Does DTF hold up in the wash?

Yes. A properly pressed DTF transfer withstands dozens of washes. Recommendations: wait 48h before the first wash, wash inside out at 40 °C, do not iron directly on the print and avoid the tumble dryer.

Which fabrics can a DTF transfer be applied to?

Cotton, polyester, cotton/polyester blends and sublimated polyester (with an anti-sublimation adhesive that blocks colour migration from the fabric).

Do I need a heat press to apply a DTF transfer?

Yes, a heat press is strongly recommended: 150 °C, 3 to 3.5 bar, 5 seconds then hot peel and an 8-second second press for standard fabrics. A household iron cannot guarantee even temperature or pressure.

Is DTF suitable for small quantities?

Yes, that is one of its big advantages: no setup fees and no minimum order. A single 55 × 50 cm sheet costs CHF 12.– excl. VAT at DTF Swiss, and an A3 file fits on it.

What is DTF?

DTF (Direct-to-Film) is a textile printing technique: the design is printed onto a film, coated with hot-melt adhesive powder, then transferred onto the garment with a heat press. The result: vibrant colours, a soft hand feel and excellent wash resistance — with no minimum quantity.

How does DTF printing work?

Printing on film. The design is printed mirrored onto a special PET film using CMYK pigment inks + a white underbase layer. That white is what makes colours pop even on dark fabrics.

Powdering. A hot-melt adhesive powder is applied to the still-wet ink, then cured in an oven. This is what bonds the print to the fabric fibres.

Heat transfer. The film is placed on the fabric and pressed at 150 °C with a pressure of 3 to 3.5 bar. The adhesive melts and anchors the design into the fabric.

Peel & second press. After 5 seconds, the film is peeled hot, then a second 8-second press finalises adhesion (10 s / 15 s for sublimated polyester).

The advantages of DTF

✅ No minimum: from 1 piece, no setup fees
✅ Unlimited colours, gradients and fine details
✅ Opaque white: vibrant results on dark fabrics
✅ Soft hand feel, stretchy and thinner than flex
✅ Wash resistant (dozens of cycles)
✅ Multi-fabric: cotton, polyester, blends, sublimated
✅ Stockable: press your transfers whenever you like

Compatible fabrics

👕 Cotton (t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags…)
🎽 Standard polyester
🧵 Cotton/polyester blends
⚽ Sublimated polyester (coloured or patterned outside, white inside) — with our anti-sublimation adhesive, which blocks colour migration from the fabric into the print

Tip: always run a test on the final fabric before a production run.

Application & care

Pressing — standard fabrics

Temperature: 150 °C • Pressure: 3 to 3.5 bar

1st press: 5 s → hot peel → 2nd press: 8 s

Pressing — sublimated polyester

1st press: 10 s → hot peel → 2nd press: 15 s

Care

• Wait 48h before the first wash
• Wash inside out at 40 °C
• Do not iron directly on the print
• Avoid the tumble dryer

How much does a DTF transfer cost?

At DTF Swiss, sheets are printed in Switzerland and priced by format, excluding VAT:

• 55 cm-wide film, paid by length: from CHF 12.– (50 cm, the minimum), CHF 24.– per metre
• 55×100 cm sheet: from CHF 24.–

Three turnaround options: Standard (3-5 working days), Express (1-2 days) and Urgent 24 h. Details on the full price list.

Order my DTF transfers

Or compare first: DTF, flock or screen printing? • Why order in Switzerland? • DTF Transfers FAQ