DTF VS DTG PRINTING

DTF (Direct to film) is quickly becoming a brilliant new DTG (Direct to garment) alternative. But is it actually a good solution? Here are some pros and cons.

Pros: DTF printing is more accessible compared to DTG printing. You can easily convert a desktop inkjet printer such as Epson L1800 to be used as a DTF printer. The only other piece of equipment you will need is a heat press and you are ready to go. DTG printers on the other hand are very expensive and often bulky. The popular reliable Epson SureColor SC-F2130 DTG printer could cost you upwards of Rs. 9,00,000 whereas a brand new L1800 as well as a heat press could be purchased for under Rs. 90,000. You will recoup your ROI in no time. DTF printing is cheaper because it does not require pretreatment and it uses less white ink. White ink being expensive, it adds up to a huge saving). Lets not forget the cost of time. It takes a few seconds to apply the powder to DTF film but how long does it take you to pretreat and dry a shirt? 5 minutes? 10 if you are pretreating manually with a spray bottle and a roller. It might not seem like much but if you can save 5 minutes per shirt that’s a lot of saved time per day. Because DTF does not require pretreatment there is no vinegar smell or pretreat boxes to deal with. DTF printing is very versatile. You can print your transfers in advance and press them when required. DTF transfers can be applied to many different surfaces and items that would otherwise be very awkward to print on. DTF requires less maintenance because DTF white ink does not clog up the print heads as much as DTG white ink does.

Cons: DTG is still the king of great soft feel. Even though DTF feels a lot better than heat transfer papers, it is still not as soft as good old DTG printed shirts.