DTF Transfer Film

Artwork printed onto film, powdered with adhesive, then heat pressed onto the garment. It goes onto almost anything, which is why it is the fallback when the fabric rules out everything else.

Minimum order: 1 piece
Colour ceiling: Full colour
Maximum size: 11 x 14 in
Laundering: High

Configure with DTF Transfer Film Quantity bands

Macro detail. The printed shape is an original abstract mark, not a customer design.

What it costs

Per piece, one position, one colour: $5.20
Each additional position: $4.20
Setup: $8.00

Setup is charged one-off film setup per design. It is a one-off, so a repeat run of the same artwork does not pay it again within twelve months. All prices in United States Dollars, before the quantity band discount.

Laundering test

Held colour and adhesion through 40 home laundry cycles at 30°C, inside out, tumble dried low, in accordance with AATCC 61 1A accelerated laundering. Results on your garment depend on how you wash it.

This describes an accelerated laboratory procedure on a test sample. It is a measured result under stated conditions, not a guarantee about a particular garment. Wash temperature, drying method, detergent and how often the garment is worn all change the outcome.

On press

Production window: 3 business days
Runs on: 33 of 38 blanks

Production starts after your artwork is approved by a reviewer, which adds one business day, and after pre-press, which adds two. Runs of 100 and above add two more days; runs of 250 and above add four.

What this method cannot do

Field is 11 in by 14 in, slightly smaller than screen or DTG.
The print sits on top of the fabric as a thin film rather than in it. On a heavyweight fleece you will feel the edge.
Not available on caps, beanies or acrylic knit.
Large solid areas are less breathable than screen or DTG on the same garment.

What it is the right answer for

Full-colour artwork on polyester or blends where DTG cannot go
Mixed runs where different garments carry the same design
Short runs that still need photographic detail

Colour on any method is an approximation. Screens emit light and ink reflects it, so a colour on your monitor and the same colour on a garment will not match exactly. We can work to a nominated reference colour and we will get close, but we do not promise a visual match. How we handle colour

Fabrics this method runs on

Availability of DTF Transfer Film across every fabric class in the catalogue
Fabric class	Blanks	Availability	Rule
Cotton knit	11	Available	No restriction.
Cotton-rich blend knit	9	Available	No restriction.
Tri-blend knit	1	Available	No restriction.
Polyester knit	5	Available	No restriction.
Woven shirting	3	Available	No restriction.
Cotton canvas	3	Available	No restriction.
Structured cap twill	4	Not available	A heat press platen cannot reach inside a structured crown to apply even pressure. Without even pressure the film only bonds at the high points.
Acrylic rib knit	1	Not available	Transfer film bonds at around 150°C. Acrylic fibre softens and glazes below that temperature, so the beanie would be damaged before the film stuck.
Bonded softshell	1	With a caveat	Applied at a reduced temperature and dwell to protect the membrane. Adhesion is good but marginally below the result on cotton.