DTF for print shops solves the jobs screen printing and embroidery handle badly: short runs, full color art, lots of names and numbers, and rush orders. Shops add it either by buying their own printer or by outsourcing transfers to a DTF printer. Most start by outsourcing, because it costs nothing up front and shows whether the demand is real.
- Best for
- Runs under a few dozen, full color art
- Setup
- No screens, no digitizing
- Two paths
- Outsource transfers or print in house
- Fits
- Screen print and embroidery shops
The jobs that make shops look at DTF
Every screen printer knows the order: twelve shirts, six colors, a photo in the middle. Burning six screens for twelve shirts doesn't make money. Embroidery shops know their version: a customer wants a detailed full color logo on the back of a jacket, and the stitch count makes it a non-starter.
DTF handles those jobs without setup. You print the art on film, press it, and you're done. That changes which orders are worth taking.
- Short runs. One to a few dozen pieces where screen setup eats the margin.
- Full color and photographic art. Gradients and many colors cost the same as one color.
- Names and numbers. Team orders where every piece is different.
- Mixed garments. One design on tees, hoodies, hats, and bags in the same order.
- Reorders. Five more shirts for a past customer, without pulling old screens.
- Samples and mockups. A real pressed sample to close a big screen print order.
How DTF fits next to screen printing
DTF doesn't replace a press for big runs of simple art. Screen printing still wins on per piece cost at volume and on the feel of a soft, ink-in-the-fabric print. What DTF does is fill the gap below your screen print minimums. Our breakdown of DTF vs. screen printing walks through where the crossover usually lands.
A common setup looks like this:
| Job type | Usually best method |
|---|---|
| 100 plus pieces, 1 to 3 colors | Screen printing |
| Under your screen minimum, any colors | DTF |
| Full color photo or gradient art | DTF |
| Individual names and numbers | DTF |
| Small left chest logo on polos and caps, premium look | Embroidery |
| Large detailed back design on jackets | DTF |
Shops that work with outside DTF printers often use a dedicated program. Our page on DTF transfers for screen printers covers that workflow, and the embroidery shop version explains how stitch shops pair DTF with their machines.
Outsource or print in house
This is the real decision. Both work. They suit different shops.
Outsourcing transfers
- No equipment cost. You need a heat press, which most shops already have.
- No ink, film, powder, or printer maintenance.
- You pay per sheet, so cost scales with orders.
- You depend on your supplier's turnaround and quality.
Buying a DTF printer
- Up front cost for the printer, a powder shaker or curing setup, and ventilation.
- Ongoing ink, film, powder, and daily maintenance. DTF printers don't like sitting idle.
- Full control over timing.
- Someone on staff has to learn color management and troubleshooting.
A practical path: outsource for a few months and track how many DTF jobs you sell. If the volume keeps a printer busy every day, the in house math may start to work. If it's a few sheets a week, outsourcing is usually simpler. We go deeper on that trade in our post on in house DTF printing.
What changes in your shop workflow
Adding DTF through a supplier is mostly about art prep and pressing.
- Art prep. Files need to be high resolution with a transparent background. Your existing separations won't work. You send the full color file.
- Gang sheets. Lay out multiple jobs or sizes on one sheet to cut cost per piece.
- Pressing. DTF uses different settings than plastisol transfers. Follow the supplier's instructions for temperature, time, pressure, and peel.
- Quoting. Price by print size and quantity, not by color count. That's a mindset shift for screen printers.
- Production scheduling. Build supplier turnaround into due dates, or use a local supplier with pickup for rush work.
Pricing DTF jobs so they're worth taking
Don't price DTF like a cheap add-on. Your customer gets full color with no setup fee, which is valuable to them. Build your price from:
- Blank cost.
- Transfer cost per piece (sheet cost divided by usable transfers).
- Press labor. Count the actual minutes per piece, including loading and folding.
- Overhead and a margin you'd accept on any other job.
For a closer look at how sheet pricing works, see our explainer on DTF transfer pricing.
FAQ
Will DTF cannibalize my screen print orders?
Usually not. It picks up the jobs you were turning down or losing money on. Big simple runs still go to screen printing because that's cheaper per piece at volume.
Can I press DTF on the same heat press I use for plastisol transfers?
Yes. A standard clamshell or swing-away press works. Just use the DTF supplier's settings, which are different from plastisol.
How do I explain DTF to customers?
Keep it simple: full color, no setup fee, good for small quantities. Show them a pressed and washed sample.
Do embroidery shops use DTF?
Many do, for large back designs, full color art, and items where stitching would be too dense or too expensive.
Add DTF without buying a printer
Infynite prints transfers in house in Chatsworth with no minimums. Shops that apply for wholesale get volume break pricing, priority production ahead of hobby orders, pre-cut transfers, and can submit a resale certificate.