Loading...
Loading...
Direct-to-film (DTF) transfers are the most versatile decoration method in the custom apparel industry. Your full-color design is printed onto a special PET film with CMYK + white ink, coated with hot-melt adhesive powder, cured, and heat-pressed onto your garment. The result is vibrant, highly detailed prints that work on virtually any fabric — cotton, polyester, nylon, leather, denim, canvas, and blends — without the fabric limitations of DTG or the color limitations of screen printing. At French Press Custom, we run high-speed DTF production lines capable of printing thousands of transfers per day with consistent quality on every piece.
Overview
DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing is one of the newest and fastest-growing decoration methods in the custom apparel industry. Unlike DTG (direct-to-garment), which prints ink directly onto the fabric, DTF prints your design onto a special polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film using CMYK + white ink. While the ink is still wet, a fine thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hot-melt adhesive powder is applied to the printed surface. The transfer then passes through a curing oven where the adhesive melts and bonds to the ink layer, creating a flexible, full-color transfer ready to be heat-pressed onto virtually any fabric.
The magic of DTF is its universal fabric compatibility. Screen printing and DTG are limited primarily to cotton and cotton-rich blends — DTF works on cotton, polyester, nylon, rayon, silk, spandex, leather, denim, canvas, tri-blend athletic fabrics, and even non-textile surfaces like wood, ceramic, and metal. The TPU adhesive bonds with almost any material that can withstand heat-press temperatures (300-330°F), making DTF the most versatile decoration method available today.
DTF has exploded in popularity since 2020 because it solves the biggest pain points of other methods: no color separations needed (unlike screen printing), no pre-treatment required (unlike DTG), no per-color upcharges (unlike screen printing). Transfers can also be produced in bulk and stored for months — making DTF ideal for inventory management, on-demand pressing, pop-up events, and fulfillment operations where you want to print now and press later.
At French Press Custom, we invested heavily in DTF technology because we believe it represents the future of custom apparel decoration for small-to-medium runs. Our DTF production line includes commercial-grade Epson printhead printers, automated powder shakers, inline curing ovens, and precision heat presses — all calibrated for consistent color output and adhesion across thousands of transfers.
Types of DTF Transfers
We offer multiple dtf transfers techniques to match your project goals, budget, and desired look.
Individual transfers printed and cut for your specific design. Each transfer is printed on PET film with CMYK + white ink, powdered with TPU adhesive, cured in our inline oven, and hand-cut to size. Standard DTF is our most popular option for custom orders where every garment gets the same design. Transfers are heat-pressed at 300-330°F for 15-20 seconds with firm pressure. The white ink layer acts as an underbase, ensuring colors pop on any fabric color — even black.
Multiple designs are arranged (ganged) on a single large transfer sheet to maximize material usage and reduce waste. This is the most cost-effective way to print DTF transfers when you have multiple designs, sizes, or variations. We arrange your artwork on 24" wide rolls, fitting as many prints as possible per linear foot — often cutting your cost-per-transfer by 30-50% compared to individual prints. Gang sheets are priced by the linear inch, not per design, so the more designs you fit, the lower the unit cost.
Pre-printed DTF transfers that we produce, cure, and ship to you for pressing at your own facility or event. Ready-to-press transfers have a long shelf life (6-12 months when stored properly) and can be applied with any commercial heat press. This is popular with small clothing brands, pop-up shops, screen printers expanding their offering, and event companies who want to press on-site. We ship transfers flat or rolled in protective tissue to prevent sticking.
Hot peel transfers are designed to be peeled immediately after pressing while the transfer is still warm. This speeds up production significantly because you do not need to wait for the garment to cool. Hot peel DTF has a slightly glossy, smooth finish and excellent adhesion. It is ideal for high-volume production runs where speed matters — we can press and peel 200+ garments per hour with hot peel transfers.
Cold peel transfers are peeled after the garment has fully cooled. This produces a softer, more matte finish with a hand feel closer to water-based screen printing. Cold peel DTF is preferred when you want the most natural, retail-quality feel — the transfer sits flatter against the fabric and has less sheen than hot peel. The trade-off is slower production speed since you must wait 30-60 seconds for cooling before peeling.
UV DTF is a specialized variation that uses UV-curable inks instead of standard water-based DTF inks. The transfer is cured with UV LED light instantly, creating a sticker-like decal that can be applied to hard surfaces without a heat press — just peel and stick. UV DTF works on tumblers, phone cases, laptops, mugs, notebooks, helmets, and other rigid or semi-rigid items. The print is waterproof, scratch-resistant, and UV-stable.
Ideal For
Our Process
From artwork submission to finished product — here is exactly what happens when you order dtf transfers from French Press Custom.
Your artwork is prepared for DTF printing — no color separations needed, unlike screen printing. The design is color-profiled for CMYK + white ink output, mirrored (since it flips during pressing), and white underbase areas are calculated automatically by our RIP software. We accept AI, EPS, PDF, PSD, PNG, and JPEG files. Vector artwork produces the sharpest results; raster files need at least 300 DPI at print size.
Your design is printed onto clear PET film using our commercial DTF printers equipped with Epson piezoelectric printheads. White ink is laid down first as an opaque underbase, followed by CMYK color layers on top. This white-first approach ensures colors are vibrant and opaque on any fabric color — even black garments get full-color prints without transparency or washout.
Immediately after printing (while ink is still wet), the film passes through an automated powder shaker that applies a fine, even coat of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) hot-melt adhesive powder to the printed surface. Excess powder is reclaimed and recycled. The powder grain size and distribution are critical for adhesion quality — our automated system ensures consistent coverage on every transfer.
The powdered transfer passes through our inline curing oven at approximately 230°F. The heat melts the TPU powder, fusing it to the ink layer and creating a smooth, flexible adhesive surface. Proper curing temperature and dwell time are essential — under-cured transfers will not bond to fabric, while over-cured transfers become brittle. Our oven sensors maintain ±5°F accuracy across the entire belt width.
The cured transfer is positioned design-down on your garment and loaded into our commercial heat press. We press at 300-330°F for 15-20 seconds with firm, even pressure (approximately 40-60 PSI). The heat reactivates the TPU adhesive, bonding the transfer permanently to the fabric fibers. Temperature, time, and pressure are adjusted for each fabric type — polyester gets lower temps to prevent dye migration, leather gets shorter dwell times.
After pressing, the PET film carrier is peeled away — either hot (immediately) or cold (after cooling), depending on the transfer type and desired finish. Hot peel produces a glossy, smooth surface; cold peel produces a matte, softer feel. Each piece is inspected for full adhesion, color accuracy, and edge quality. A final cover-sheet press pass may be applied for extra smoothness and durability.
Every garment passes through our QC station where we check for adhesion (pull test on a sample), color consistency (compared to proof), and print alignment. Garments are then folded, poly-bagged (if requested), and packaged for shipping or pickup. We include care instruction inserts with every order to maximize print longevity.
See Our Work
Real photos from our production floor in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Every project is printed in-house with our professional equipment.
Showing 6 of 6 photos
DTF Printer (24")
Film Printer
Commercial Epson printhead, CMYK + white
Automated Powder Shaker
Adhesive Application
Even TPU powder coat with reclaim
Inline Curing Oven
Curing
230°F precision cure, ±5°F accuracy
Commercial Heat Press
Application
16x20" platen, digital temp & pressure
Swing-Away Press
Application
For hats, sleeves, and awkward placements
RIP Software
Color Management
ICC profiled, white ink control, gang nesting
Compatible Products
DTF Transfers works on a wide range of garments and products. Here are the most popular items our customers order.
Transparent Pricing
We believe in upfront, honest pricing. Here are typical price ranges — get an exact quote for your specific project.
| Quantity | Price Range |
|---|---|
| 12-24 pcs | $5.50 - $8/pc |
| 25-49 pcs | $4.50 - $6.50/pc |
| 50-99 pcs | $3.50 - $5.50/pc |
| 100-249 pcs | $3 - $4.50/pc |
| 250-499 pcs | $2.50 - $3.50/pc |
| 500+ pcs | $2 - $3/pc |
DTF pricing is per-piece and includes full-color printing with unlimited colors — no per-color upcharge. Price varies by transfer size: small left-chest prints (3-4") are at the lower end, full-back prints (12x16") are at the higher end. Gang sheet pricing starts at $0.10/sq inch. Blank garments are additional. Ready-to-press transfers (no garment) are priced by the sheet. All prices exclude blanks and are for decoration only.
Project Spotlights
See how we've helped businesses like yours with custom dtf transfers.
Event Organizer — Diamond Bar, CA
The Challenge
Needed vibrant full-color logos on 200 polyester dri-fit polos for a charity golf tournament. Screen printing causes dye migration on polyester, and DTG doesn't bond well with synthetic fabrics.
Our Solution
DTF transfers were the perfect solution — full-color CMYK + white ink printed on film, then heat-pressed onto the polyester polos. No dye migration, no pre-treatment needed, and the adhesive barrier prevents bleed-through.
Results
“Screen printing wasn't an option on poly, and DTG doesn't work on it either. DTF was perfect — vibrant colors, no cracking, and they delivered on time.”
— Frank C., Diamond Bar, CA
Fitness Studio — Torrance, CA
The Challenge
A fitness studio chain wanted branded nylon windbreakers for their trainers. Screen printing doesn't adhere to nylon, embroidery was too expensive for the large back print they wanted, and DTG can't print on synthetics.
Our Solution
DTF transfers bonded perfectly to the nylon fabric — printed the full-color gradient logo on PET film with white underbase, then heat-pressed at a lower temperature (285°F) to protect the nylon. Added a second smaller chest logo on the front.
Results
“Nobody else could print our gradient logo on nylon. French Press nailed it with DTF — the quality is unreal and they haven't peeled at all after months of heavy use.”
— Brittany H., Torrance, CA
Music Festival — Anaheim, CA
The Challenge
A music festival needed 400 pieces of merch across three different fabric types — cotton tees, polyester tanks, and tri-blend hoodies — all with the same vibrant full-color design. No single traditional print method works across all three fabrics.
Our Solution
DTF was the only method that could deliver identical print quality across cotton, polyester, and tri-blend in one production run. Printed all transfers on gang sheets, then pressed each garment type at its optimal temperature. Consistent color across all fabrics.
Results
“Having the same design look perfect on cotton, polyester, AND tri-blend was incredible. Every piece matched exactly. We sold out in two days.”
— Tyler R., Anaheim, CA
Food Truck Group — Los Angeles, CA
The Challenge
An LA food truck group with 6 trucks needed matching branded gear — poly/cotton aprons, structured poly caps, and cotton crew tees. Three different fabric types, each requiring a different decoration approach. Previous printer couldn't get consistent color across all three.
Our Solution
DTF transfers delivered identical color and quality across all three fabric types in a single production run. Gang-sheeted all designs together for maximum efficiency. Heat-pressed each garment type at its optimal temperature for perfect adhesion.
Results
“All six trucks have matching gear now — the aprons, hats, and tees all look exactly the same. DTF was the only way to get consistent color across all those different fabrics.”
— Danny V., Los Angeles, CA
Honest Assessment
Every decoration method has strengths and trade-offs. Here is an honest breakdown to help you decide.
Head-to-Head
Side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right method for your project.
| DTF Transfers | DTG Printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric Versatility | Any fabric (cotton, poly, nylon, leather, blends) | Cotton and high-cotton blends only |
| Pre-Treatment | Not required — press and go | Required on every garment (adds time + cost) |
| Dark Garments | Excellent — white ink underbase built in | Good — requires white underbase pre-treat |
| Cost at 50 pcs | $3.50-5.50/pc | $9-14/pc |
| Hand Feel | Medium — thin flexible film layer | Softer on cotton (ink absorbs into fiber) |
| Storage | Transfers can be stored 6-12 months | Must print directly on garment (no pre-printing) |
| Personalization | Gang sheets allow names/numbers cheaply | Every garment can be unique at same cost |
| Production Speed | Fast — batch print, batch press | Slower — one garment at a time |
Still not sure? Tell us about your project and we'll recommend the best method for you.
Customer Reviews
Real reviews from verified customers on Yelp and Google — here's what they say about our dtf transfers.
Trusted by the world’s best brands
Related Articles
Learn more about dtf transfers with these in-depth articles from our blog.
What is DTF printing? Learn how Direct-to-Film printing works, its advantages over screen printing and DTG, costs, and when to use it for custom apparel.
6 min read
Compare screen printing and DTF printing side by side. Learn the differences in cost, durability, detail, and best use cases to pick the right method for your custom apparel project.
7 min read
Stop wasting money on corporate swag nobody wears. Learn what branded apparel employees love, which blanks to choose, and how to make company merch desirable.
6 min readFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about dtf transfers at French Press Custom.
People Also Ask
Explore More
Not sure if this is the right method? Explore these alternatives.
Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is the digital revolution of custom apparel. Using industrial inkjet technology, we spray your design directly onto t...
Learn MoreScreen printing is the most popular and cost-effective method for producing custom apparel at scale. Also known as silkscreen printing, this technique...
Learn MoreReady to get started?
Tell us about your project — quantity, design, timeline — and we'll send you a detailed quote within 24 hours.