Digital Printing
DTF (Direct-to-Film) Printing
DTF printing transfers a digitally printed design from a special PET film onto fabric using heat and adhesive powder, producing vibrant, full-colour prints on any fabric colour or type. At White Cotton, we use DTF for its unmatched versatility — it works on cotton, polyester, nylon, and blends without pre-treatment, making it the most flexible decoration method we offer.
How It Works
Artwork is printed in CMYK + white ink onto a clear PET film using a dedicated DTF printer — white ink is printed first as the base layer.
Hot-melt adhesive powder (TPU) is applied to the wet ink surface and excess is shaken off.
The film passes through a curing oven (100–120°C) to melt and bond the adhesive powder to the ink layer.
The cured transfer is positioned on the garment and heat-pressed at 160–170°C for 15–20 seconds under medium pressure.
The PET film is peeled away (hot or cold peel depending on finish desired), leaving the design permanently bonded to the fabric.
Best Fabrics
Best For
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Works on any fabric — cotton, polyester, nylon, blends, canvas, even leather
- +No pre-treatment required (unlike DTG)
- +Vivid, opaque colours on light and dark garments equally
- +No setup cost per colour — full-colour prints from file to garment
- +Transfers can be pre-printed and stored for on-demand application
Cons
- −Slightly thicker hand-feel than DTG or water-based screen printing — the transfer sits as a thin film on the surface
- −Not as soft or breathable as discharge screen printing or DTG on light garments
- −Very large prints (full front/back) can feel plasticky if not applied correctly
- −Long-term wash durability depends heavily on press temperature and pressure calibration
- −Not ideal for all-over prints — sublimation is better for edge-to-edge coverage
Common Questions
Frequently Asked
What is DTF printing?
DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing is a transfer method where artwork is digitally printed onto a PET film with CMYK + white ink, coated with adhesive powder, cured, and then heat-pressed onto fabric. It produces full-colour, photo-quality prints on any fabric type or colour — cotton, polyester, nylon, and blends — without pre-treatment.
What is the difference between DTG and DTF?
DTG prints ink directly onto the garment and works best on light-coloured 100% cotton. DTF prints onto a film first, then transfers to the garment — making it compatible with any fabric colour or type. DTF produces slightly thicker prints but offers far greater versatility. For cotton tees in light colours, DTG gives a softer result. For everything else, DTF is the more practical choice.
How durable are DTF prints?
Properly applied DTF transfers last 50–60 washes with good colour retention. The key is correct heat-press calibration — temperature (160–170°C), pressure (medium-firm), and dwell time (15–20 seconds). We test every batch for adhesion and wash-fastness before production runs begin.
Can DTF be used on caps and bags?
Yes — DTF is one of the best methods for accessories. Because it works on any surface that can withstand heat pressing (up to 170°C), it is ideal for cotton canvas tote bags, caps, aprons, and even some synthetic materials. The transfer conforms to the surface, so slightly textured fabrics work well too.
Is DTF cheaper than screen printing?
For runs under 100 units, DTF is almost always cheaper because there are no screen setup costs. Above 100 units, screen printing becomes more cost-effective for 1–3 colour designs. For full-colour artwork at any quantity, DTF remains competitive because screen printing would require expensive CMYK process separation.
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