The garment printing industry is rapidly changing and one of the biggest breakthroughs in recent years – in terms of print technology – is Direct to Film (DTF). This new approach is revolutionizing the way bespoke clothing is made, with many benefits in quality, flexibility, and productivity. With more and more demand for on-demand printing and personalization, DTF is the new hotness as far as small operators and larger print farms are concerned. In this post, we’re going to explain what makes Direct to Film the future of apparel printing.
What is Direct to Film Printing?
In Direct to Film (DTF) printing machines, designs are printed to a special film with a DTF printer and ink as a heat transfer process. The printed film is powder adhesive coated, cured and hot transfered to fabric by pressure. This technique can be used on many different materials, such as cotton, polyester blends, making it one of the most versatile printing methods available.
As opposed to other methods such as screen printing or Direct to Garment (DTG) printing, DTF does not require fabrics to be pretreated and is capable of high resolution, full-color prints that are also exceedingly durable.
Why DTF Is Gaining Popularity
DTF is such a popular process right now for many reasons, but one of the main ones is its ability to work with all kinds of different materials. Most conventional printing methods have strict limitations regarding the type of fabric, or require complicated setup. For example, screen printing is a laborious task and is only economical for high-volume orders whereas DTG is only applicable to cotton fabrics in most cases. DTF is eliminating many of these drawbacks and enabling printers to produce across a wider range of garments without extensive pre-treatment.
Apart from compatibility with materials, DTF printing is great at printing out fine details and vivid, eye-catching colors. The prints feel soft to the touch but durability is no less compared to the rest of these pants. And for businesses that value quality, that’s a huge selling point.
Efficiency and Flexibility
As the apparel industry shifts toward faster turnaround times and on-demand production, DTF’s efficiency is a major asset. The process is fairly straightforward and speedy — design, print, cure, press. There’s no screens to create, no pretreating to apply, no complicated setups to worry about, whatsoever. This gives increased versatility of processing short runs and large format batches with equal ease.
For the print shop, it means less overhead, less waste, and an expanded service area. Whether meeting orders by the dozens for a local event, or the onesies and twosies of a single custom shirt, DTF works with you to produce as needed.
Sustainable Printing Solution
Also for the printing business, sustainability is more and more an issue. DTF print allows us to be more sustainable by creating less waste and requires less water and chemicals than traditional prints. And given that it can be produced on demand, there’s less of a fear of overproduction and low inventory — the bane of mass apparel making.
DTF offers a more sustainable business model by allowing modest batch sizes and individual orders.
Opportunities for Innovation
The potential applications are increasing with the development of the DTF technology. Outside of the usual clothes such as t-shirts and hoodies, DTF printing is growing in demand for tote bags, caps, jackets, and even non-garment products such as canvas and leather accessories. Print shops now have an opportunity to expand their services and serve new markets.
On the other hand, we notice that the output quality has been improved and is still improving asap, thanks to DTF printer’s improvements in DTF printer design, ink formulations, and film quality. Recent advances in automated systems and color management tools are taking DTF to another level of accessibility and attractiveness for all sizes of business.
Conclusion
Direct to Film printing is not a short-term frivolity—it is a game changer for how custom apparel is manufactured. Quality, performance, flexibility and sustainability in 1 package, it is the future of the business. With the way that consumers are changing the game, coupled with an increasing need for on-demand, personalized printing, DTF is a strong and variable option for any printing business. If you are in the apparel decorating or custom garment business then embracing this technology is the next milestone in your endeavour to be competitive and remained relevant in a rapidly transforming market.