Direct to Film (DTF) Printing Solutions
Have you ever wanted to own your own direct to garment printer? The cost of owning and maintaining one, just too high for you right now? Well, thanks to the advancement of technology, there is a new, ground-breaking process that can rival DTG printing. And it might just be the perfect upgrade for your garment customization business. Direct to Film printing is here, and it’s here to stay. And for good reasons, too.
But what is Direct to Film printing?
Direct to Film printing, or DTF, is a new technology that allows users to print designs onto special films. These films are then transferred onto a garment of choice using an adhesive and can last as long as silkscreen prints. Similar to most heat transfer processes, a quality printer and heat press are necessary for maximizing this process.
What do I need?
In DTF printing, it is important to have quality ink to avoid printhead clogging. Our R&D team tried numerous inks available in China, and due to high-density ink configuration, most inks clogged and destroyed our printheads. After 5 months of ink tests, our team managed to get a hold of ink with a low ink density that does not affect print quality. We have since partnered with a well-known ink manufacturing company from South Korea with 25 years in the business and was able to refine and produce an eco-friendly and printhead-friendly textile ink. After months of endless research, we are proud to present our own line of textile ink, EcoTex. EcoTex has been manufactured specifically to work for DTF printing using our machines, as our printers have proven their versatility.
Another important material for this process is the printable film. Ordinary PET films just won’t do with DTF printing. Untreated, low-quality films can smudge the print, not accept the adhesive, or destroy the garment altogether. This is why we only use films made by Binru. This specially-treated film can withstand high up to 210 degrees Celcius and up to 40secs of hard pressure on a heat press. This high-quality printable film is compatible with any desktop or large-format DTF printer.
Lastly, you will need a high-quality adhesive to combine them all. We have developed a special adhesive with Binru, that is durable, keeps the transfer soft, and can withstand up to 30+ hand-washes. Our adhesive powder is durable before and after pressing, with no excessive foul smell, excellent coverage, and excellent industry-standard transfer rate. Even better, any excess adhesive powder can be stored and reused for the next transfer, making sure no adhesive is left unused.
What is the process like?
Design – Create your own design using your favorite graphic design software (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, etc.)
Print – Print your design on our specialized film. Depending on the printer used, it will print the colors first, then a white top layer that serves as the base layer on the shirt.
Apply – Apply the powder adhesive evenly onto the printed film. Shake off any excess and store them for later use.
Bake – Melt the adhesive to the film using a heat press or oven. Hover the heat press platen on top of the adhesive to ensure even heat throughout.
Press – Press your design onto a substrate like a t-shirt. Applicable on cotton, polyester, leather, cardboard, aluminum, and other flat rough, and rigid materials.
What sets it apart from other transfers?
No cutting and weeding required
Cheaper than buying high-end digital printing machines
Crisp, defined edges and images from start to finish
No advanced technical printing knowledge required
A great option for small orders
Low cost on waste
User-friendly
Low investment – high reward
What Packages Can I Get?
1.) CMYK Edition. This package is made for white and light-colored substrates only. You can choose either an A4 or A3 sized printer. We recommended the Epson L120 for an A4 printer, and the Epson L1300 for an A3.
2.) Full-Color Edition. Ideal for all substrates. Our recommended printers are the Epson L805 for an A4 and the Epson L1800 6-color printer for an A3. It comes with CMYK plus 2 White inks. We also provide the software for ink channel configuration/color separation.
Upon purchase of our Direct to Film package, our technical team will provide you with our extensive hands-on training to get the most of your machines.
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