DTF Printing and How It Can Benefit You

We all know there’s a large variety of techniques you can use to print graphics onto garments and here we talk more about the process of Direct to Film  (DTF) and the benefits involved.

DTF is the transferring of prints from film onto almost any garment using heat. As well as cotton, DTF can print on to 99% of fabrics. DTF can also be developed using different technologies such as UV printers which can then be transferred onto various objects and surfaces such as glass and plastics.

WHAT DOES A DTF PRINTER DO?

Direct to film printers allow you to print your designs onto film and transfer it directly onto almost any garment of your choice. It also gives you more freedom over the placement of your design and can be helpful when applying your printed transfers / designs onto smaller areas of a garment such as the neck, sleeve or trouser leg compared to standard print locations such as the front or back of a t-shirt.

HOW DOES A DTF PRINTER WORK?

DTF Film & Printer Inks

DTF printing allows you to print on to a sheet of film before it’s adhered to your garment by heat and utilises water-based inks, mainly in white and the CMYK colour gamut. The CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black and delivers brilliant results on a large range of printed materials. The white ink acts as a base or an undercoat for the CMYK inks so that the adhesive powder can be applied.

Adhesive Powder & Curing Oven Heat Process

The first CMYK layer is printed onto film, then the DTF machine prints a white layer backing over the entire image completely covering the CMYK layer. An adhesive powder is then applied onto the semi-wet ink and if you have a full ‘in-line’ system like the ones within the Heat FX DTF printer range; the powder is applied automatically and shaken to remove excess amount of powder from the treated film to ensure an even coating before it goes through the oven to quickly melt the adhesive powder into your print films, giving you your completed transfer.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Using our entry level Digital Heat FX DTF 12H2 printer with a 300mm width film roll, including ink to produce 10 transfers of the above image, calculates a ROI at 0.56p per transfer!! View our full DTF Heat FX Range here

Here our counterparts in the US demonstrate an example on how efficient a DTF Printer machine can be for you and how much it costs to produce 10 transfers using the cat image above.

WHY CHOOSE YES GROUP?

Here at YES Group, we know the importance of getting the right garment decorating machine for your business. With over 48 years history in the industry and 28 years trading as the YES Group, you can be trusted to be in safe and experienced hands when it comes to choosing your next DTF printer. We have an extensive range of machinery and solutions, supported with warranty care and exceptional customer support / training.

Whether you know what you are looking for or are in need for some advice, our dedicated team of experts are always at hand to assist you on your needs. Contact us today to find out more about our exciting range! Or call now on 01623 863343