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Blog / Beginner's handbook / The Best Guide to DTF Printing: Technique & Benefits Explained

Beginner's handbook

What is DTF printing and How Does it Work? Your Questions Answered

What is DTF printing and How Does it Work? Your Questions Answered
Cloe Ann Montoya

By Cloe Ann Montoya

10 min read

Want to expand your product line with vivid, long-lasting prints?  If the answer’s yes, then you’ve come to the right place.

Right now, direct-to-film (DTF) printing is one of the most versatile techniques available in the print industry.

Most print methods are limited to a range of similar fabrics, like cotton and cotton-blended materials. With a DTF print, you can work with tougher fabric varieties like polyester, fleece, nylon, and, of course, classic cotton.

Read on to learn more about the DTF printing process and how it compares to other printing methods.

What is DTFlex printing?

DTF (direct-to-film) printing is a versatile method that produces vibrant, durable designs on a wide range of fabrics. It involves printing a design onto a piece of PET film (a special film with a coating that helps transfer designs) using water-based inks and a special adhesive powder.

Then, the design on the PET film is heat-transferred to the fabric using a heat press machine. This printing method is durable, and the designs are detailed and vibrant.

At Printful, we offer a premium version of DTF called DTFlex. DTFlex has been refined for sharper details, richer colors, and a flawless finish, giving your products consistent, retail-quality results without the need for equipment or setup.

a man and woman standing in a hallway

Source: Printful

How does DTF printing work?

DTF printing is fairly quick compared to other printing methods. It’s also a great choice for printing detailed designs on bulky outdoor apparel.

Interested in how it works? Let’s break down the DTF printing process.

Step 1: Preparing the film

First, a PET film is prepared and placed in the DTF printing machine where the entire design is printed in color.

After creating the first layer, the machine prints a white layer over the entire image, completely covering the first layer. Check out the photo below if you’re curious how DTF print designs look once printed on PET film.

Next, an adhesive powder is uniformly applied onto the wet ink. After applying the powder evenly and removing any excess, the film is heated to prepare for fabric transfer. Adhesive heating is done in a curing oven or a heat press machine.

a black box with a white line on it

Source: Printful

Step 2: Pre-pressing fabric and using a heat press

With the PET film preheated, the fabric receiving the design gets dehumidified and pre-flattened under a heat press.

After initial flattening, the printed film is placed on the pre-pressed fabric. The design on the film is then transferred onto the garment using a heat press for 15 to 20 seconds at an average temperature of 165°C.

how-direct-to-film-print-works

Source: Printful

Step 3: Peeling the film and post-pressing the fabric

With the design transferred onto the fabric, the second-to-last step is to carefully hot peel the film. Unlike cold peel transfers, the transfer is removed immediately while the film is still hot—that’s how we do it at Printful (and how most other DTF printing providers peel it).

When the film is removed, the designed fabric is flattened a second time in the heat press to help improve the design’s durability. After post-pressing, the garment is ready to pack and ship to customers.

a person holding a black box with a purple butterfly on it

Source: Printful

DTF printing pros

Direct-to-film is a favorite among custom apparel businesses for its versatility and high-quality results. Whether you’ve got small-scale projects or you run a large business, this method offers several advantages that stand out in the printing industry:

1. Wide fabric compatibility

Unlike DTG printing, which is primarily suited for cotton fabrics, DTF printing works with various materials, including polyester, cotton, nylon, and blends. This flexibility allows businesses to diversify their product offerings and cater to broader customer needs.

2. Vibrant colors and sharp details

DTF prints have bold, vivid colors and sharp details, even on dark fabrics. This is particularly advantageous for businesses prioritizing professional results and eye-catching designs.

a black box with a white sheet of paper

Source: Printful

3. No pre-treatment required

Unlike other techniques, DTF printing skips the pre-treatment process, saving time and labor. This makes it a faster and more efficient option for businesses working on tight deadlines.

4. Durability

DTFlex transfers are known for their excellent durability. The adhesive powder used during the process is engineered for long-lasting vibrancy and wear – wash after wash.

5. Ideal for detailed logos and smaller designs that demand crisp edges

DTF printing offers a cost-efficient solution for smaller designs or logos compared to other methods like screen printing, which might involve higher setup costs.

These benefits make DTF printing a compelling choice for businesses looking to offer high-quality designs, fast turnarounds, and a broad range of customized products.

DTF printing cons

While DTF and our proprietary method DTFlex brings premium quality and flexibility, it has a few considerations to keep in mind.

1. Product range is expanding

DTFlex isn’t yet available across our full catalog. Right now, it’s offered on a growing selection of apparel and accessories, with more products being added over time.

2. Print texture and feel

Because DTF prints sit on top of the fabric, large solid areas of color can feel heavier and less breathable. For maximum comfort, it’s best suited for detailed designs, logos, and graphics rather than full-coverage prints.

3. Environmental considerations

DTF uses water-based inks and an on-demand production model that helps reduce overproduction and waste. While transfer films do generate some material use, our process is designed for efficiency and consistent premium results.

DTF printing compared to other print methods

With so many print methods, you’ve got to narrow down which one best suits your long-term business goals. To make it easier, we’ve put together a brief comparison of DTF printing alongside other popular print techniques.

Pay attention to the types of designs and fabrics that work best for DTF prints, DTG prints, as well as with sublimation and screen printing. That way, you can plan what techniques to use with your brand’s product selection in mind.

DTF vs. screen printing

Screen printing is one of the most popular methods to use in the printing industry. This print method pushes ink layer by layer through a woven screen or mesh stencil onto fabric.

A woven screen has to be made for each color and design element, and at the end of the printing process, ink lays on top of the fabric instead of soaking into it. Screen-printed designs can also feel different depending on how detailed the original artwork is. More art details require more ink layers, resulting in a thicker feel on the garment.

Regarding DTF printing, the transferred design has a more uniform feel that doesn’t become thicker no matter how many colors or design elements are added.

a close up of a wolf face

Source: Printful

Learn more: DTF vs. Screen Printing? Which Method Fits Your Brand?

Screen printing works best for solid designs without small details, such as symbols, shapes, and geometric designs. Alternatively, DTF printing works well with details as it doesn’t require separate layers for design elements or colors. DTF printing also doesn’t require a specially made mesh screen for each design—just a printer, transfer film, printing powder, and a heat press.

The flexibility with design elements and color count makes DTF printing more friendly to one-off prints. 

Printful’s DTFlex is engineered for consistent POD quality, even on one-offs, so your designs look sharp whether you’re testing a single product or fulfilling larger runs.

This is handy when:

  • You want to test just 1 product

  • You don’t know your potential demand

  • There’s no time for bulk production, and you need products ASAP

While on-demand printing is virtually nearly impossible with screen printing (as that would be too expensive), it outshines other methods in bulk production. Screenprinting will be more cost-effective than DTF printing if:

  • You know you’ll have a massive demand for the product

  • You’ve got the resources to store product stock when the sales are slow

  • You’re prepping products for a large event like a concert or conference

a woman sitting on the floor with headphones on

Source: Printful

Direct-to-film vs. direct-to-garment printing

In simple terms, direct-to-garment printing (DTG printing) works by spraying ink directly onto fabric. However, before any ink can be sprayed, a pre-treatment solution has to be applied to the fabric. After the solution is added, the DTG printer sprays the water-based inks onto the garment. The ink soaks into the fabric fibers, and then, the design is cured to boost print quality.

Learn more: DTG vs. DTF printing: Which Method Is Better for Your Designs?

DTG printing works mainly on cotton blends and is best suited for 100% cotton products. So, if you’re interested in selling mostly cotton-based apparel, this is ideal.

If you’d like to include products made of different fabric types, like active wear, in your catalog, consider using the DTFlex printing technique as well. DTFlex also complements DTG, giving you more flexibility to match the right print method to your design and fabric type.

preview play-button

Source: Printful

DTF vs. sublimation printing

Sublimation printing has experienced rapid growth over the past few decades. It’s one of the most popular printing methods and allows you to cover the entire garment with your artwork.

It takes a long time, though. Sublimation involves printing designs on special sublimation paper and then transferring them to fabric with a heat press.

This technique is suitable for printing on different types of polyester, like polymer-coated fabric and polyester fabric blends. This printing technique is also used on products like mouse pads, mugs, and blankets.

Learn more: DTF printing vs. Sublimation: Which Method Should You Go For?

If your collection will primarily consist of synthetic fabric items like leggings or swimwear, sublimation printing will be superior to DTF printing.

If you plan to include different fabric blends in your catalog, consider DTF printing alongside sublimation. With DTF printing, you don’t have to rely on polyester blends only. Keep in mind, DTF isn’t made for all-over designs — sublimation covers full garments, while DTF excels at precision placement.

Curious about different printing techniques? Check out our other posts comparing sublimation and screen printing and DTG and screen printing for more details.

Direct-to-film printing at Printful – DTFlex

At Printful, we’re always pushing for better quality and more flexibility for our print-on-demand community. That’s why we’ve expanded our DTFlex printing options to include a fresh lineup of custom hats, alongside popular apparel staples.

While direct-to-film is still maturing across the industry, Printful has perfected it with DTFlex — engineered for consistency and premium quality. As the technology matures, expect this lineup to grow.

Here are some of the products you can currently customize with DTFlex printing:

a person in a yellow jacket with black text on it

Source: Printful

You can also design inside labels for certain products using DTFlex printing.

direct-to-film-print-printful-dtf-inside-label

Source: Printful

With inside labels, you’ll be able to provide customers with professionally-branded apparel.

a man wearing a hat drinking from a straw

Source: Printful

Valuable read: How to Prepare a File for DTFlex printing: Complete Guide

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How to prepare a print file for DTF printing

To ensure your DTF print turns out well, check our suggestions below.

File type and graphics resolution

It’s best to use a PDF file with a transparent background. DTF and DTFlex are engineered to capture detail at high resolution, so using at least 300 DPI ensures your prints take full advantage of the method’s precision.

Semi-transparencies

Avoid semi-transparencies, since they don’t translate well with DTF. Edges can look fuzzy or dotted, so solid colors or gradients work best.

Here’s an example of how a halftone appears on a design and to the human eye.

half-tone-direct-to-film-printing-printful-dtf
Source: Wikipedia

Colors and the color gamut

DTFlex uses a CMYK PSO V3 color gamut with custom-formulated inks, designed for rich saturation and consistent output. When it comes to print performance on the final product, CMYK colors appear more saturated. 

​​Neon shades will shift slightly to the closest achievable color, so we recommend testing with a swatch for accuracy.

We suggest using the latest sRGB color profile. The specific profile we recommend is sRGB IEC61966-2.1. Why? CYMK files are large and must be processed with advanced graphics software, which can be difficult to run. Meanwhile, sRGB color profiles are easier to run and one of the most commonly used color profiles in the custom-printing industry.

To help prevent any print issues, why not create your own color swatch? That way, you can see exactly how your color profile looks when printed.

Choose DTFlex for your next product line

Now you know the essentials of preparing files for DTFlex – Printful’s premium direct-to-film printing method. It’s versatile, durable, and perfect for intricate designs that demand sharpness and color accuracy.

Sign up to stay informed about new products becoming available for design with this technique.

Read next: What’s the Best Method for Printing T-Shirts

Frequently asked questions

Choosing between DTF printing and sublimation printing depends on the fabrics you want to print on and your designs.

 

DTF printing works on many fabrics, including cotton, polyester, silk, and blends. DTF prints are vivid and durable—ideal for outdoor or heavyweight garments and items that are washed often.

 

DTF isn’t designed for full garment coverage, but it excels at precision placement and intricate designs.

 

Sublimation printing works on synthetic materials like spandex or polyester. It’s perfect if you need durable prints with rich colors spanning the whole garment.

When deciding between DTF and DTG printing, consider the fabric and design. DTF printing produces vivid, detailed prints on various materials, making it ideal for heavy-duty sportswear, outerwear, bags, and hats.

 

Many merchants use both — DTG for cotton basics and Printful’s DTFlex for synthetics or designs that need sharper edges.

DTF prints typically last a long time with proper care. These prints are engineered to withstand repeated washes, so your designs look retail-quality for the long haul.

DTF isn’t ideal for oversized solid prints, since the layer can feel heavier and less breathable.

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By Cloe Ann Montoya on Feb 14, 2025

Cloe Ann Montoya

Blog author

Cloe is a former Content Marketing Specialist at Printful. Her educational background includes a Bachelors of Science in Management and Economics and a Masters of Science in International Governance and Diplomacy. She loves reading fantasy books and going for long hikes with her dog, a rambunctious jackadoodle.

Cloe is a former Content Marketing Specialist at Printful. Her educational background includes a Bachelors of Science in Management and Economics and a Masters of Science in International Governance and Diplomacy. She loves reading fantasy books and going for long hikes with her dog, a rambunctious jackadoodle.