The Benefits Of Adding Direct-To-Film Printing To Your Business

You might have recently heard someone compare direct transfer (DTF) printing to direct thermal (DTG) printing and wondered what the benefits of DTF technology were. Although DTG printing creates full-size prints of the highest quality with vivid colors and a very soft hand, DTF printing unquestionably has some benefits that make it the ideal addition to your apparel printing business.

Direct film printing entails printing the design on a specific film, applying and fusing a powder adhesive to the printed film, and pressing the printed film against the product or garment. No additional special tools are needed; all you need to create your prints is software, hot melt powder, and transfer film! We go over some benefits of this new technology below.

1. Preprocessing is not necessary.

The preprocessing procedure is probably very familiar to you if you already own a DTG printer (not to mention drying times). There is no need for pre-processing because the hot melt capability used with the DTF bonds the print directly to the material!

2. Utilize less white ink.

While DTG printing needs 200% white ink, DTF printing only needs about 40% white. Reducing the amount of white ink used for printing can save a significant amount of money because white ink is typically the most expensive because it is used more frequently.

3. Easy to use.

By printing onto film transfers, you can apply your designs to awkward or difficult-to-reach surfaces. You can use a DTF design on any space that can be heated! You can even sell your prints directly to your customers and allow them to easily apply the design to any surface or item of their choice without the need for special tools because only heat is needed to make the design adhere.

4. Increased production speed.

You can drastically cut down on production time by doing away with the steps of pre-treating and drying your clothing. For one-off or low-volume orders that have historically been unprofitable, this is good news.

5. Compatible with a range of materials

Direct-to-garment printing is most effective on 100% cotton, but it can also be used on a wide range of other fabric types, including cotton, nylon, treated leather, polyester, cotton/nylon blends, and light/dark fabrics. Even different types of surfaces like luggage, shoes, and even glass, wood, and metal can be covered with the transfer! By using DTF printers to print your designs on a variety of items, you can increase your inventory.

6. Stronger compared to DTG printing.

There is no denying that because the ink is applied directly to the garment, DTG prints have a smooth, almost non-touch feel. The transfer is stronger even though DTF printing lacks the soft feel that DTG boasts. Transfer directly to film is flexible, washable, and won’t peel or crack, making it ideal for heavily used items.

7. Encourage inventory diversification

With DTF printing, you can print popular designs in advance and use very little storage space, even though it might not be practical to print a significant number of your most popular designs on every size or color of the garment. Then, whenever necessary, you can work on any outfit using your bestsellers that you always have on hand!