DTF vs. DTG
Also known as: Direct to film vs. direct to garment
What Is the Difference Between DTF and DTG Printing?
DTG (direct to garment) prints ink straight onto the fabric of a shirt or hoodie. DTF (direct to film) prints the design onto a transfer film first, then presses that film onto the garment with heat.
Both usually start from the same artwork, a transparent PNG at print size. CE.SDK exports that file, so one design can go to either kind of printer. Which process suits a job comes down mostly to the fabric and garment color, and to how the print should feel. On white polyester or a mug, sublimation is another option.
What Is DTG Printing?
DTG printing works like an inkjet printer for clothing: the print head sprays ink directly onto the fabric. The ink soaks into the fibers, so the print feels soft and part of the garment. It works best on cotton and high-cotton blends.
Dark garments usually need a pretreatment so the ink holds, plus a white underbase printed first so the colors stay bright. With little setup per piece, DTG suits one-offs and short runs.
What Is DTF Printing?
DTF printing gets the design onto clothing in a few steps, which is why it works on far more fabrics than DTG. The white layer travels with the transfer, so colors stay bright on dark garments, and the print sits on the fabric as a thin layer you can feel. It’s often the more efficient choice for larger orders.
Print on film
The printer lays down the colors and a layer of white ink on a PET film.
Add adhesive powder
An adhesive powder goes onto the print and is cured, so the design can bond to fabric.
Press onto the garment
A heat press transfers the design onto cotton, polyester, blends, or fleece.
DTF or DTG: Which Should You Choose?
Fabric comes first, then garment color, then how many pieces you need.
Choose DTG for
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Cotton and high-cotton blends
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When the print should feel soft
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One-offs and short runs
Choose DTF for
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Polyester, fleece, and blends
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Dark garments without pretreatment
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Larger orders
What File Do DTF and DTG Printers Need?
Both kinds of printer usually ask for a transparent PNG at 300 DPI at the size it will print. They differ on color mode, so check whether a printer wants RGB or CMYK.
Transparent PNG
The background has to be transparent, so only the design prints. A JPG can’t carry transparency.
300 DPI at print size
Resolution counts at the finished size: a design printed 10 inches wide needs about 3,000 pixels across.
Clean edges
Semi-transparent edge pixels can leave a faint halo around the design, and partly transparent areas can print washed out, because the white underbase doesn’t print solid behind them.
How to Prepare DTF and DTG Files in CE.SDK
Set up the print area at real size
Design in inches or millimeters at the size the garment will be printed, and set the resolution to 300 DPI, so the export has the pixels the printer expects.
Remove photo backgrounds
Users can remove the background from a photo, so only the subject prints and the area around it stays transparent.
Export a transparent PNG
Export each print area as a PNG with a transparent background, at the exact pixel size the printer asks for.
DTF and DTG for Print-on-Demand Apparel
Print-on-demand stores
Customers design a shirt in the store’s editor, and every order reaches the DTG or DTF partner as a print-ready transparent PNG.
Front and back prints
A merch tool lets users design the front and the back of a shirt as separate print areas, and each one exports as its own file for the printer.
Links
Documentation and references for this concept.
T-Shirt Designer Starter Kit
An editor for designing the front and back print areas of a garment.
Export to PNG
Export designs as PNGs with a transparent background at an exact pixel size.
Apparel Editor Demo
Place a design in a print area on a shirt and export it.
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