DTG & DTF Printers

What are DTG and DTF printing?

Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing works much like an inkjet printer for fabric. The garment is loaded onto a platen and water-based pigment ink is printed straight into the fibres, then heat-cured. DTG suits cotton and cotton-rich garments, leaves a soft feel and is ideal for one-offs, short runs and detailed full-colour designs. Dark garments are pre-treated and printed with a white underbase first so the colours stay bright.

Direct-to-film (DTF) printing puts the design onto a PET transfer film instead of the garment. A hot-melt adhesive powder is applied to the printed film and cured, and the transfer is then heat-pressed onto the item. Because the adhesive does the bonding, DTF transfers can be applied to a wider range of fabrics, including cotton, polyester and blends, as well as bags, caps and other merchandise, and they can be printed ahead and stored until needed.

In short, DTG prints directly onto the garment and is at its best on cotton, while DTF makes a transfer that can go onto almost any fabric. Several Epson SureColor F-series models handle both, and Roland’s BN2 series takes another route, printing and contour-cutting heat-transfer media for apparel and decals.