FAQ on DTF transfers, print files and application

It mainly depends on the material: Standard DTF for cotton and blends with at least 70% cotton, Blockout DTF for polyester and blends with at least 40% polyester, sublimation for light-coloured textiles with at least 80% polyester, UV DTF and vinyl stickers for hard, smooth surfaces.

• Standard DTF: T-shirts, hoodies, bags made of cotton or blends with at least 70% cotton
• CUT DTF: like Standard DTF, additionally cut along your contour
• Blockout DTF: jerseys, softshell and other polyester textiles with at least 40% polyester
• Sublimation: light-coloured textiles with at least 80% polyester and coated sublimation blanks
• UV DTF: glass, porcelain, ceramics, varnished or sealed wood, plastic, metal and stone
• Vinyl stickers: contour-cut stickers for smooth surfaces, also outdoors

Always test on a sample of your specific material before a larger run.

View the detailed product comparison

DTF places a printed ink layer with opaque white on the textile and therefore also works on dark fabrics. Sublimation dyes light-coloured polyester fibres directly, prints no white and is barely visible on dark materials.

• DTF: cotton and blends, opaque white, a layer you can feel
• Sublimation: at least 80% polyester or coated blanks, no white print, no feel on the textile
• Special colours such as gold, silver, neon or reflective are not possible with sublimation

View sublimation transfers

Both are DTF transfers. The difference is a special adhesive against dye migration that only Blockout has.

• Standard DTF: for 100% cotton and cotton blends with at least 70% cotton
• Blockout DTF: for 100% polyester and blends with at least 40% polyester, where dyes can be released by the heat of the press and migrate into light areas of the design. Not suitable for impregnated or water-repellent coatings

The Blockout adhesive significantly reduces the risk but does not rule it out for every textile. Test your specific textile for resublimation beforehand. Blockout is pressed slightly cooler than Standard DTF; you will find the values in the heat press settings.

You transfer UV DTF from a carrier film directly onto the object, and the sticker visually merges with the surface. Vinyl stickers are separate, contour-cut stickers made of film that you can peel off again without residue.

• UV DTF: multicoloured, with white and protective varnish depending on the version, no weeding, very strong adhesion
• Vinyl stickers: die-cut contour, holo, chrome or standard vinyl materials, removable without residue

Yes. The All in One Sample Pack costs one cent and contains test prints of our products: DTF standard, DTF Blockout, a mini colour chart, UV DTF as a standard print, UV DTF in matt, UV DTF in transparent and a sublimation print. This lets you get a feel for the handle and opacity before you order in quantity.

For colour matching, there are two printed colour charts with 964 CMYK swatches each, the DTF colour chart and the UV DTF colour chart. To the sample pack.

Standard DTF is intended for 100% cotton and cotton blends with at least 70% cotton. For polyester and blends with at least 40% polyester, Blockout DTF is the better choice.

The following are not suitable:

• Waxed fabrics and silicone-coated fabrics
• heavily textured textiles such as knitwear or coarse polos
• very coarse linen, nylon and non-woven fabrics
• impregnated or water-repellent coatings

Do not wash textiles before pressing; this avoids problems during pressing. Always test pressability beforehand on a sample.

View DTF transfers

You can get DTF transfers as A4, A3, half metre, film by the metre, custom length and single design.

• A4: 210 x 297 mm
• A3: 297 x 420 mm
• half metre: 600 × 500 mm
• By the metre: 600 × 1000 mm
• Custom length: 600 mm wide, 10 cm to 3 m long
• Single design: up to 600 mm wide, quantity as needed

Important: A3 and A4 sheets are not trimmed to format. Set up your file at exactly the ordered final size; we do not scale.

View all formats

You do not need to weed. After receiving them, you cut the designs from the sheet yourself and press them on. If you want ready-separated designs, order CUT DTF.

The product pages state at least 60 washes for DTF transfers. Wash at 30 °C and turn the textile inside out, and the print will last longest.

How far you get beyond these 60 washes depends mainly on care: washing temperature, detergent, programme and friction in the drum.

Important: Textiles with DTF prints do not belong in the tumble dryer; let them air dry, ideally turned inside out.

More on this in the section Pressing, care and storage.

No, we print exclusively in CMYK. Silver, gold and neon colours are not possible. Such shades can only be imitated with CMYK, and the metallic sheen does not appear.

CUT DTF is a DTF transfer that is additionally cut along the contour you have set up. This is worthwhile if you want to separate many similar designs quickly without cutting them out yourself.

CUT DTF is pressed exactly like a normal DTF transfer. CUT DTF is available by the metre at 560 x 1000 mm.

View CUT DTF transfers

The cut path must be a single, closed line at least 1 pt thick, set up as a spot colour with the exact name CutContour.

• Every design that is to be cut needs its own cut line
• At least 5 mm of space between the individual cut lines
• At least 5 mm safety distance between cut line and printed design
• The name must be exactly CutContour; it is case-sensitive
• The colour can be chosen freely

You only need a cut line for CUT DTF. No cut contour is needed for any other product.

Guide: Creating a CutContour

Blockout DTF works with a special adhesive against dye migration. You need it for polyester textiles where dyes can be released by the heat of the press and migrate into light areas of the design.

Suitable for 100% polyester or polyester blends with at least 40% polyester. Not suitable for impregnated or water-repellent coatings.

View Blockout transfers

No. Blockout significantly reduces the risk but cannot rule it out for every textile. Material, dyeing, temperature, time and pressure all interact.

Even with the same manufacturer, production batches differ in the strength of the dyeing and therefore in the amount of free dye particles. Test your specific textile for resublimation beforehand and only judge the result once it has cooled down completely.

View heat press settings for Blockout

No, we print Blockout DTF in CMYK. Silver, gold and neon colours are not possible and can only be simulated with CMYK.

No. You apply UV DTF without heat and without a press: clean the surface, peel off the film, apply the sticker, press it down and peel off the transfer film.

1. The surface to be decorated must be free of grease and dust; ordinary glass cleaner is enough
2. Peel off the backing film and position the sticker on the object
3. Press down evenly
4. Peel off the transfer film slowly; slight warming makes it easier

UV DTF is not intended for pressing onto textiles.

View UV DTF transfers

UV DTF adheres to flat, smooth, cylindrical, curved and irregular shapes made of glass, porcelain, ceramics, varnished or sealed wood, plastic, metal and stone. The surface must be clean, dry and free of grease.

Take care with these surfaces:

• Transparent and matt transfers can have adhesion problems, for example on leather, because the white layer or the varnish layer is missing
• We cannot guarantee durability on impregnated surfaces, for example impregnated shoes

Test critical surfaces before using larger quantities.

The versions differ in build-up and appearance. The standard print is glossy, contains white and protective varnish and is therefore opaque even on coloured surfaces. Matt is also backed with white and just as opaque, but has no glossy varnish. Transparent is printed without white, so the surface shows through. Matt and Transparent can adhere less well to some materials than Standard.

For coloured or dark surfaces, Standard and Matt with white are usually the safe choice.

No, UV DTF is not dishwasher-proof, and it is not food-safe either. So do not apply designs to the rims of cups and glasses or to surfaces in direct contact with food.

• If you want to be on the safe side, wash decorated mugs and bottles by hand
• On drinkware, keep enough distance from the mouth area

View product information on UV DTF

The product pages state that UV DTF is weatherproof and UV-resistant. There is currently no information on how many years a design lasts outdoors.

How long a sticker lasts outdoors depends on the surface, sunlight, cleaning and mechanical stress. Test the application before using larger quantities.

No, we print UV DTF in CMYK. Silver, gold and neon colours are not possible; we can only imitate them with CMYK. This applies to all three versions, i.e. Standard, Matt and Transparent.

Sublimation works on materials with at least 80% polyester and on common coated sublimation items. Cotton and dark textiles are not suitable.

Sublimation transfers are available in six sizes, including the mug format 100 x 240 mm, A3 and 1000 x 1100 mm.

View sublimation transfers

No. Sublimation does not print white ink; white parts of the design come from the light-coloured surface. Special colours such as white, gold, silver, reflective or neon are not possible. Such shades can only be imitated with CMYK.

If you need white in your design or are printing on dark textiles, a DTF transfer is the right choice.

Follow the settings specified by the supplier of your blank. Different materials need different temperatures and pressing times, which is why we do not specify generally applicable values for sublimation items.

Vinyl stickers are made for smooth, clean surfaces and, according to the product information, are waterproof, UV-resistant and weatherproof, so they are also suitable for outdoor use.

They stick strongly but can be removed again without residue. On rough, dusty, greasy or very flexible surfaces, adhesion may decrease.

For vinyl stickers, simply upload your design as a PNG or JPG. You do not need to set up a CutContour.

Our system automatically places a white border around your design and adds the matching cut line for the contour cut. So you do not need a vector file or elaborate file preparation.

There are six versions: gloss, matt, silver chrome gloss, silver chrome matt, holo gloss and holo matt.

All are made of vinyl (PVC) and produced in high-resolution four-colour digital printing, cut as an individual contour cut (die-cut).

In the DTF Designer, you put together your own gang sheet: upload designs, remove backgrounds, duplicate, scale, rotate and arrange them to save space. You can see the price directly while designing.

There are Designer versions for DTF, Blockout and UV DTF Standard Rub-On. Sheet sizes include 560 x 500 mm, 560 x 1000 mm and 580 x 2000 mm.

To the DTF Designer

In the Designer, you can upload PNG, JPEG, JPG, GIF and PDF. That is more than with a classic order, where we only accept PDF and PNG.

Still, make sure you have sufficient resolution and clean transparency. What you upload is printed as it is.

No, Designer orders do not include a Pro File Check. We do not redraw designs or correct colours.

So check it yourself before sending: resolution, transparency, dimensions, quantity and arrangement. If you would like a check, you can order the Pro File Check separately.

View Pro File Check

No. There is no express option for Designer orders.

If you need something produced particularly quickly, create a print-ready file outside the Designer and order the matching express product.

View express products

For DTF, Blockout, UV DTF and sublimation, we only accept PDF and PNG; for CUT DTF, we only accept PDF. For vinyl stickers, upload PNG or JPG; in the DTF Designer, JPEG and GIF are also possible.

• It is best to create your design as a vector graphic and upload a PDF
• PNG also works but tends to produce white halos around the edges and only supports RGB, which leads to colour deviations
• Image files need at least 300 dpi
• We do not accept multi-page PDF files; we always need a single-page PDF
• All elements must be embedded

PDF and PNG compared

Always set up the file at the ordered final size; we do not scale your files.

• Duplicate your designs on the sheet as many times as you need them
• The print file must not contain a background
• The file may only contain one layer. Delete every layer you do not need and every hidden layer, as hidden layers are printed too
• Do not mirror your file; our printers do that automatically
• File names must not contain spaces
• Do not upload preview files as well; they lead to file errors or are printed too

In UV printing, lengths of up to 5 m are possible after consulting our support team.

You will find all requirements at a glance under Setting up print files correctly.

Filling your gang sheet correctly

Set up your files in the CMYK colour space and use the colour profile ISO Coated v2 (ECI) for DTF and UV DTF transfers, and ISO Coated v2 300% for sublimation.

• Set up colours exactly as you need them: white as CMYK 0/0/0/0, black as CMYK 0/0/0/100. We do not change any colours
• Do not use spot colours such as Pantone or HKS; they lead to colour deviations or image errors
• For sublimation: no 400% black, otherwise the ink smudges
• For grey tones, use black (K) only, with no cyan, magenta or yellow

From RGB to CMYK

The minimum outline and line thickness is 0.4 mm, and there should be at least 0.6 mm between colour areas. We cannot guarantee printability and adhesion for thinner lines.

Convert your fonts to paths or curves. DTF can print any font, but playful or distressed fonts can create unwanted effects, usually when they fall below the recommended stroke width.

Avoid gradients, fading shadows and colour areas set to overprint.

• Gradients are not printed optimally as vectors and cannot fade into transparency
• Shadows that fade out beyond the design lead to messy edges
• Colour areas must not be set to overprint

Most common mistakes and how to fix them

Files can only be swapped in the event of a file error. Orders go straight into prepress.

If we contact you, for example because of a file error, you can cancel the order in writing within our business hours from 9:00 to 16:00 (German time). Just send us an email. It is important that a member of our support team confirms the cancellation.

The notice tells you what is wrong with your file. Correct the file and send us the new version by email to info@dtf-king.de or via our WeTransfer link dtfking.wetransfer.com.

• Always state your order number, otherwise we cannot match the file
• If your order contains several files, please send us all the files of the order again
• If you are unsure about the correction, contact our customer service

What to bear in mind when setting up your files is explained under Setting up print files correctly.

No. We produce from a single item and without a minimum order value.

You can see which formats and quantities are available on the respective product.

No, the Pro File Check always belongs to a product order. If you book it on its own, we have nothing to check and have to cancel the order. If you want to add a file check later, please arrange this with our support team first.

For Standard DTF: 130 to 140 °C, 12 to 15 seconds and medium pressure of about 3 bar. For Blockout DTF: 120 to 130 °C, 12 seconds and also about 3 bar. Both can be peeled hot or cold.

Tip: When your press opens, count 1, 2, 3 and then peel off the film quickly and flat. These values are guidelines; always take the tolerances of your heat press into account.

View all heat press settings

No. We recommend not washing textiles beforehand to avoid problems during pressing.

The best way to find out how a particular textile behaves is to test it on a sample beforehand.

Check your gang sheets for completeness, quality and correctness immediately after receipt, ideally before you press them onto textiles.

1. Cut out the designs and separate the control strip and order number
2. Check the transfers for powder residue, oily stains and damage
3. After the first pressing, do a light rub test: rub the ink side carefully with a slightly damp cloth or your finger; no ink should come off
4. Make sure no frictional heat builds up, as it can damage the ink and distort the test result

If you notice anything, contact us immediately. The incoming goods inspection must take place immediately after receipt. If it is not carried out, this may limit or exclude claims under the statutory liability for material defects.

Wash at 30 °C turned inside out, and the print will last longest. The product pages state that DTF transfers are washable at 30 °C. For sublimation, follow the care label of the textile. The information on the respective product is binding.

Before the first wash: wash no earlier than 48 hours after pressing. During this time, the adhesive and ink layers stabilise completely.

Preparation:

• Always turn the textile inside out
• Do not wash together with coarse fabrics such as jeans or towels
• Avoid zips, buttons and hook-and-loop fasteners
• Do not overload the machine; this reduces friction

Detergent: liquid colour or delicate detergents without enzymes. Detergents with enzymes, optical brighteners or bleach are not recommended, nor are heavy-duty detergents, powder detergents and hygiene or intensive detergents. Enzymes attack the surface of the print and, together with friction, lead to premature ink abrasion.

Programme: delicate or easy-care programme, no high spin speeds, no fabric softener, no laundry sanitiser and no fragrance additives.

Drying and ironing: not in the tumble dryer; air dry and leave inside out, do not iron directly over the print and do not use steam.

Always test washability on a sample textile first.

To pass on to your customers, you can use our care instructions as a printable sheet. They are also available on every DTF product page in the ‘Template’ tab.

Under optimal conditions, you can store DTF transfers for up to 6 months. Still, process them as soon as possible.

The adhesive is hygroscopic, which means it draws moisture from the air. As a result, transfers can stick together, become oily or lose their adhesion.

• Humidity: store in a dry place, if possible below 45% relative humidity
• Container: store airtight, for example in plastic boxes or vacuum-sealed bags
• Temperature: store at a constant temperature, ideally at room temperature
• Position: store upright if possible, otherwise flat, and do not place anything heavy on top

Express production shortens the time until completion, express shipping shortens the transport. For a fast overall process, you need both.

You select express shipping separately in the basket. Same-day dispatch only applies if express shipping is selected and the cut-off time is met. The selected shipping method does not affect the type of production.

View express products

By 11:00 (German time) for unlimited quantities and by 14:00 (German time) for orders up to 10 metres. By then, the order, receipt of payment and error-free print files must all be complete.

• We produce express orders on the same working day
• Working days are Monday to Friday; we do not ship at weekends
• Faulty files and late or incomplete payments delay production and dispatch

We produce standard orders within 1 to 3 working days. The shipping time is added to this: 1 to 5 working days with standard shipping and 1 to 2 working days with express shipping.

• Standard shipping via UPS, DHL and DPD
• Express shipping via DHL Express and UPS Express in 1 to 2 working days
• Express shipping is only possible from Monday to Friday; there are no deliveries on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays
• If your files do not meet our requirements, production is postponed by the time it takes for new files to arrive

Shipping and payment terms

Yes. International shipping is handled by UPS, and for selected countries also by DHL International. The countries we deliver to and the shipping costs are listed in the shipping and payment terms. Allow 5 to 7 working days for delivery.

We cannot deliver to parcel lockers, as our parcels are too large for them. So always give a home or business address.

Your tracking number is in your customer account and in the shipping confirmation you received by email. Use it to check the status of the shipment. In most cases, the goods arrive shortly afterwards.

If it takes significantly longer or the status stops changing, get in touch with us.

You can pay by PayPal, credit or debit card, SEPA direct debit, invoice and Apple Pay, among others. The checkout shows which payment methods are available for your order, and this information is binding.

If you pay by credit card, we charge your credit card account when the goods are shipped. If prepayment has been agreed, the delivery period begins when you issue your payment instruction.

All conditions in detail

Log in to your customer account and open the order concerned. At the top right, you will find a menu with three dots. There you can complete the payment or choose another payment method.

Contact us immediately after receipt, ideally before you press onto textiles. Stop further processing and keep the affected sheets.

• Describe the problem and state your order number
• Photos of the gang sheet and the defect help us assess it
• Do not continue processing affected transfers, as this makes it harder to resolve the issue

The incoming goods inspection must take place immediately after receipt. If it is not carried out, this may limit or exclude claims under the statutory liability for material defects.

Go to the contact form