Which product suits my project?

For textiles: Standard DTF or Blockout DTF

Our Standard DTF is the versatile transfer for T-shirts, hoodies, bags and workwear made of cotton or blends with at least 70% cotton. We print your design in full colour in CMYK and back it with opaque white, which is why it stands out even on dark textiles. Washed at 30 °C, it lasts for at least 60 washes.

For polyester or blends with at least 40% polyester, we recommend Blockout DTF. Dyed polyester can release dyes during pressing that migrate into light areas of your design. Blockout DTF works with a special adhesive that holds back dyes from the textile. It reduces the risk significantly, but cannot rule it out for every textile. Blockout is a recommendation, not a requirement: on white polyester, Standard DTF often works too. That is why you should test new textiles first.

• Not suitable for DTF: coated or impregnated fabrics, waxed fabric, nylon and non-woven fabric. You can read more about this in Which textiles are suitable for DTF printing?
• Which format? Order single designs as A4 or A3, and many designs on a half metre, by the metre or in a custom length of up to 3 m. With the single design, you upload one design and only set the quantity; the arrangement on the sheet is done automatically. In the DTF Designer, you put together your own gang sheet online.

For hard surfaces: UV DTF

UV DTF transfers are self-adhesive rub-on stickers for smooth, firm surfaces. You rub the design on without heat and without a press, for example onto glass, ceramics, porcelain, metal, rigid plastic, smooth leather or varnished and sealed wood. You can also apply them to car windows, but UV DTF must never go on car paintwork. UV DTF is not intended for textiles.

• Standard looks glossy and opaque; your design is backed with white.
• Matt is also backed with white and opaque, but looks more understated without gloss.
• Transparent has no white print, so the surface shows through the design. Ideal for shop windows, glass doors and mirrors.

UV DTF is not food-safe and not dishwasher-proof; we recommend washing drinkware by hand. Always test the adhesion on the original material before larger runs, and on grained or oiled leather on an inconspicuous corner first.

For light-coloured polyester items and mugs: sublimation

With sublimation printing, we print your design on transfer paper. With the heat press, you transfer the ink onto light-coloured textiles with at least 80% polyester, such as shirts and cushions, or onto coated blanks such as mugs and promotional items. The ink penetrates the fibre or coating, so the design cannot be felt and the fabric stays breathable. Because there is no white underneath, the colours look slightly less vibrant than with DTF.

White cannot be printed with sublimation. White areas in your file stay clear, and the colour of the surface shows there. Sublimation therefore only works if your design fits this rule.

Ready cut out: CUT DTF

With CUT DTF, your designs come pre-cut along their contour. There is no cutting out to do, every copy is cut exactly the same, and you position the designs on the textile faster. Ideal for recurring designs such as logos on teamwear. For polyester, there is CUT Blockout.

For this, you need a PDF with a cut line in the spot colour CutContour and 5 mm spacing between the lines and to the design. Our article Creating a CutContour shows you how.

When time is short: Express

Many products are also available as an express version: Standard DTF, Blockout DTF, UV DTF in Standard, Matt and Transparent, and sublimation in the 500 x 1100 mm format. Express refers to production: if your order, error-free print files and payment are with us by 11:00 (German time), we produce your order on the same working day, and with express shipping we dispatch it the same day. For orders of up to 10 metres in total, the cut-off is even 14:00. There is no express production at weekends or on public holidays. Express shipping can only be selected for express products.

There is no express version for Designer orders, CUT DTF, single designs, colour charts and the Sample Pack. The Pro File Check cannot be added to express products.

Frequently asked questions

View Standard DTFView Blockout DTFView UV DTFView sublimationView Sample Pack

Also useful: Heat press settings, Setting up print files correctly and FAQ.

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Wishing you every success with your projects,

DTF-King Team