DTF printing (direct-to-film) is the fastest way to put full-color artwork on almost any garment. At DTF Center we print your design onto PET film with water-based CMYK + white ink, cure it, and ship the finished transfer to you — you just heat press it. No screens, no weeding, no setup fees, and no minimum order. Orders placed before 2 PM CST ship the same day from our Dallas, TX facility.
What is DTF printing?
Direct-to-film printing puts your artwork on a special PET film using water-based inks, then locks it in with an adhesive powder and a curing pass. The finished DTF print is heat-pressed onto the garment at around 300–310°F for 10–15 seconds.
Because the white ink is printed as an underbase, DTF prints stay bright on black and dark fabrics — something vinyl and DTG both struggle with. And because there are no screens to burn or colors to separate, a one-off photo-quality print costs the same per unit as the hundredth.
DTF prints vs. other printing methods
- DTF vs. DTG. DTG needs 100% cotton and pretreatment. DTF works on cotton, polyester, blends, canvas and performance fabrics, and holds brighter color on darks.
- DTF vs. screen printing. Screen printing gets cheap only at high volume and charges per color. DTF has no per-color cost and no setup fee, so short runs and full-color gradients are practical.
- DTF vs. HTV (vinyl). Vinyl means cutting and weeding every layer, and limits you to flat spot colors. DTF handles photographs, gradients and fine detail with no weeding at all.
- Durability. Our transfers are wash-tested past 50 cycles without cracking or fading.
DTF printing prices
Three ways to buy, all with no minimum and no setup fee:
| Option | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-press designs | 5,000+ pre-made designs, nothing to upload | from $2.75 per transfer |
| Custom DTF transfers by size | Your own artwork, single designs | from $0.50, priced by size |
| DTF gang sheets | Many designs on one 22"-wide sheet — lowest cost per print | $7.20 (22"×20") to $69.99 (22"×200") |
Gang sheets are the cheapest route if you are printing more than a handful of designs: you arrange as many graphics as will fit on a 22-inch-wide sheet and pay for the sheet, not per design.
How to order DTF prints
- Upload your design — PNG with a transparent background, 300 DPI at final print size.
- Choose your size — a single transfer by size, or arrange several on a gang sheet.
- Check out — no account required, no minimum, no setup fee.
- We print and ship — same business day for orders in before 2 PM CST, or pick up free in Dallas & Fort Worth.
- Press and wear — 300–310°F, 10–15 seconds, medium pressure, cool peel.
What DTF printing is used for
- Custom apparel — small clothing lines, fashion startups and local brands.
- Workwear and uniforms — logos and names that survive industrial laundering.
- Sportswear and jerseys — numbers, names and team graphics.
- Promotional merchandise — tote bags, hats, aprons and giveaways.
- Event merch — short-run, limited-edition prints without setup costs.
- Personalized gifts — one-off prints at the same per-unit price as bulk.
Where we print
Everything is printed in-house in Dallas, Texas and shipped nationwide. If you are local, we also serve Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Irving, McKinney and Fort Worth with free pickup.
DTF printing FAQ
What file format do you need?
A PNG with a transparent background, sized at 300 DPI for the final print dimensions. We do not add or remove backgrounds for you unless you ask.
How long do DTF prints last?
Past 50 wash cycles in our testing. Wash inside out in cold water and tumble dry low.
What fabrics work?
Cotton, polyester, poly-cotton blends, canvas and most performance fabrics. Lower the temperature slightly on heat-sensitive materials.
Do you have a minimum order?
No. One transfer costs the same per unit as a thousand.
How fast is turnaround?
Orders placed before 2 PM CST ship the same business day.
What is a gang sheet?
A single 22-inch-wide sheet packed with as many of your designs as will fit. You pay for the sheet length, which is why it is the cheapest way to print in volume. Build one with our gang sheet builder.
Can I buy designs instead of uploading my own?
Yes — browse 5,000+ ready-to-press DTF transfers and skip the artwork step entirely.