink amounts than DTG while needing reduced steps and dispensing with costly pre-treatment solutions, which makes DTF an affordable manufacturing choice for business printing.

DTF printing possesses high scalability features among its other attributes. The system operates at high speed, which allows use among both individual customers printing custom products and businesses running mass production operations. Business enterprises distribute large bulk orders effectively at desirable quality levels.

Cons:

Employing DTF printing results in many advantages, but business operators should consider its associated disadvantages. The main obstacle regarding DTF printing starts with its expensive initial setup costs. Suitable DTF printer equipment, along with a heat press, curing oven, and other required equipment, demands a considerable initial financial investment.

Acquiring mastery of the DTF printing process requires new users to deal with an initial learning process. Effective results from adhesive powder   and transfer techniques demand practice to master them properly.

Maintaining white ink printing involves regular maintenance tasks that pose a disadvantage to users. Successful functioning of DTF printers depends on regular circulation of white ink because the ink has a tendency to settle and cause clogging, which requires regular maintenance upkeep to avoid printer performance deterioration.

Is DTF printing what you’re looking for?

DTF printing provides businesses with an excellent printing method that delivers versatile and cost-effective, high-quality results across multiple fabrics. This industrial technique is notable for its durability, bright results, and straightforward implementation methods. Any new or established print shop benefits strongly from DTF printers and their corresponding materials.

Begin your DTF printing experience with proper equipment along with resources to elevate the operations of your custom apparel business.

Why choose “WE MUST” for your DTF needs?

If you're looking for premium DTF printing solutions, WE MUST is the company you should approach. By offering top-notch DTF printers, PET films of the best quality, and leading-edge DTF inks on the market, we guarantee your business will get the best potential outcomes. Whether your company is small and you are considering growing it or you are just starting, our experienced advice and wide range of products will ensure its flawless operation.

Because we provide competitive pricing, consistent customer service, and a wide range of DTF printing materials—which meet all of your printing needs—We Must is the perfect partner.

So what are you waiting for? Connect with us and let us make the best DTF prints for you! 

Frequently asked questions 

1. What services are We Must currently offering its customers involved in DTF printing businesses?

We Must provide businesses with an entire package of DTF printing equipment that contains superior printers and PET films and premium DTF ink along with adhesive powders. Businesses using We Must receive both technical guidance and specialized resources that assist them in establishing optimal printing operations.

2. Do We Must provide both custom printing services and apparel? 

In addition to its supply of DTF apparel, We Must operates a division for custom printing services. The team at We Must provides assistance for both ready-to-use DTF transfers and large-scale printing projects that help customers transform their designs.

3. How We Must ensure the quality standards of our DTF products?

We must perform extensive testing of their entire DTF printing product line to guarantee exceptional performance together with durability and bright color rendering. We obtain our supplies from reliable manufacturers, which guarantees clients receive expert-level materials for their printing needs.

4. Can I get bulk pricing or wholesale discounts at We Must?

Yes! We Must provide big business clients with discounted prices combined with wholesale benefits when they buy their DTF supply products in bulk. People who wish to acquire specialized pricing should reach out to the company's sales staff for customized rates.