What is DTF printing?
DTF (Direct to Film) is a heat transfer method where you print a design onto a special PET film, apply hot-melt adhesive powder, cure it, and press it onto a garment with a heat press. The result is a vibrant, full-color transfer with good wash durability and no weeding required.
DTF works on cotton, polyester, blends, nylon, and most fabric types — making it more versatile than sublimation (which requires polyester) and faster than screen printing for short runs.
Equipment you'll need
- DTF printer — modified inkjet or dedicated DTF printer (popular options: Epson L1800 modified, ColDesi DTF24, ENPASON)
- Curing oven or heat gun — to melt the adhesive powder onto the film
- Heat press — to transfer the print to the garment (15"×15" minimum recommended)
Key materials and their costs
- DTF film — typically $0.40–0.80 per A4 sheet or $0.15–0.30 per square foot in rolls
- DTF ink — CMYK + White channels; roughly $0.08–0.15 per ml depending on brand
- Hot-melt adhesive powder — $0.10–0.20 per print (varies with print size)
- Garment blank — Gildan 64000 runs $3.25–4.50 at wholesale; premium blanks $6–15+
Setting up DTF in Sunday Maker
1. Add your equipment
Go to Settings → Equipment and add your DTF printer and heat press separately. Set a method tag of "DTF" for each. Estimate hourly rates:
- DTF printer: purchase price ÷ expected print hours (e.g. $800 printer ÷ 500 hours = $1.60/hr)
- Heat press: purchase price ÷ expected press hours (e.g. $350 press ÷ 400 hours = $0.88/hr)
2. Add your materials
In Materials, add:
- DTF film — unit: sheet (A4 or letter) or sq_ft, cost per unit from your supplier
- DTF adhesive powder — unit: grams, cost per gram
- Your garment blanks — unit: each, your actual wholesale cost
- Any packaging (poly bags, tags) — unit: each
3. Build a product
Go to Products → New Product, select category DTF. Add your blank as a Finished Blank. Add a print step with DTF printer time (typically 2–5 minutes for a full-front print). Add a press step with heat press time (2–3 minutes). Add packaging.
Typical DTF print settings (reference)
| Variable | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Press temperature | 300–320°F (149–160°C) | Lower for delicate fabrics |
| Press time | 10–15 seconds | Varies by transfer and press |
| Press pressure | Medium-firm | Even pressure critical for adhesion |
| Peel | Hot or cold peel depending on film type | Check your film spec sheet |
These are starting points only. Always run test prints on your specific equipment with your specific film and inks before production. Settings vary significantly between printers, inks, and film brands. Sunday Maker is not responsible for material damage from following these ranges.
In-house vs gang sheet printing
If you don't have a DTF printer, you can outsource prints to a gang sheet service (AA Print Supply, Coastal Creative, Ink Trendz, etc.) and press them yourself. In this case, your DTF "material" is the ready-to-press transfer, not film + ink + powder. Cost per transfer from a gang sheet service typically runs $1.50–3.00 for a full-front design depending on size and quantity. Add this as a consumable in your job rather than building out the full print step.