How to use DTF
Learning how to use DTF transfers is easier than you might think, and it can greatly benefit your business by allowing you to create vibrant, professional-quality garments quickly and efficiently. The process is simple, even for beginners, and only requires a few basic tools, like a heat press and DTF-compatible inks. Start by carefully positioning your DTF print onto the garment, ensuring proper alignment, then apply heat using a heat press according to the recommended temperature and time. Next, peel the transfer — some require a cold peel, others a hot peel — then optionally re-press to ensure durability and a flawless finish. Finally, reveal your finished design and admire the stunning results. By following these five steps — position, press, peel, re-press, and reveal — you can produce consistent, high-quality apparel every time. Understanding how to use DTF transfers properly ensures long-lasting prints, reduces errors, and helps streamline your workflow, making it a smart and profitable choice for small businesses and professional printers alike.
Equipment Checklist
Before you start pressing your DTF transfers, you need to gather your equipment. Here’s what you will need:
- GARMENT – Your clean, dry and crease free garment to be pressed.
- DTF Film – Your DTF transfer sheet
- Heat Press – Preferably industry approved and big enough to press your transfer in one press.
- Teflon sheet – or other equivalent suitable heat-resistant protective cover
- Scissors - Suitable for cutting film.
- Placement aids – You may consider using placement aids such as sizing guides and heat resistant tape to ensure your placement is in the optimal position before pressing.
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace
Now you have all your equipment you will need to prepare your workspace. Here's what you need to do:
- Clean your heat press: Make sure your heat press is clean and free of any debris or residue.
- Set the temperature: Set your heat press to 145°C for cotton / 135°C for Polyester. This is the temperature that has yielded the best results.
- Preheat your heat press: Ensure your heat press has reached temperature for a few seconds before you start pressing your transfers.
Step 2: Prepare Your Garment
Once you've prepared your workspace, it's time to prepare your garment. Here's what you need to do:
Choose your garment: Choose the garment you want to press your DTF transfer onto. Ensure your garment is clean, dry and suitable for DTF Printing. Unsuitable garments can lead to dye migration, poor bonding and heat damage.
Pre-press your garment: Pre-press your garment for a
few seconds to remove any moisture and creases.
Cut out your transfer design: Unless ordering A6-A3 sheets, your DTF transfers will be supplied on a roll. Carefully cut out the design you require to press, ensuring there is at least a 5mm gap remaining between the edge of the film and the start of your printed design.
Position your transfer: Position your transfer on your garment. Positioning of your transfer can be achieved either before or whilst your garment is still on the heat press base, position judgement can be made by eye or with the aid of a positioning guide and secured in place with heat resistant tape. It is important to ensure that there is no movement of the
transfer or the garment as they are being pressed.
Step 3: Press Your Transfer
Once you've positioned your transfer, it's time to press it
onto your garment. Here's what you need to do:
Position on the heat press: Your garment (with its now carefully positioned transfer) should lay flat on the base of the heat press. Check for: crease, bulges, or zippers. Open garments can be slid onto most heat presses, so you only press the side required. Uneven garments can be balanced with the use of heat protection cushions.
Cover your transfer: Ensure all positioning aids are removed (coloured heat-resistant tape only needs removing for pale coloured or fragile garments). Then cover your garment and transfer with a clean Teflon sheet or parchment paper.
Press your transfer: Press your garment/transfer with medium-high pressure for 7 seconds. It is important to ensure that there is no movement of the transfer film or garment during pressing.
Peel off the transfer: All our transfers are printed on industry approved ‘Hot Peel’ carrier film. This means there is minimal waiting time before your transfer film can be peeled away to reveal your true design. However, some garments will retain a much higher heat, for longer than others, for this reason we always recommend completing a test press first and leaving your garment a couple of seconds to cool slightly before peeling or moving.
Once your ‘carrier film’ has been removed it can be placed in a suitable recycle bin.
Second Press: Although not always required, we recommend a second press of your freshly transferred design. Recover your garment and printed design with the clean Teflon sheet or parchment paper and repress on medium-high pressure for another 7 seconds, to ensure full attachment.
Step 4: Finish Your Garment
After you've pressed your transfer, it's time to finish your garment. Here's what you need to do:
Let your garment cool: Let your garment cool down for a few minutes.
Inspect your transfer: Inspect your transfer to make sure it's fully adhered to your garment.
Present: Once completely cooled, fold and package your garment as required.
That's it! You've successfully pressed your DTF transfer onto your garment. With these simple steps, you can create high-quality, vibrant prints that will last a long time.
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TIPS!
- CLEAN: Ensure equipment is clean (heat press/heat protection sheet) and remove coloured heat-resistant tape before pressing (especially on lighter coloured garments)
- DO A TEST: There is a CMYW test strip down one side of your DTF transfer sheet. Use this to test your heat press settings on a similar (unwanted) garment.
- STEAM CLEAN: worried that your heat press is leaving pressure marks to your garments? Once your DTF transfer has fully cooled apply steam to bring back the pile.