Direct to film (DTF) allows you to make high-quality garment prints at home using an ink-jet printer. The technology does not require a massive investment to start with.
However, the results can be quite spectacular! On top of that, DTF can create prints for cotton, polyester, and other fabric types. Indeed, DTF is a revolutionary technology! Let us understand this new way of printing.
The DTF Technology Process
You can adapt a normal ink-jet printer to make DTF prints. Besides a computer and printer, you will need DTF supplies like DTF ink, DTF paper, and DTF powder. Then you will need a raster image processor (RIP) like acrorip to convert your image into a bitmap. The RIP software helps in printing the image. To transfer the image onto the garment, you will need a heat press.
So you first create your high-resolution (at least 300 dots per inch or dpi) design on the computer. Then you use the RIP software to convert and make the image ready for printing.
In the next step, you print the image on the DTF paper. After you have printed the image, you need to dust the DTF powder on print. The powder is the adhesive that will bind the print to the garment. The image needs only a thin layer of the powder to stick to the printed area.
The heat transfer process will now begin by placing the garment on the heat press table. The powder-coated side of the image should touch the garment. Once you have aligned the image, cover it with parchment paper and start the heat press for a short time. The heat helps to transfer the image to the garment.
Now you need to let the garment cool and then peel off the printer paper to leave the image on the garment. Even though DTF uses heat transfer to print on garments, the feel of the print is soft. The feel or "hand" of the print will depend on the amount of DTF powder and the thickness of ink used. A DTF print is quite durable when washed.
Advantages and Disadvantage of DTF Technology
Like any process to transfer images to garments, DTF has its pros and cons. Some plus points are:
The equipment is not that expensive. You can recover the money you invested without any problem.
It does not need the garment to get any pre-treatment.
You can print on a wide variety of garments: cotton, polyester, and other materials.
The process is quite fast.
You can print vibrant, high-resolution images that are durable.
The downside is that DTF supplies can be expensive. Also, some people may not like the plastic feel of a heat transfer, which may feel like a vinyl transfer.
Final Word
To conclude, DTF is a revolutionary innovation with great potential in digital printing. DTF produces vibrant and vivid images with sharp outlines on garments. If you are looking for a cost-effective option instead of DTG printers, DTF is the way to go.
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