DTF Transfers in Pasadena
DTF transfers for Pasadena orders come off our printer in Chatsworth, about 30 miles west by freeway. Order online and ship them, or pick up at the shop on a weekday. No minimums, and orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day.
- Distance
- About 30 miles
- Route
- The 118 and the 5
- Shipping
- Same day before 1PM PT
- Minimums
- None
Pasadena to Chatsworth, honestly
We are not around the corner from Pasadena. The drive is about 30 miles, typically the 5 north and the 118 west into Chatsworth, and it runs around 40 minutes with clear roads. With traffic it is longer. For most Pasadena customers, shipping is the better deal: free on orders over $75, and the sheet goes out the same day if you order before 1PM PT.
Pickup still makes sense if you are already in the Valley, or you need to look at a test print before a big run. Call first. For the full picture of how we print and who we work with, see our page on DTF transfers in Los Angeles.
What Pasadena prints for
The Rose Parade and New Year's Day
Pasadena hosts the Tournament of Roses Parade every January 1, and the Rose Bowl game follows it. That means float crews, volunteer teams, marching band boosters and watch parties all wanting shirts in December, which is exactly when everybody's printer is busiest. Order in early December, not the week after Christmas. Standard DTF is the fast lane. Specialty finishes take 3 to 5 business days on top of that.
The flea market crowd
The Rose Bowl Flea Market has run every second Sunday of the month since 1967. Vendors selling vintage and resale often add a few printed pieces of their own, and DTF works well for that: you can print a dozen designs on one sheet, press to order, and keep blank inventory instead of printed stock. Our guide to starting a clothing brand with DTF walks through that model.
Campus and lab orders
Caltech sits in the south part of the city, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech manages, is Pasadena's largest employer. Pasadena City College, founded in 1924, and ArtCenter College of Design, with two Pasadena campuses, round out a student population that orders club shirts, team gear and event tees in small batches. Mission teams and research groups like a patch-style emblem on the chest and a project name across the back.
Designing for an art school audience
ArtCenter students and Pasadena's design studios tend to send more ambitious art: gradients, photographic textures, fine linework. DTF can print all of it, with a few rules:
- Gradients should fade into solid color or into halftone dots, not into transparency, or you get a hard edge where the film adhesive stops.
- Photos need 300 DPI at print size. A phone photo cropped to a chest print usually falls short.
- Thin lines under about 1 point can break up. Thicken them or lose them.
- Color should be built in CMYK if you want close matches. Bright RGB greens and blues shift when printed.
Pickup or shipping, step by step
- Upload your art. Build a full gang sheet or order transfers by size.
- Pick a delivery method. Shipping makes sense for most Pasadena customers. Pickup works if you are in the Valley.
- If picking up, call ahead. (818) 527-8264, then drive to 9736 Variel Ave, Chatsworth, Monday to Friday, 10AM to 5PM.
- Press. 300°F, high pressure, 10 seconds, peel hot, 5 second post-press. Store any extra transfers flat and sealed; they keep 6 to 12 months.
If you are splitting work between Pasadena and the east end of the Valley, our Glendale page covers the closer side of the trip.
FAQ
Is it worth driving from Pasadena to pick up?
Usually only if you are already heading to the Valley or need to see a sample. Otherwise, ship it. Orders placed before 1PM PT go out the same business day.
When should I order Rose Parade shirts?
Early December at the latest. Standard DTF ships fast, but holiday shipping slows down and everyone is ordering at once.
Can you print photos and gradients?
Yes, with 300 DPI files and gradients that end in solid color or halftone instead of fading to clear.
Can I order metallic or puff for a float crew?
Yes. Gold foil, glitter, puff and glow in the dark go through our contact form and take 3 to 5 business days. They print on their own sheet, separate from standard DTF.
Get your Pasadena order moving
Upload your art today and have it shipped, or plan a weekday pickup in Chatsworth if you are in the Valley anyway.