There’s something special about pulling on a jersey with your name and number for the first time. Whether it’s a young athlete getting their first team uniform, a company softball team suiting up for some friendly competition or a pro athlete stepping onto the field, those numbers and letters create a sense of identity and belonging.

Heat printing has revolutionized the way teams big and small get personalized uniforms quickly and affordably. From classic block numbers to modern metallic, reflective or multi-color designs, today’s technology makes anything possible. The same techniques that bring instant customization to stadiums and high-profile events, like the NFL Draft, are also helping local sporting goods stores and print shops fulfill orders with ease.

So, how do the pros do it? What are the best methods and materials for different fabrics and team styles? Whether you’re gearing up for a championship season or outfitting a weekend league, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the latest trends and tools in team jersey printing.

Heat Transfers: A Winning Strategy for Team Jerseys

Screen printing has long been the go-to method for decorating team jerseys, especially for bulk orders where the same logo is printed over and over. It’s efficient, cost-effective and delivers durable results that stand up to the wear and tear of a season. However, when it comes to individual personalization—adding player names and numbers—heat transfers are the industry standard. Whether it’s a little league team, a local rec squad or a pro-level event, heat printing offers the flexibility to customize each jersey on demand.

In fact, when it comes to this kind of customization, one of the biggest challenges in uniform printing isn’t the application—it’s the design process. Creating artwork, inputting player names and numbers and ensuring accuracy can be tedious and time-consuming. You may therefore want to consider using an online designer, such as the STAHLS’ Team Builder platform (part of the STAHLS’ family of companies, including STAHLS’ Transfer Express) to streamline the process.

The key to an online design platform, like STAHLS’ Team Builder, is the fact it allows you to upload a team roster and instantly generate ready-to-print designs for each jersey. This is true whether you’re ordering DTF transfers or screen-printed transfers. No more typing in names one at a time or having to worry about misprints; an online design platform Team Builder automates the process, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

With the right software, you can personalize jerseys in just a few clicks. The software allows you to input a roster and apply personalized text across all jerseys instantly. Additionally, you can see live mockups and pricing, which means you get to see your designs in real time and obtain accurate quotes before ordering.

If you have custom logos, you can also upload them and incorporate any team branding you’d like for a polished, professional look.

So far, so good. Bear in mind, though, that in addition to having to decide whether to go with an online designer and service provider or not, you also need to select a decorating method. Among the more well-established options out there are direct-to-film (DTF), screen-printing and hybrid transfers, with pricing varying by transfer. Beyond that, another couple of options to consider include pre-cut and pre-spaced numbers.

Pre-spaced numbers and names make the heat-pressing process that much easier and faster. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’

Traditionally, pre-cut numbers and letters, also known as die-cut numbers, have allowed for effective on-demand personalization. Granted, having to manually align each individual character can be time-consuming. Nonetheless, pre-cut numbers, such as STAHLS’ Thermo-FILM numbers, have long been the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to add numbers to jerseys. Specifically, with a heat press, it’s possible to print as many as 15 numbered team uniforms in 30 minutes or less. Pre-cuts are available in multiple styles, sizes and colors, including two-color options, offering a word of possibilities.

Making things even easier are Pre-Spaced Numbers and Pre-Spaced Text, which arrive on a single carrier sheet, eliminating alignment issues and reducing application time. While slightly more expensive, they save labor costs in the long run. If you want to save even more money and bring it all in house, you can always cut your names and numbers yourself using a vinyl cutter and any number of different CAD-CUT materials as well.

Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is another popular method for customizing small batches of uniforms, especially when dealing with one-off orders or teams with frequently changing rosters. It is especially effective for stretchable, moisture-wicking sportswear, as newer vinyl formulations provide flexibility and durability.

It’s for this reason that many professional and college teams, not to mention large leagues, will have a cutter and a heat press in their locker rooms to make sure they always have the right jersey for a player who needs to take the field. Note: decorators typically apply heat-pressed numbers separately when using sublimation for team jerseys.

Emerging Trends in Team Uniform Printing

As team sports gear evolves, decorators must stay ahead of emerging trends. Here are some of the top innovations shaping uniform customization in 2025:

1) Performance-Driven Materials

Athletes expect uniforms that enhance performance through lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics. However, traditional printing methods, like screen printing, can sometimes interfere with breathability. Recommended printing solutions include:

• Stretchable heat transfer vinyl for maximum flexibility
• DTF transfers that bond well with polyester without restricting movement
• Silicone heat transfers to prevent dye migration on synthetic fabrics

2) Hybrid Decoration Techniques

Many decorators are now layering multiple heat-applied techniques to create more dynamic and premium designs. Popular hybrid approaches include:

• Dimensional transfers: Raised silicone or soft foam transfers add a tactile effect.
• Overlaying transfers: Combining full-color transfers with heat transfer vinyl for depth and texture.
• Patches & emblems: Adding embroidered or silicone patches for a high-end look

3) On-Demand Customization & Digital Ordering

Speed is key in today’s market. Many decorators are using online design tools to streamline the uniform ordering process. Some design platforms allow customers to enter team rosters, select fonts and colors, and preview designs before placing orders. Essential tools for on-demand printing include:

• Online team building design software to help generate mockups
• Pre-stocked blank uniforms to ensure rapid turnarounds
• Auto-open heat presses to facilitate faster production times

Winning Business in Team Sports Printing

Expanding into the team uniform market requires a strategic approach. With this in mind, here are some steps to help you establish a successful operation:

1. Invest in the right equipment: Whether you’re using a screen-printing press, a heat press, or a DTF printer, having the right equipment ensures efficiency and quality.
2. Offer personalization services: Providing heat-applied names and numbers is essential for attracting team orders.
3. Stay up to date with trends: As sportswear fabrics evolve, choose decoration techniques that maintain breathability, stretch and durability.
4. Simplify ordering for customers: Offering an online design and ordering tool can make the process seamless for coaches, league organizers and team managers.
5. Optimize your workflow: Using pre-spaced numbers and letters, along with an efficient heat press setup, can significantly cut down production time.

The Right Decoration Method for Every Job

The team uniform market offers a wealth of opportunities for decorators, but success depends on selecting the right printing method. Remember, you will probably have to use a combination of different methods depending on the sport, the type of jersey and the desired finished look.

By combining heat-printing methods strategically, decorators can create professional, durable and visually appealing team uniforms while maximizing efficiency.

Karin Bellinghausen is vice-president of communications for GroupeSTAHL, parent company for acclaimed heat-press manufacturer STAHLS’ Hotronix and custom DTF and heat-transfer materials supplier STAHLS’ Transfer Express. In addition to its online design software, the company also result debuted the comprehensive e-commerce and online business service, STAHLS’ Fulfill Engine.

The post Winning Techniques for Decorating and Numbering Team Sports Uniforms appeared first on Impressions.

Concept and Design

The journey to the perfect T-shirt begins long before it reaches retail shelves and wholesale warehouses. It’s a science all beginning with an idea, trend research and analysis.

Getting the right garment into the hands of the end user is one of the most important sales tools you have. Photos courtesy of Lane Seven

“The products that you see listed in the store or online as new likely began their development process anywhere from nine to 24 months prior,” says Marcus Davis, product manager at Hanesbrands Inc. “The idea typically starts with a team identifying a target market and a price point.”

Adding further depth to this phase, Milissa Gibson, director of sales at Lane Seven Apparel, says the design process can be as easy or complicated as you want to make it, but it will all come down to finding the ideal niche for a specific market. Echoing Davis, Gibson says “It always starts with an idea or concept, like a mood board, often taking elements from one design and combining it with another.”

This can then help determine what fabrics will be considered, where the product will be made, and what features and benefits should be included. Once those details have been narrowed, then a team will work on designing what the tee will look like, create patterns and begin fabric development for prototype samples.

“The first step in a new style is design,” says Jakob Daito, president and co-founder of US Standard Apparel.  “A mood board is created to inspire a direction, oftentimes based on vintage references. Once the idea takes form, the concept is passed to the tech and pattern team who digitizes the pattern. This pattern is then shared with the sample department to cut and sew the initial samples for fitting.”

It’s all about what the consumer wants at a specific time, so research is fundamental explains Jen Oleksik, vice president of apparel of Live & Tell Apparel by L.A.T. “Looking at fabrics, fits, details and decoration trends are all key factors in building out a T-shirt before you even begin designing. From there, it’s landing on a fabric, making sure your T-shirt specs are the perfect fit, and in our industry, making sure it’s easy to decorate across various techniques.”

Fabric Selection

Choosing the right fabric is crucial. Whether the fabric type is created in-house or sourced across third-party suppliers, it must measure up to the aforementioned qualities. Otherwise, the final product will be futile setting the process back not only in time but money as well.

The T-shirt process starts with fiber selection. Whether it’s organic cotton, recycled polyester or a performance blend impacts durability, comfort and sustainability. Photo courtesy of TO THE MARKET

“Fiber selection impacts durability, comfort, and sustainability,” says Mehathab Joharullah, TO THE MARKET’s compliance and impact analyst. “Fibers are spun into yarn, which is knit into fabric [jersey being the most common for T-shirts]. After knitting, the fabric undergoes pre-treatment processes, like dyeing, softening and sometimes enzyme washing for a soft, worn-in hand feel.”

Mel Lay, co-founder of Allmade Apparel, elaborates, “Once the yarn is ready, the next step is to weave or knit the fabric. In the case of Allmade Apparel, we focus on creating a fabric that’s soft, durable and breathable, perfect for everyday wear or custom decoration.”

Oleksik notes that consumer preferences must also be taken into account during fabric selection, noting, “Higher quality, combed ring-spun cotton garments can look and feel better and ultimately decorate nicer.”

Fabric weight, measured in grams per square meter (GSM), can determine durability, weight and feel, says Joharullah. “Lighter weights (120-150 GSM) are airy and ideal for layering, but can be sheer and have lower tear strength. Midweight fabrics (160-180 GSM) offer the best balance of comfort and structure, making them the industry favorite, while heavyweights (200+ GSM) provide extra durability, more structure and warmth—ideal for long sleeves, lightweight sweatshirts or rugby style polos, for example.”

Garment Construction

Textile manufacturers employ different types of equipment to knit the selected fabrics for T-shirts, with certain machines being more prevalent in either the Eastern or Western hemisphere. The type of equipment used usually depends on the preferred construction method. There are two primary construction methods: tubular and side-seamed.

“Tubular tees, or tees without any seams on the side of the body, are made from machines that knit the fabric in a tube, much like a sock,” explains Davis. “The size of the tee is determined by how wide the tube of fabric is knit. Other machines can knit fabrics in a single-ply sheet, which is known as an open width fabric. Because the fabric is knit single-ply, the tee made from this fabric will end up with seams where the body was assembled. Side-seamed garments can be made from tubular knit fabrics that have been cut, but you can’t make a tubular tee from open width fabric.”

Gibson points out the economic advantage of tubular garments, which are knit in a continuous tube, but also mentions, “Side-seam shirts lead to a much more elevated fit and overall product.”

The relaxed, lived-in look and feel of the Ladies Vintage Wash Tee never goes out of style. Photo courtesy of LAT Apparel

The key benefit to a tubular garment versus a “regular” or side-seamed tee, would be a lower cost, Oleksik agrees. “However, the benefits of a side-seamed tee are more in quality and performance. Side seams aid in a better fit and less torque when washing.”

Utilizing side-seam construction will significantly enhance the wearability of a T-shirt, providing a more tailored fit that better aligns with all body types, while reducing twisting and distortion after washing.

“Side-seamed T-shirts offer better fit and reduce fabric waste, despite higher costs,” Joharullah says. “Once prepared, the fabric is cut into pieces like a puzzle according to the design specifications for the perfect fit, stitched together using specialized sewing techniques, and finished with details like ribbed necklines, reinforced seams, or double-stitched hems for the best quality possible.”

Lay also supports side-seamed construction for its quality advantages: “We love for our products to be categorized into the fashion-fit category, offering a more flattering silhouette.”

Attention to Detail

In addition to fabric consistency, quality T-shirt production hinges on precise stitching and finishing. According to Oleksik, higher-quality garments typically feature “double-needle stitching or cover stitches, enhancing durability.”

From the beginning, precision is paramount. Photo courtesy of Hanesbrands

When evaluating the quality of a T-shirt, Davis suggests one of the first things you should be on the lookout for is noticeable puckering and/or waviness around the seams. This is typically the result of too much or not enough tension on the fabric when sewing. “Another easy thing to identify is whether there are any broken or popped stitches,” he says. “This could result in seams coming apart after washing and wearing.”

Gibson emphasizes how much details matter. “Look at sewing hems—extra fabric, loose threads, single or double-needle stitches—these indicate the garment’s quality.”

For its part, Allmade uses reinforced stitching in critical areas like the shoulder and arm seams to prevent unraveling over time, further evidence of the importance of this aspect of T-shirt production.

“We sew using tee manufacturing, where each operator constructs a single portion of the garment in rapid succession,” says Marty Bailey, US Standard Apparel president of manufacturing. “The components are moved through the line until the finished garment takes form, a QC at the end of each line triple checks for any defects or issues.”

Once construction is complete, it is vital each T-shirt undergoes quality control checks before being pressed, folded and packaged for distribution. Joharullah explains that each step requires precision—especially when balancing softness, strength and sustainability.

Sustainability Practices

Sustainability remains a critical aspect of modern apparel production. There is a growing global demand for sustainable manufacturing practices that stress environmental responsibility at every stage—beginning at the seed level. This shift reflects a more conscious consumer base and stricter

Allmade prioritizes eco-friendly materials above all. Photo courtesy of Allmade

regulatory landscapes. Europe is at the forefront of this movement, setting standards that drive the market through both legislative requirements and strong consumer preferences for ethically produced, eco-friendly apparel. However, U.S. manufacturers have now made sustainability a priority as well.

Describing HanesBrands’ sustainability efforts, for example, Davis says, “75 percent of [HanesBrands’] cotton is grown in the U.S. by farmers using leading environmental practices. Nearly 59 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and we’re committed to reducing packaging waste significantly by 2025.”

Similarly, at Allmade sustainability is central to the company’s fabric choices, which include fabrics made from materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester and modal. “Allmade’s dedication to sustainability is to continuously prioritize eco-friendly materials and eco-conscious manufacturing processes, minimizing waste, using water-based inks and reducing carbon emissions,” Lay says.

Joharullah stresses that true sustainability extends beyond fabric: “Sustainable materials are just the baseline. True sustainability examines the manufacturing process itself—energy and water usage, waste monitoring, carbon reduction, and ethical labor practices.”

One thing is clear, manufacturers worldwide are being challenged—and incentivized—to reimagine their production models to meet these fast-evolving expectations.

Selected materials are spun into yarn, which creates the foundation of the fabric. Photo courtesy of Allmade

“At Live and Tell Apparel, we have a sustainability team that works to ensure we are making a conscious effort to not only improve sustainability in our manufacturing, but also in our daily operations,” Oleksik says. “Our sustainable products such as the 6901ECO tee blends 60-percent organic cotton and 40-percent recycled polyester. We are also currently implementing some new processes that will greatly reduce our sampling needs while improving our speed to market.”

“You are seeing major advancements in regenerated and recycled materials and costs coming down; sometimes it’s even less expensive for products [like our LS18002 Future Fleece made from 100-percent regenerated yarn] to be made from either regenerated or recycled materials than a standard garment,” says Gibson.

“A truly sustainable T-shirt isn’t only about what it’s made from—it’s about how it’s made,” says Joharullah.

Decoration and Compatibility

Fabric choice, construction and sustainability are not the only factors manufacturers consider during the production process. Apparel decorators and the challenges they often face are also at the very forefront of T-shirt design, a surprisingly complex problem Davis acknowledges the industry is still working to master. “It’s difficult to create one perfect T-shirt for all decorating methods. Direct-to-film (DTF) printing helps solve compatibility issues, but fabric content still significantly impacts decoration.”

Oleksik notes there can also be limitations with textured fabrics. Lower quality fabrics can pill or shed as well, further complicating decoration. She says to stay vigilant as thorough testing during the development process can prevent these issues.

Addressing decoration-specific difficulties, Gibson says certain printing techniques like sublimation or direct-to-garment (DTG) require specific fabric compositions, but advancements in print technology have expanded compatibility.

Tees with the least amount of sewing are the most production friendly. Photo courtesy of Hanesbrands

As printing technologies continue to advance and new methods emerge, the definition of the ideal T-shirt must also adapt—evolving in fabric, construction and compatibility to meet the changing needs of decorators.

“Fortunately, DTF printing has solved some of these issues as this printing technique appears to be compatible with a very wide range of fabric types,” Davis says. “This may be an instance where the decorators have actually found a solution to the challenge. If decorators have a printing technique that works on all tees, then they are no longer limited to what options they have when choosing a tee to decorate on.”

That said, until the holy grail of T-shirts is invented, Lay says it is important for companies like Allmade to offer a variety of fabric options which work well with digital decorating, screen printing, heat transfer and embroidery to ensure decorators can find the right T-shirt for their needs.

“While no single T-shirt is perfect for every decorating method, sourcing a high-quality midweight, tightly knit product, like the Global Good classic organic blend tee, is a universal option,” offers Joharullah.

Fabrics such as these can balance absorbency for screen printing, smoothness for DTG and durability for embroidery. Adding a bit of recycled polyester checks nearly all the boxes. It enhances performance, maintains print versatility and is eco-conscious. All specifics consumers and decorators love.

Influence of Decorated Apparel Market

The decorated apparel industry plays a pivotal role in shaping production trends, as manufacturers will continue to tailor their offerings to meet the specific needs of decorators. Joharullah notes, “The decorated-apparel market demands specific fabric blends, stitch types and fits based on printing needs. Consumers drive demands and manufacturers must adapt. Trends are co-created—brands introduce new innovations and consumers decide what sticks.”

Gibson highlights Lane Seven Apparel’s proactive approach as well, saying, “Our focus is the decorated-apparel market, ensuring our garments can handle a variety of decoration methods with the latest technology.”

USSA’s Standard SS Tee is knit, cut, sewn and dyed in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of US Standard Apparel.

These production shifts are driven by a dynamic interplay between consumer behavior and brand innovation. “Trends often start with consumers,” says Davis. “Small shifts in buying habits prompt manufacturers to adjust product offerings, like the recent shift toward heavier-weight tees.” Gibson also points to music merchandise as a powerful trend driver: “Music merch is setting trends. Leading artists’ collections often predict broader market shifts.”

Tapping into the music influence, US Standard Apparel is connecting directly with the consumer via social media. The brand recently launched its “Birth of a Shirt” series on Instagram, giving consumers an inside look at how their Vintage Rocker Tee is made. The multi-video series provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look of the manufacturing process, which in turn invites consumers to be part of the conversation.

Oleksik adds that along with broader market shifts, societal forces are also at play furthering the conversation as well: “Trends emerge from a mix of technology, social, environmental factors, economics, and even politics, shaping consumer preferences globally.”

Ultimately, creating the perfect T-shirt is the result of thoughtful collaboration across all stages of production—from fiber selection and fabric development to stitching, sustainability and market alignment. As the industry evolves, open dialogue between manufacturers, decorators, and consumers will continue to ensure that T-shirts remain everyone’s favorite apparel.

The post T-Shirt Construction: Spinning, Stitching and Everything in Between appeared first on Impressions.

The dye-sublimation process has a seamless, soft feel ideal for products like baby blankets. Photo courtesy of Epson

Even as apparel trends evolve, economic conditions fluctuate and new technologies emerge, dye-sublimation continues to prove its reliability in the textile industry.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen interest in DTFilm printing grow, as compact systems offer many advantages for apparel decorators. DTFilm involves printing designs onto a designated film, applying a TPU adhesive DTFilm powder and then transferring thes image using a heat press onto virtually any fabric. Among the advantages of DTFilm over DTG, in which a design is printed directly onto the garment being decorated, is the fact it can be used to decorate a wide range of fabrics and doesn’t require the same pretreatment use with DTG.

While DTG and DTFilm are driving the businesses of smaller apparel decorators—many of which started during the pandemic—in the coming years, as these businesses grown they will undoubtedly look to expand their solution offerings. With this in mind, apparel decorators can easily weave dye-sublimation into their current workflow and reap its benefits, including impressive versatility, expansive color gamut and low maintenance requirements. For many small shops, it can significantly enhance business operations and increase ROI.

Setting Up Shop

Like DTFilm, dye-sublimation printing involves a transfer process; unlike DTFilm, dye-sublimation ink dyes the polyester fibers of the fabric, rather sitting on top. Each design is printed on a transfer paper that is then applied to the fabric through a heat transfer process; this is where the magic of

A reliable heat press, like the Hotronix ProPlace IQ, goes a long way to achieve amazing sublimation results. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’

sublimation begins. The heat and pressure placed on the transfer paper initiates a chemical reaction that turns the ink into gas that dyes the fabric. It is also here where the colors bloom and become more vibrant.

Note: because of the chemical reactions that are integral to this kind of decorating, sublimation can only be used with polyester fabrics or on polyester surfaces. Also, because sublimation dyes become a part of the fabric or surface they’re decorating, and not covering them up, as is the case with, say, DTFilm, it can only be used on white or very light-colored surfaces.

For apparel shops looking to invest in dye-sublimation, there are two critical pieces of hardware—the printer and a compatible heat press. If a business is already offering DTFilm or DTG, they most likely already have at least one compatible heat press. However, if an apparel decorator is interested in a wide-format dye-sublimation printer, a bigger calendar-style heat press is needed for larger applications and bolt fabric orders will be an essential part of the wide-format print process.

For apparel decorators using DTFilm and DTG, dye-sublimation ink follows the same regulations. For example, OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT is one testing recognition that is applied to all textile-based inks and certifies inks are not harmful to human health. This is essential when creating apparel, especially for infants and children.

Expanding Apparel Decorator Applications

Dye-sublimation is extremely versatile and can greatly expand an apparel decorator’s business. Unlike DTFilm and DTG, dye-sublimation offers an

Supercharge your business’s productivity with the high-performance SureColor® F9570. Photo courtesy of Epson

expansive realm of printer sizes, ranging from desktop to 76-inches and above. By adding sublimated polyester textile offerings, textile applications expand to include full-size athletic wear, dri-fit apparel, loungewear (such as yoga pants), swimwear and more.

Because the dye-sublimation process is one in which the ink is fused into the fabric, textile output has a seamless, soft feel and primarily maintains its original hand feel. Sublimated fabrics also have a high rub resistance, and the colors will not rub off onto you or another layer of clothing. This is ideal for applications such as dri-fit shirts, exercise towels, yoga wear and blankets that come into direct contact with the body. These applications would not be a good fit for DTFilm, where its surface texture is noticeable.

When looking to invest in a dye-sublimation printer, consider its versatility and ink technology. Dye-sublimation requires exceptional color saturation and high contrast, so it’s ideal to invest in technology that offers a high-density black to ensure output has outstanding tonal transitions and grayscale. In addition, some printers offer spot colors, including fluorescent options, which are ideal for creating on-trend athleisure, safety wear and can produce textiles for new and emerging trends, such as tie-dye and neon clothing.

Pending printer size, dye-sublimation can further expand output opportunities outside of apparel to include soft signage, home décor, personalized gifts, photography applications, promotional items and more. Note this includes items such as plates, mugs and other drinkware.

Fitting into a DTFilm and DTG Workflow

For apparel decorators, dye-sublimation is a valuable addition to their toolkit, offering vibrant, long-lasting prints on polyester and specialty products.

Epson’s new SureColor F9570H offers advanced dye-sublimation transfer printing for sports and other decorated apparel. Photos courtesy of Epson

Adding dye-sublimation to an existing DTFilm workflow allows the apparel decorator a choice of which print method to use based on the incoming order and customer request. For textile orders that require an all-over print, large graphic, soft hand feel, or polyester or dri-fit material, dye-sublimation is a better solution. For low-run, personalized cotton shirts with smaller graphics, or 3D textiles such as hats and shoes, DTFilm is the more ideal and efficient solution.

For apparel decorators currently using DTG or DTFilm, integrating dye-sublimation should be a simple transition since they already have knowledge of apparel decoration, as well as experience using a heat press. This allows them to both fill the gap and expand their product offerings with minimal time and investment. After the initial investment, as the dye-sublimation portion of the business grows, apparel decorators can determine if a larger heat press is needed to meet incoming demand.

Decorators can mix and match technologies to make unique garments. They can use dye-sublimation to create a large, seamless design on a garment and personalize it with unique features added with DTFilm.

Furthermore, adding dye-sublimation allows customers to increase orders. If an apparel decorator has a loyal customer who continuously orders team T-shirts, that customer can now add matching tumblers, sunglasses straps, headbands, lanyards, keychains, practice bags and team banners. This not only increases order size and ROI but also strengthens customer loyalty and retention.

Maximizing ROI and Futureproofing

Integrating dye-sublimation into an existing DTG or DTFilm workflow should be an easy transition with an abundance of benefits for an apparel decorator. With a minimal first investment, apparel decorators can start filling the gap within textile offerings and potentially expand outside of textiles, growing their shop and tapping into new markets from sportswear to promotional products and personalized home textiles and gifts.

Again, in addition to textiles, there are boundless opportunities to sell personalized products and gifts, including custom laptop bags, tote bags, wood décor photo panels, smartwatch bands, and award plaques. Promoting personalized gifts for occasions like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas and Hanukkah provide even more opportunities to drive sales and maximize ROI.

Starting small still offers expansive opportunities for an apparel decorator, and as the demand grows, so do the opportunities for larger orders with higher profit margins.

Lily Hunter is a product manager at Epson overseeing the SureColor F-Series and SureColor G-Series printers, a portfolio encompassing over a dozen direct-to-garment, direct-to-film and dye-sublimation printers. With over 25 years in the industry, she is responsible for product development, go-to-market strategies and managing cross-functional teams.

The post Weaving Dye-Sublimation into Apparel Workflows for Success appeared first on Impressions.

Though it can be a problem when working with performance apparel, with the right techniques and tech, scorching can be eliminated, even on tricky fabrics. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’ Transfer Express

But don’t worry—scorching doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Heat printing is one of the most versatile and efficient decoration methods around, offering quick turnaround times, customization and the ability to decorate nearly any fabric or design location, including those other methods decorators struggle with as well. With the right knowledge and techniques, you can prevent heat-related damage and keep your garments (and reputation) intact.

This guide will break down why scorching happens and provide practical tips to help you achieve flawless, scorch-free heat printing every time.

How Heat Press Scorching Happens

To address the issue, we first need to understand what scorching is. Simply put, scorching occurs when garments—especially those made with synthetic or plastic fibers, like polyester—are exposed to excessive heat or pressure during the heat-printing process. The result can range from a visible press box or shiny fabric to discoloration or even a burnt garment.

At its core, scorching happens because the fibers in the fabric begin to melt or degrade under high heat. The reaction can differ depending on the garment material, making it essential to recognize how different fabrics respond to higher temperatures. Whether it’s polyester, nylon or the newest trending synthetic material, knowing how to prevent scorching allows businesses to protect their bottom line while minimizing waste.

For decorators, scorching isn’t just an annoyance, it can directly affect profits. Sending out garments with press boxes, burns or discoloration can lead to dissatisfied customers, tarnished trust and even lost business.

Smaller platens can be useful for isolating print areas, thereby reducing the risk of scorching the surrounding fabric. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’ Hotronix

Yet, the solution isn’t as simple as just lowering the temperature. Heat transfers require precise settings—time, temperature and pressure—to adhere properly and ensure longevity through wash and wear. Lowering the heat too much risks producing garments that appear fine initially but crack, fade or peel after repeated use, damaging your reputation as a reliable decorator.

Maintaining quality and customer satisfaction requires balancing these factors while taking steps to prevent scorching before it happens.

In addition, preventing scorching is not just about preserving the quality of individual garments, it also plays a role in reducing waste and promoting sustainability in the heat-printing industry. In a world and in an industry that have become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, every wasted garment contributes to the growing problem of textile waste in landfills.

By mastering techniques to avoid scorching, apparel-decorating businesses can minimize the number of misprinted or damaged items, extending the life of the apparel and reducing the need for replacements. This approach in turn aligns perfectly with broader efforts to create a more sustainable future, where quality and care go hand in hand with environmental responsibility.

Best Practices for Preventing Scorching When Apparel Decorating

Preventing scorching starts with understanding your materials and the decoration method you’re using. Certain fabrics, like polyester and tri-blends, are more prone to scorching due to the nature of the synthetic fibers they employ. Dark-colored polyester, in particular, tends to show visible press marks. When working with these materials, consider whether the decoration method requires high heat and, if so, adjust your approach accordingly.

Choosing low-temperature transfers, such as direct-to-film (DTF) or heat-transfer vinyl that applies below 300°F, can significantly reduce the risk of scorching. These transfers are ideal for heat-sensitive fabrics like performance wear, as they allow you to maintain quality without compromising the garment’s integrity.

Use a temperature gun or test strips to see how hot your press is, thereby ensuring your settings are correct. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’ Transfer Express

Pressure settings are another common culprit. Scorching often occurs when the pressure is set too high, especially when using smaller platens where the pressure is concentrated over a smaller surface area. Adjusting the pressure for the platen size can make a significant difference. When in doubt, consult your heat press manufacturer for guidance on fine-tuning your settings.

Testing represents another effective way of preventing scorching. Always test your heat settings, including temperature, pressure and dwell time, on a sample garment or inconspicuous area of a garment you’re planning on decorating before committing to the entire job. Taking the time to test can save you from costly mistakes and wasted materials.

Accessories for Preventing Scorching When Custom Decorating

The right tools and accessories can also play a big role in minimizing scorching. Using silicone cover sheets or upper platen protectors creates a barrier between the heat platen and the garment, which helps prevent direct contact that can lead to press marks or discoloration. Note, not all transfers are compatible with these covers, so it’s important to test how they affect application time and adhesion.

Smaller platens can also be useful for isolating print areas. For example, when applying a left chest logo to a performance polo, using a 6-inch-by-6-inch platen guarantees only the necessary area is exposed to heat, minimizing scorching on the rest of the garment. Heated lower platens, which apply heat from the inside out, are another valuable tool. These are especially helpful when applying dimensional products, like patches or emblems that require high heat and dwell time.

Temperature accuracy is equally important. Using a temperature gun or test strips to check how hot your press is, ensures the actual heat matches the settings, preventing scorching or misapplied transfers.

Troubleshooting Scorching Problems When Custom Decorating

Even with the best preparation, accidents happen. If you find yourself with a scorched garment, though, don’t panic—there are ways to salvage it. Using a small handheld heat press or a household iron on a smooth, flat surface at a low heat setting, for example, can help feather the edges of a press box, creating a softer transition and reducing the mark’s visibility. This technique may not work for every fabric or every level of scorch severity, but it can be a lifesaver in many situations.

It’s critical temperature, pressure and time are all set correctly to ensure your transfers adhere without damaging the underlying material. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’ Hotronix

For light marks or discoloration, spritzing water over the press box can also sometimes restore the garment’s appearance. This is especially the case with cotton T-shirts, where the press box may be due to loss of moisture, not actual scorching.

While not foolproof, these methods offer a way to recover garments that might otherwise be discarded.

Fortunately, advancements in heat printing technology are making it easier than ever to avoid scorching. Low-temperature heat transfers are increasingly popular, providing reliable adhesion without requiring high heat. Additionally, heat presses with smart temperature controls and heated lower platens offer greater precision and consistency, which helps decorators avoid issues caused by fluctuating heat or pressure.

Blank apparel manufacturers are also stepping up by creating heat-resistant options that give decorators more flexibility. These innovations make heat printing even more versatile, allowing decorators to work with a wider range of fabrics and applications.

Key Takeaways to Preventing Scorching When Heat Pressing

• Understanding your materials is crucial to preventing scorching, as different fabrics react to heat in unique ways.
• Adjusting temperature, pressure and time settings ensures that your transfers adhere properly without damaging garments.
• Investing in tools like silicone cover sheets, smaller purpose-built platens and heated lower platens can significantly reduce the risk of scorching.
• Testing your settings on sample garments and checking temperature accuracy with a heat gun or test strips are small steps that can save time and money.

While scorching can feel like a frustrating drawback when heat printing, it’s also an opportunity to showcase the adaptability of this versatile technology. Heat printing stands out as one of the most flexible decoration methods available, capable of accommodating various fabrics, designs, and application needs. By understanding your materials, refining your techniques, and leveraging advancements in technology, you can confidently navigate challenges like scorching and continue delivering professional, high-quality results.

Through proactive measures, attention to detail, and a commitment to learning, you can turn the challenge of scorching into an opportunity to refine your craft and grow your business. 

Dalaney Bradley is a veteran content marketing specialist with long-time custom transfer supplier STAHLS’ Transfer Express (transferexpress.com) and heat-press manufacturer STAHLS’ Hotronix (hotronix.com).

Updated 4/24/25

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Working With Faded Edges

When creating your designs for DTF transfers, one of the biggest issues you need to be mindful of is faded edges or transparent areas. The reason for this is that after the image is printed from an inkjet printer, an adhesive powder is applied to the ink, which helps the transfer stick to the fabric. As a result, with DTF transfers the ink droplets or tiny spots used to produce faded edges and transparent areas are too small, so the powder doesn’t have enough surface to cling to. They may, therefore, not adhere properly or could peel over time, leaving rough, splotchy areas. To prevent this, there are a few different options you can utilize when creating your art from scratch or adjusting a design you may already have to make it work.

The easiest way to avoid faded edges is to create a path around the edge of the main element with the pen tool (see below) and delete the unwanted faded areas. Image courtesy of Dane Clement

Hard Edges – The simplest way to avoid printing faded edges is to create a solid image with a clean, hard outer edge. If you already have a design that has a faded edge, you can easily fix this by using a selection tool like the pen tool. Create a path around the edge of the main element or area that you want to keep with the pen tool, then make a selection of the path, invert the selection and delete the unwanted faded areas. Now you can use the image in a layout with no worries.

Using Shapes – Another handy trick to avoid faded edges is to place your image inside a shape with a clean, hard edge. You can use basic shapes like circles or rectangles, but try thinking outside the box as well. Try pasting the image inside of text or create unique freeform shapes using the pen tool or any other tools like a hard-edge paint brush. Create a shape that complements your image or layout idea. For example, if you are creating an image for a swim team or a fishing design or something with a water-related theme, make a giant splash shape. It will create a much more intriguing, eye-catching design.

Large Halftone Dots – Among the advantages of DTF transfers is the ability to print small details. It is this advantage that provides the next option for dealing with faded edges to work. In fact, the use of large halftone dots has become very popular with DTF transfers, as it allows you to keep the integrity of the design instead of needing to eliminate areas and sacrifice the original look.

Once the path has been created, you can make a selection, invert and delete the unwanted faded areas. Image courtesy of Dane Clement

If you have a raster design with faded edges, start by making a selection of the original image. When using Photoshop, you can do this by holding down the Command/Control key and then clicking on the art layer. You should see “marching ants” running around the perimeter of the image denoting the fact it has been selected. Make a new layer and fill the selection with black. Duplicate the file so you have two separate files available. The new file will be used to create the halftone.

In the Menu Bar, go to Mode > Grayscale. Turn off all the layers except the layer with the black faded shape. Go back to the Menu Bar > Mode and select Bitmap, where you will be prompted to flatten your image. In the first window that pops up, make sure the resolution matches the resolution of your image. (I always set up my images at 300 ppi.) Click OK, and in the next window set up the halftone specifications.

For the frequency, the smaller the number the larger the dot. The larger the dot, the more “graphic” the image will look. I recommend a frequency of 20 lpi. For the angle, I use 61 degrees and a dot shape that is either round or ellipse. Round dots will give a more traditional, graphic look to your image, while elliptical dots will look more organic and provide more surface area to adhere to the garment. The look you want the final product to have can help dictate the dot shape you’re ultimately going to want to use.

Once the halftone screen is set, change the mode back to grayscale. Now you need to transfer this halftoned greyscale image to the original layered art file. To do this, click on the tab at the top of the window for the grayscale file and drag it out of the window to separate the files into two separate windows. Now you can go to the channels panel of the grayscale file and drag it to the art file. It will automatically create a new channel in the art file with the halftone in it.

That done, hold down the Command/Control Key, click on the halftone channel and go back to the layers and make a new layer. Fill the selection with a color that will work with your image. It can be black, white, gray, a neutral color or even something that will match the shirt color the image is going to be applied to. The reason for this is you need these dots to be solid to adhere to the shirt. By filling the selection with a color, it acts as a backing color to fill the dot so the halftones will be solid and have enough area for the adhesive powder to stick. Once the color is filled into the selection, make sure the art layer is above the halftone layer. Hold down the Option/Alt key and click between the two layers. The art layer will automatically be pasted inside the halftone layer. Viola! Your original image with the faded edges now has a halftoned edge.

Note that while DTF transfer can hold small details, there remains a limit as to how small you can go. Check your printer for its specifications and then use that measurement to determine what dots may be too small to hold. Erase those that are too small so you are only left with printable dots.

There are two tricks I use to help determine and eliminate dots that are too small. First I make a new layer, and use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make a round selection at the smallest size recommendation from my printer. Fill the dot with a bright color that will stand out from the image. You can then move the dot around to see what dots need to be removed.

Another quick way to remove several small dots at once is to make a selection of the halftoned artwork. Contract the selection 2 pixels and then expand the selection 2 pixels. Invert the selection and delete. This will automatically delete any dots smaller than 2 pixels. Depending on the size of the dot you can hold, you may need to increase or decrease the amount of pixel contraction and expansion.

You may still need to double check using the small reference dot, but this will help remove a lot of unprintable dots at once so that you’re not wasting time manually checking and erasing.

Although today’s DTF transfers have a lighter feel than in year’s past, it’s still a good practice to include some open spaces in your design where the garment can show through. Image courtesy of Dane Clement

Having a Light Hand

As with any printing method, the more ink you use, the heavier the design will feel on the shirt. While today’s DTF transfers naturally have a lighter feel, it’s still a good idea to design your layouts with some open spaces where ink won’t print and let the garment show through. The less ink you use, the lighter and more comfortable the garment will be.

If you already know the color of the shirt you’ll be using, you can create some cool openings in your design by knocking out that same color from the image. For example, if your design is going on a black shirt, you can use the Color Range Selection tool to pick the black in the design and knock out that part of the design so the black of the shirt shows through. This will reduce the amount of ink being printed giving the transfer a lighter feel. After that, you can use the same technique described previously to apply a halftone screen to the entire layout for a nice finishing touch.

To Print or Not to Print

Now that you’ve got some pointers for creating artwork to make better transfers, how are you going to do the actual printing? As with all production methods there are the options of either doing it yourself or contracting it out. Of course, doing it yourself means the expense of equipment. If you go to a trade show, you’ll see all kinds of DTF equipment available out there, but you really need to do your homework to make sure you understand the ins and outs of what’s involved. The equipment, the ink, the adhesive powder—there’s a lot to consider.

To create some openings in this design, the black portions of the design were knocked out to let the black material of the garment itself show through. Image courtesy of Dane Clement

On the flip side, there are any number of printers out there that you can send your designs to and have your transfers produced. The only equipment you need is a heat press. For those just getting into the business, this might be the best. It gives you a chance to get started with lower out-of-pocket expenses making it easier for you to get off the ground quicker and easier.

If you’ve been in the industry long enough, you know how DTG printing flooded the market in its early years. Everyone had one. Now only those companies that really invested in and took the time to understand the technology remain. Just as DTG boomed, the same might be said for DTF. In time things will likely level out, leaving only those who can afford to maintain and invest in the continued betterment of the process to provide quality transfers. It’s something to consider when trying to decide between doing it yourself or finding a quality supplier who can do it for you.

Just as you need to do your homework when looking into possibly buying equipment, you need to investigate and research the various DTF transfer providers out there. Not all are providers are created equal! You want to go to a trusted business that really knows and understands the product. I suggest sending a design to a few different companies to compare.

Cheapest isn’t always the best. Color quality might be poor. Adhesive may seep out from under the color print leaving an unsightly outline around the printed area. Registration from the colors to the white ink might be out. Some peel hot, while others peel cold, taking longer to get through your job. The transfer might not adhere properly and start to peel. Even ink quality isn’t the same. There are trusted companies that use inks that are certified clean and safe. Others don’t. If you want to grow your business, you need to provide a superior product, and superior products come from trusted, knowledgeable companies. Shop around and talk to others to make sure you’re getting the best product possible.

The DTF race is on, and you don’t want to be left behind. Making sure you create designs properly that work well and then having them produced using quality printers, supplies and products is the way to stay ahead of the crowd!

Dane Clement is president of Great Dane Graphics, as well as vice president of creative for GroupeSTAHL. He has been speaking and writing for the decorated-apparel industry since 1987. He has also authored several artwork-training books for various garment-decoration methods. For more information or to comment on this article, email Dane at dane@greatdanegraphics.com.

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A simple way to test whether the ink is cured completely is to do a stretch test. If the ink does not crack while the fabric is stretched, it’s cured. Photo courtesy of International Coatings

One thing that has stayed the same all these years: What falls off at the end of the dryer is NOT the ink’s fault! YOU own it!

You are the last line of defense for everything that happens prior to laying the garment onto the dryer. Some of you might be balking at this idea right now but let me explain.

I get called in to situations when there’s a problem. Most of the time they blame the ink, and 99 percent of the time it’s not the ink, but something else. The ink is probably the most consistent thing you have in the shop, maybe that and the emulsion. These inks are tested in a laboratory prior to being released for sale, whereas most shops do not have the ability to perform the types of tests the laboratory can. Yet, the shop owner will call me because they “feel” that it’s the ink’s fault.

There are many factors that can affect the outcome of a print, and I’d like to address some of the most common ones, so that you won’t get to the “now what?” point at the end of a print production. There needs to be checks and balances way before the final print falls off the dryer to assure that the results are as perfect as can be. What follows are a number of the more common sources of trouble when screen printing—problems that, again, have nothing to do with the quality of the ink a company is using.

Garments: If the garment isn’t correct—meaning the size, color or construction quality—you are the one who applied the graphic to it. Whether the garment was supplied by you or the customer, it’s your responsibility—and the cost to reprint the job on the correct garment can be costly.

Image Placement: Whether you printed the left chest image on the back by mistake or the back image on the front or whether you accidentally taped off a portion of the logo or trademark—again, that’s your mistake. (By way of example, on my real first professional print job back in 1981, I printed the REMO drum head logo on the back instead of the left chest of 72 brown sweatshirts. Not good!)

Ink Type: Did you use white ink made specifically for use on a cotton garment on your 100-percent poly red shirt or use a poly ink on a 100-percent cotton garment? Both are no-no’s. Let me explain: If you use a standard cotton white on some dark polyester fabrics, it’s possibly some of the color or dye from the polyester can migrate or sublimate through your ink and alter the ink color. Using ink specifically to print on polyester fabric can help prevent that from happening if used and handled correctly. Keeping the cure temp as low as the ink will allow and cooling them off immediately after curing will also help prevent dye migration.

Gel gloss was integrated to some of the “spines” and other features of the fish to achieve that underwater look. Photo courtesy of International Coatings

Similarly, when using ink for polyester on some reactive dyed cotton fabrics, it is possible, under the right circumstances, to have the polyester ink bleach or “ghost” an image on any cotton fabric that it touches. Ghosting only happens when you use certain low bleed and 100-percent polyester white inks on cotton fabrics that are still hot and have some moisture remaining within the fabric. If the printed fabric is left in contact with reactive dyed fabrics while hot, you may create a ghost image of the polyester ink print on the reactive dyed fabric.

If you run into such a problem, here’s a tip—cooling the garments off directly out of the dryer will help prevent the ghosting from happening.

Dryer Settings: Did you make sure that the dryer temperature is correct for the type of ink being used (low-cure vs. regular cure type inks) or for the type of garment you are printing on (100-percent cotton vs. 100-percent polyester for example)?

While heat is vital for curing and fusing ink, finding the sweet spot is key to avoiding energy waste and maximizing profitability. Heat is a necessary evil. You need it to do the job, but any excess turns it into an enemy.

Under-curing is the problem I encounter the most when people complain about the ink. Use a temperature gun aimed at the inside of the dryer to measure the temperature more correctly. Slow down the belt speed if needed. Typically, the ink should reside in the dryer at least one full minute at the cure temperature suggested by the manufacturer.

Close up of the FX Gel Gloss application on the spines. Photo courtesy of International Coatings

If you do detect that the ink is under-cured, be careful not to run the ink through the dryer a second time at temperatures that still would not cure the ink. For example, at 250°F (121°C) the ink will still be heated to only 250°F (121°C) and still will not cure if it needs to hit 280°F (138°C) for it to be fully cured, no matter how long you run it through the dryer.

Ink and Screen Rooms: You can learn a lot about a screen-printing company just by looking to see how seriously they take their ink and screen rooms. These areas are key stages of the screen print process. Strive to streamline these critical stages. It’s kind of like looking into a restaurant’s kitchen—a lot can be learned about how the food will taste when you see the kitchen in which it is prepared.

Are there pin holes creating little spots of ink on the garment? These pesky little dots may not show up on your first few shirts or even the first 1,000 shirts but can develop while the production run continues. So, check your screens—and prints—frequently throughout the day.
For the most part, these holes can be practically eliminated by creating a clean, dust free and dry environment in all your screen-prepping areas.

Create profiles for your coating and exposing department, then create and maintain a proper ink kitchen. The profiles will help keep your prints consistent from operator to operator and from customer order to their reorder. This simple implementation will save you countless hours and dollars over the years.

Monitor Constantly

Many printers try to make screen printing a “set it and forget it” type of business, but it simply will never be. There are countless things that can change throughout a production run, whether it is a simple 100-piece run or 100,000-piece run. The numerous factors involved make a “set-it-and-forget-it” approach unrealistic, expecting the 1,000th print to be the same as the first. Consistent monitoring is key.

Plastisol inks, for example, are thermoplastic, so you can expect an ink that has been exposed to residual heat from pallets that have passed through multiple flashes to change its characteristics as printing progresses.

To achieve the thick layers of puff that were incorporated in this print, the ink must meet the correct temperature. Photo courtesy of International Coatings

At first, the ink will become creamier and thinner as the squeegee agitates it by going back and forth. However, over time it will start to thicken, or gel, as the heat from the pallets affect sits thermoplastic characteristics. Thinning and thickening will alter the ink’s opacity and may cause variations to your design throughout the duration of the production run. The print you get at the end of the production run may not look like the sample that was approved at the start.

Not all inks are created equal. Some brands may use a large percentage of liquid thickener in their products, which can exacerbate the problem. Inks containing liquid thickener may start out thicker, but the ink will liquify to a thinner viscosity during the production run. This additional factor could introduce instability in the viscosity of the ink, which could in turn affect the opacity of the print.

Another factor could be the weather. Let’s say you have a job for 100 shirts to print manually, which can be printed in one day. In this case, you can assume the weather will be the same from the first print to the last. If, on the other hand, you are lucky enough to land a 100,000-piece job on an automatic, then you may be printing the same image for 20 or 30-plus days. (3,000 prints per day x 33.5 days is 100,500 shirts). Any change in the weather over the course of the production run can influence the garments’ moisture content and the dryer temperature.

If you are printing a large job, consider burning a second set of screens to save on down time in case one of the screens rips. It would be great if all the screens last over 100,000 prints, and it may even be possible but…the cost of the extra screens pale in comparison to the hour of downtime in case a screen (or multiple screens) must be prepped for replacement.

Other Factors

Even though we like to think that plastisol ink formulas are complicated and sophisticated, it ultimately comes down to only a few ingredients that affect the curability of each batch created. I can assure you that every batch we produce is thoroughly tested for curability as part of our standard quality control procedure.

It can be assumed that all manufacturers thoroughly test every product they produce as well. However, it is impossible to test every batch of every garment produced. Garment manufacturers are constantly tweaking their dying processes, and it’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the garment variables. With the constant ebb and flow of chemical and dyeing evolutions, it is simply impossible to duplicate every scenario in our lab that could come up in the real world.

This is why I refer to this industry as an art form. Only a professional with years of experience can draw on their “trial by fire” education that enables them to keep the production flow going with minimal downtime and loss. Again, as much as we would like it to be, most of our industry processes are not simply “set-it-and-forget-it” type steps.

Quality Control Checkpoint

With proper curing, puff ink can add so much depth to print pieces. Photo courtesy of International Coatings

Every single garment or substrate that falls off the end of the dryer is the printer’s responsibility. No one is going to hold your hand and make sure you did it correctly. The right color, the right garment, the right placement, the right design, etc., all require your attention. Put together a quality-control checklist and go through it for every order: Once after you print the first production sample; once midway through production; and once when the job is completed.

Here are a few suggestions for what your checklist could include:
Is the garment going to bleed or possibly ghost? When in doubt, test the fabric. Is the correct type of ink being used? Did you correctly spell the customers’ company name? Is the garment being printed the one the customer ordered/provided? Is it the correct color and size? Does the image go on the front, the back or on the sleeve? Do they have a PMS color callout?

There are so many things going on, but one of the simplest and easiest things to check at the end of the line is whether the ink is cured. The cool thing about plastisol is that if you catch the job before it goes out the door to the customer, you can re-run the garments through the dryer, either slower and/or by raising the cure temperature of the dryer once again. You probably could save the job that way—instant hero status!

Kieth Stevens is the Western regional sales manager for International Coatings. He has been screen printing for more than 42 years and teaching screen printing for more than 12 years. He is a regular contributor to International Coatings’ blogs; and won SGIA’s 2014 Golden Image Award. He can be reached at kstevens@iccink.com. For more information, visit iccink.com. You can also follow the company’s blog at internationalcoatingsblog.com.

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In Part 1 of this two-part series on the growing importance of direct-to-film (DTF) printing, we looked at how DTF works and the issues involved in handling larger print orders. In Part 2 we look at some of the advances being made in the area of DTF special effects and purchasing options/decisions.

Today’s DTF transfers, like this Ninja Transfers example, are softer, stretchier and more durable than ever. Photo courtesy of Ninja Transfers

Arguably, beyond the issues related to larger print orders, as discussed in Part 1, the other leading concern when it comes to DTF decorating is the “feel” associated with it compared to a well-executed screen-print or sublimation image. The reason for this is the fact that, in contrast to sublimation or screen-printing (in which the ink is absorbed into the weave of the fabric on which it is being placed), a DTF image sits atop the fabric, so to speak. The result can be a kind of “plastic” feel and compromised breathability, especially if the design in question is a large one.

That said, while there’s no denying DTF decoration cannot yet quite match the feel of those other decorating methods, the effect can be successfully mitigated through things like savvy design and pressing twice instead of just once. Specifically, by including plenty of open areas, or “air spaces,” in your design, you can lessen the “plastic-ness” and breathability issues that afflict larger, less carefully crafted images.

The DTF transfers now being produced by such top-quality custom DTF providers as Ninja Transfers, STAHLS’ Transfer Express and 613 Originals also feature a much better feel, or hand, than in years past, to the point where such issues are fast becoming almost nonexistent.

Complementing the problem of feel is the issue of durability and the fact that low-quality DTF prints, in particular, have had a tendency to not hold up over the course of repeated washings. The good news here is that, as is the case with feel, a well-made transfer these days is more than capable of standing up to literally scores of repeat washings. Again, this is especially the case if the transfers you’re working with are being sourced through a reputable custom transfer provider.

Companies like 613 Originals are making available an ever-widening variety of special effects options, including puff and glitter. Photo courtesy of 613 Originals

“It’s been amazing to see how much softer DTF has gotten over time,” said Michael “Ninja Mike,” Nemeroff, CEO of custom DTF provider Ninja Transfers, describing the industry’s advances in this area. “They are also durable and stretchy at the same time, which is great to see.  We’ve worked on over 100 combinations of the most optimal film, ink and TPU powder [i.e., the adhesive powder that allows a design to adhere to its substrate] to create a product that is soft, matte finish and durable up to 100-plus washes when line dried and 60-plus washes when put in a dryer.”

Along these same lines, Dave Conner content director at custom DTF provider STAHLS’ Transfer Express, said his company employs a “proprietary supply chain of inks and carriers for superior color consistency and print finish,” built to avoid inconsistent supply-chain issues and improve hand feel. “We are continually innovating to provide our customers with the most technologically advanced transfers,” Conner said of the company’s efforts to create its brand of transfers.

“Advances in inks and powder have made transfers feel softer and more integrated with the fabric,” agreed Nate Sprowell, vice-president of custom DTF printing at 613 Originals. “While DTF doesn’t yet match the feel of something like discharge screen printing quite yet, the gap is closing fast.”

Special Effects and DTF Adhesive Powder Issues

Historically, another couple of limitations, as it were, associated with DTF have been 1) the inability to incorporate special effects—think glitter and puff designs, or the highly specific colors associated with sports teams and other trademarked organizations, and 2) the mess that can result from working with DTF’s requisite adhesive powder.

A fresh batch of transfers as produced by an Epson hybrid DTG-DTF printer. Photo courtesy of Epson

With respect to concern No. 1, not much you can do here if you’re creating your transfers in-house with a smaller, less advanced machine. However, this is yet another area in which the situation is changing rapidly, with the various top-end custom DTF providers out there increasingly providing design types and color matching capabilities that would have been inconceivable in years past. The aforementioned top-end manufacturers 613 Originals, Ninja Transfers and STAHLS’ Transfer Express, for example, all include a number of special effects choices among their many product offerings.

“At 613 Originals, we offer popular options like puff, metallic, and neon transfers – even Full Color CMYK glow-in-the-dark…DTF is pushing innovation across the board, and we’re excited to see what’s next,” Sprowell said.

Similarly, Ninja Transfer’s Nemeroff noted how his company has introduced a number of new films, like glitter and glow-in-the dark. “We have also recently rolled out Gold Foil, Silver Foil, Copper Foil and other film types,” Nemeroff said.

Something else to bear in mind: for those decorators familiar with heat-pressing, each and every one of the DTF transfer suppliers mentioned also provide a variety of non-DTF options, ranging from screen-printed transfers to custom patches that create the same look as conventional machine embroidery.

While higher output DTF printers, like this M&R Quatro model, don’t come cheap, for those shops already doing a fair amount of DTF decorating, they can make all the difference in the world. Photo courtesy of M&R

“Use a reputable supplier offering DTF as a service and also remember that there is a world beyond DTF,” STAHLS’ CEO Carleen Gray said. “DTF has become synonymous with the word transfers.  [But] it’s important for people new to the business to understand there are many types of transfers, and DTF is not a one-size-fits-all, even though much of the advertising in the space would have you believe they are the best choice for every print job. I would caution new users to do their research and choose the best decoration technology for the job.”

Bottom line, heat-press decorators looking to offer something special no longer need to go to screen printing to do so—and there will undoubtedly only be that many more options to go with as time goes on.

With the respect to concern No. 2, this is yet another area in which the DTF equipment manufacturers of the world are quickly solving the problem through the creation of standalone and/or fully automated adhesive application systems that are specifically configured to prevent an undue quantity of particulate matter getting into the air and possibly endangering operators.

Examples of the former include the Vastex PTF-100 DTF powder application system and Equipment Zone’s EZ-JET PRO 32, which includes a dryer component as well.

As for the latter, this category encompasses pretty much every industrial grade DTF printer on the market these days, from such high-output DTF systems as the M&R Quatro to the higher-output models comprising the ColDesi, Brother and Roland lines, among others.

Direct-to-Film Printer Cost and DTF Outsourcing

Which brings us to the question of cost. Even a basic commercial-grade DTF printer will cost you a good $5,000 to $7,000 or more. As a kind of bonus, many of today’s smaller-size models can be used for director-to-garment, or DTG, decoration as well. Nonetheless, this represents a pretty hefty outlay of cash, especially for those smaller shops that are merely DTF curious. Examples, of these kinds of machines include the Brother DTX Pro, DTF Prestige R2 desktop printer and the Epson SureColor F1070.

Meanwhile, moving up a notch or two to one of the many larger-scale industrial-style machines out there, complete with automatic roll-to-roll transfer material-feed and fully integrated adhesive spreading and curing, can run you $20,000, $30,000 or more—a lot more in some cases.

Ninja Transfers’ new 30-foot gang sheet option is one of a host of options introduced in recent months by the custom DTF transfers industry. Photo courtesy of Ninja Transfers

Note, when it comes to more industrial-style systems, there is a wide range of machines out there offering a similarly wide range of output rates. Machines occupying the larger, more expensive portion of the space, for example, include the M&R Quatro, Brother GTXpro R2R DTF System, DTF Station Prestige XL4, Epson SureColor G6070 and ColDesi DigitalHeat FX DTF-24H4.

Other smaller, less expensive systems include the ColDesi DTF 12H2 Basic and diminutive tabletop Roland VersaSTUDIO BY-20, which goes for around $8,000 and can be integrated with its own DTF powder shaker and heater unit in the interest of creating a fully automated system. No matter what size system you go with, it’s important to bear in mind a DTF printer requires a fair bit of maintenance to ensure it continues working properly. At issue here are the print nozzles, especially, which can become compromised or clogged by the ink the systems employ.

Nonetheless, despite the upfront costs and added work these kinds of systems engender, there are still plenty of reasons to take the plunge: especially if your business is an established one, with plenty of customers and orders in need of fast, effective fulfillment.

Reputable, well-established companies, like STAHLS’ Transfer Express, employ the materials and methods required to ensure their transfers are of the highest quality. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’ Transfer Express

“If you are screen printing already and outsourcing transfers, it’s time to invest in a direct-to-film printer. The benefits of outsourcing are only short-lived for a screen-print shop. The lower cost per print, increased flexibility and ease of use are great reasons to bring a printer in house,” ColDesi’s director of marketing, Marc Vila said.

As an added benefit, Vila noted that in addition to the DTF decorating a shop might be doing at present, you will likely “find more jobs to run through the DTF printer as you get used to the process” as well.

As for those decorators who are already creating their own DTF transfers but looking to grow this aspect of their business through the possible acquisition of an even larger system, Vila said, “This is going to really depend on production. A small printer like the BY-20 is going to be great for very short runs that don’t require a fully automated process of powder application and curing.”

Beyond that, Vila noted that by going with a larger system, “You will find the consistency in quality vastly improves with a more automated system. The answer is really in the math. How many prints are you running a day? How many hours do you spend running a smaller machine? If you increased production speed 10, how would that impact your business?”

In this same vein, Brian Richards, marketing director at ROQ, which recently introduced what it calls its IMPRESS automated heat-press system, said his company is seeing interest in DTF among decorators of all types and sizes.

A closeup view of a ROQ FEED transfer-placement module working in concert with a ROQ IMPRESS automatic DTF decorating system. Photo courtesy of ROQ.US

By way of analogy, ROQ’s Richards said, “A growing small business that started with DTF on one heat press [often] views the IMPRESS today much like a screen-printing business that started with a manual press views upgrading to an automatic screen-printing press. Once the business scales to enough volume that you are hiring more labor to keep up, automation begins to make more and more sense…We’ve also seen some midsize decorators adopt DTF to move a percentage of their screen printing to DTF and maintain only their highest volume orders for automated screen printing.”

“Some will use DTF as a complete business model, where others will use it to take pressure off their other decoration methods,” agreed Zac Biberstine, director of product management at M&R said. “We see DTF finding its place amongst large traditional screen-printing operations, where it’s adding efficiencies, opening opportunities, and taking pressure off things like cost and timeline. We also see DTF finding its place as entry level equipment for those that are brand new to garment decoration.”

Whatever the case, if and when a company decides to bring its DTG printing in-house, it pays to 1) go with a top-quality system—and top-quality materials—as opposed to a cut-rate no-name printer from abroad and 2) as mentioned earlier, be ready and willing to put in the necessary work to keep the system running smoothly.

“While there are a lot of low-cost options for DTF printers available from overseas right now, I fully believe that having U.S. support from a partner who you know and trust is invaluable,” said ROQ’s Richards.

“Not all ink, film and adhesive is the same,” agreed ColDesi’s Vila. “We have tested dozens if not hundreds of various combinations, and it’s not the same. From time to time someone will say, ‘You can get the same thing from XYZ, [but] it’s just not true. This is true with everything else in our industry too, right? Not all cotton shirts feel the same. Not all vinyl feels the same. Not all cutters work the same. Not all heat presses are equal. The same is true for DTF printers and supplies. The ink, film, powder, printer and dryer are all a system that involves electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering.”

Along these same lines, with respect to the importance of having an equipment and materials supplier you can count on, Vila noted. “You will find various challenges with running a digital printer, like matching colors. Having industry experts to help you with these challenges is huge. If you don’t have support, you will spend hours chasing problems. These machines work hard, and can run heavy production, but just like everything else, you need expertise.”

Similarly, when it comes to maintenance, M&R’s Biberstine emphasized, “Although basic machine operation and maintenance isn’t difficult, we find that preparing our customers with a two-day in-person training class, sets them up to be successful and gives them all the tools they need. There will always be advanced options for customers to dive deeper, create their own profiles, or push the boundaries of this evolving technology. But the learning curve is quick, and most customers are up and running their own graphics on the first day after install.  This is one of the main reasons DTF has been so popular. It’s easy to staff and easy to get going quickly.”

“Training and maintenance are very important for DTF. We hear frequent stories about users buying machines will little-to-no training and regretting the decision,” Vila agreed. “The thing to consider is that these machines automate [multiple] processes. Printing, adhesion application and curing. This is a reasonably complex system. If you know how to operate and maintain it, it’s easy. If you don’t understand proper operation, you can end up with a mess.”

Outsourcing, Custom DTF Transfer Providers

Meanwhile, as discussed earlier, for those looking to test the waters without having to spend a whole lot of cash, there are any number of custom DTF providers out there who would like nothing more than to provide you will all the transfers you could ever need. Better still, the industry’s leading custom transfer providers are currently going at it hammer and tongs to carve out as much market share as possible, offering everything from better and better transfers to ever more competitive pricing and faster-than-ever turnaround and shipping times.

Over the course of just the past few months, for example, STAHLS’, Ninja Transfers and 613 Originals have all debuted everything from the aforementioned ultra-soft  transfers to transfers that can be peeled hot or cold; a range of different online design services and platforms; the aforementioned specific effects options; faster and faster turnaround times; ever bigger and better sheet-ganging options, including a 30-foot-long gang sheet option from Ninja Transfers; and even transfers that can be pulled apart by hand (as opposed to being cut apart with a pair of scissors) from STAHLS’.

The result is not only a situation in which pretty much anyone with access to a commercial-grade heat press can give DTF a try, but the option of creating a substantial business out of DTF decoration—whether you’re just starting out or interested in broadening an existing company’s decorating options. And, of course, if/when you reach the point where the numbers of orders you are receiving is such it’s beginning to make sense to maybe bring some or all of your transfer production in-house, all the better!

Ed Note: To see Part 1 of this two-part series, which focuses on the basics of DTF apparel decorating and the equipment employed to manage larger production runs, click here. Updated 4/24/25

The post The Tidal Wave that is Direct-to-Film (DTF) Apparel Decorating: Part 2 of 2 appeared first on Impressions.

Decorators of all kinds are adopting direct-to-film (DTF) as a means of improving their bottom line. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we look at the nuts-and-bolts of DTF and the question of large print orders. In Part 2 of this series we look at the advances now being made in the areas of DTF special effects and purchasing options/decisions.

I write these words in the wake of the 2024 Impressions Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, (which takes place in Dallas, Texas, in 2025) and the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. Why? Because of the absolute tidal wave of direct-to-transfer, or DTF, tech that was on display there.

Custom DTF providers, DTF machines large and small, education sessions on everything from DTF design to pricing and marketing, it seems DTF is everywhere these days.

DTF (Direct-to-Film) Technology is Now Well Established

And why not? As is the case with many cutting-edge technologies, DTF proved problematic at first. However, it didn’t take long for materials suppliers, equipment suppliers and the DTF community as a whole to get many, if not most, of the kinks worked out. The result is a decorating methodology as reliable as any other methodology out there.

One of the great things about DTF decorating is the low barrier to entry. All you need is a quality heat press and you’re ready to go into business. Note how the transfer material on this Ninja Transfers’ print can be removed before having to wait for it to cool. Photo courtesy of Ninja Transfers

Not only that, but many of the limitations, as it were, of going with DTF have also become less of an issue as the DTF ink and systems manufacturers of world continue to hone their craft. Case in point: the growing automation of the process, from transfer creation to actual pressing, allowing DTF to increasingly nip at the heels of high-volume screen printing.

The growing number of custom DTF transfer providers out there also makes it incredibly easy to get started in this kind of decorating, thanks to a combination of increasingly sophisticated online design services and faster and faster delivery times. Get yourself a quality heat-press, create an account with a reputable custom DTF manufacturer, and you’re ready to go.

“DTF transfers have been a game changer for hundreds of thousands of businesses,” said Michael “Ninja Mike” Nemeroff, CEO of custom DTF provider Ninja Transfers, describing the technology’s continuing growth. “DTF has been the ultimate superpower for our industry and beyond, allowing businesses to customize almost any product, any material, any color, in any location. If a customer wants 10 different designs on 10 different products/materials and 10 different locations, it doesn’t matter.”

“As advancements in color accuracy emerge and some of the brightest minds in the industry focus on refining the process, enhancing both tactile feel and printing efficiency, DTF transfers are expected to capture an ever-larger share of the decoration market,” agreed Dave Conner of custom DTF provider STAHLS’ Transfer Express, whose company also manufacturers some of the industry’s most advanced heat presses.

A higher-volume Mimaki press complete with shaker/heater as distributed by Hirsch. Photo courtesy of Hirsch Solutions

Along these same lines, Nate Sprowell, vice-president of custom DTF printing at 613 Originals emphasized the aforementioned low barriers to entry and continued innovation as key drivers of the technology’s success. “Before DTF, the industry often required hefty investments in equipment, materials and space, or hitting high order minimums to make production worthwhile. Now, anyone with a heat press and a creative vision can start small and grow profitably,” Sprowell said.

“As the landscape continues to evolve, DTF will find its way into other sectors and business models,” agreed Zac Biberstine, director of product management at M&R, a longtime force in the world of screen-printing that has recently made a serious splash in the DTF world as well with its new QUATRO Direct to Film Transfer Printing System. “The rise of direct-to-film may not have been predicted by everyone, but it is very clear now that DTF is here to stay.”

For his part, Marc Vila, director of marketing at ColDesi, a leading providing of DTF printers, ink, film and other supplies, said: “There are many large-scale screen print production facilities who have not yet adopted this technology. As their equipment ages, they will.”

How DTF Custom Apparel Decorating Is Done

In practice, DTF consists of a multi-step process whereby a full-color (CMYK) image is printed onto a sheet of specially formulated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) release film that is then applied using a standard heat press. In an important intermediate step, a powder adhesive is also sprinkled onto the design immediately after printing. This adhesive is then heat cured along with the ink making up the design to create an image that will adhere to the item being decorated, i.e., heat pressed.

Among the benefits of this approach are the fact that:

• The resulting transfer does not have to be heat-pressed right away, but can be stored pretty much indefinitely. This in turn provides an excellent means of managing inventory and avoiding waste, since you can easily decorate individual garments on demand, as opposed to having to screen-print a bunch of T-shirts in advance—shirts you may never sell.
• There are no screens to burn, nor do you need to worry about things like color separation or half-toning, as is the case with screen-printing. Download the design you plan on applying and a high-resolution, full-color image comes out the other end. DTF is great for reproducing photographs, for example, a heavy lift for screen printers, especially.
• Turnaround times couldn’t be faster. Download the desired design, print, apply the adhesive powder and press—that’s it. Again, because the transfers can be stored indefinitely, small or even individual orders can be processed on demand. Time-sensitive orders, in particular, become a piece of cake.
• In contrast to sublimation and direct-to-garment (DTG) decorating, DTF can be used on a wide range of fabric types, including cotton, blends, polyester, nylon and neoprene.
• There’s no need for any kind of pre-treatment, as is the case with DTG, and DTF works well with all fabric colors, including dark ones, unlike sublimation, which only works with very light colors or white.
• While there’s a learning curve, DTF apparel decoration is much easier to master than methods like screen printing or embroidery. There’s also no cutting or weeding to do, as is the case with heat-transfer vinyl.

“DTF shines when you’re working with small orders of one to 10 pieces or detailed designs that require full-color CMYK printing. It’s also incredibly easy to place and apply, thanks to the carrier film,” 613 Originals’ Sprowell said. “With DTF, you can print and store transfers, then apply them as needed…The same transfer can be applied to different fabrics, colors or even items like bags or hats without additional prep.”

A closeup view of the shaker feature on the ColDesi DTF-24H4 printer. Photo courtesy of ColDesi

“DTF on hats and bags and jackets etc., this has been an absolute game changer,” agreed Ninja Transfers’ Nemeroff. He noted DTF also works well decorating harder-to-process spots, such as sleeves. “Pressing on sleeves is much easier than printing on sleeves in our experience.  While we still screen print, it’s been a huge advantage we’ve had by pressing on sleeves especially when the design is more than one color, in a tough location, or a complicated design.”

“Direct-to film-has emerged as the go-to decorating solution for low- to medium-quantity orders, offering full-color, high-quality capabilities on a variety of fabrics with minimal setup and equipment,” STAHLS’ Conner said. “Screen printing, by contrast, involves significant costs associated with the press itself and the labor required for setup and operation. The process—setting up screens, inking them and registering the print—can take as much time as it would for an operator to complete 24 or more pieces on a heat press.”

If this all sounds too good to be true, well, there’s a reason why DTF has been taking off the way it has of late—because it’s a truly outstanding technology. That said, DTF poses its share of challenges as well. Again, though the issues at play are hardly insurmountable. The situation also remains a very dynamic one, given the technological advances that continue to be made throughout the industry.

DTF and the Challenge of Large Production Runs

Since its inception, decorators interested in DTF have had to bear in mind the number of garments they plan on decorating. If you’re looking at a production run of, say, a few dozen T-shirts, great. If, on the other hand, you’re looking at an order for hundreds or even thousands of shirts, the situation can become a very different one.

Vividly shaded and detailed designs are simplicity itself with a quality DTF print. Photo courtesy of 613 Originals

In terms of costs, for example, the nature of screen-printing is such that, once you’ve got your screen, or screens, burned and registered and the system up and running, the cost of decoration drops to mere pennies per shirt.

In addition, a fully automated, six-, eight-station press not only has to be seen to be believed but is capable of outputting literally hundreds of T-shirts per hour with little if any effort on the part of operators other than threading and then removing the shirts from the platen on which the actual printing takes place.

Compare this with the many steps required in DTF decorating, including printing the design, applying and curing the adhesive powder; cutting out the design from the sheet on which the design has been printed (assuming the design is one of many printed onto a single piece of film); positioning each shirt (or garment) individually; positioning and then placing the design to be heat-pressed; doing the actual pressing; removing the shirt or item you’ve pressed; and then, finally, peeling away the transfer material.

Again, all this may be no big deal if you’re processing a few dozen shirts. However, if you find yourself having to decorate garments by the hundreds or thousands, even, you’re talking a fair bit of effort.

High-volume Direct-to-Film Decorating Technologies

Today’s double-platen heat presses, like this Dual Air Fusion IQ, are expressly designed with throughput in mind. Note the system’s ProPlace IQ feature, which projects a pair of design images onto the two platens to ensure timely, accurate placement. Photo courtesy of STAHLS’

That said, when it comes to dealing with higher-volume orders, custom DTF suppliers and heat-press manufacturers are doing everything they can to make the heat-pressing process as easy as possible through the development of everything from products like STAHLS’ EasyRip technology (which eliminates the need to have to actually cut multiple DTF transfers apart) to automated, multi-platen presses and laser-placement systems (to ensure each and every transfer is positioned as it should) and transfers that can be peeled either hot or cold, thereby allowing an operator to remove the transfer film immediately after pressing, as opposed to having to wait for it to cool.

By way of example, pretty much every U.S.-based heat-press manufacturer these days includes one or more pneumatically operated presses in its product line; this in addition to the many manual presses out there equipped with “pop up” features that allow them to open up automatically after a set time, freeing an operator to step away if necessary during the actual pressing process.

Also available are fully automated shuttle-style presses that include a pair of separate platens allowing operators to remove and then re-thread a new shirt onto one of the platens while the other is engaged in pressing. Examples of the latter include the Geo Knight & Co., Inc. DK20SPT Digital Knight TWIN Air-Op Swing-Away Press; Insta Graphic Systems’ Dual Shuttle Heat Press; and the STAHLS’ Hotronix Dual Air Fusion IQ. The latter, in addition to foot-operated pneumatic operation and its twin platens includes the option of the newly introduced ProPlace IQ system, a positioning technology that projects a facsimile of the design being pressed directly onto a blank garment as it is being threaded onto the platen, in STAHLS’ words, “ensuring quick and precise alignment every time.”

“In the printing industry, decorators know how hard it can be to find experienced labor. Print placement is one of the things learned over time and can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of the heat printing process. The Hotronix ProPlace IQ solves this problem with accurate projection to reduce misprints and speed up production for any decorator,” said STAHLS’ Conner. “The ProPlace IQ allows employees or decorators of any experience level to be able to simply load the garment correctly, then place the logo to the light for perfect placement, every time.”

Equally exciting are the advances being made by ROQ and its distributor ROQ US. Long known for its top-of-the-line automated screen-printing systems, the company recently debuted a system it calls the ROQ IMPRESS, a fully automated, multi-station DTF heat press, complete with laser guides to help with transfer placement.

ROQ’s recently introduced fully automated IMPRESS system takes high-volume heat-press decoration to a whole new level. Photo courtesy of ROQ.US

Complementing the IMPRESS are the brand-new ROQ FEED, which automatically places each transfer and the ROQ PEEL, which as the name suggests, automatically removes each print’s transfer paper when the pressing it done. With these three systems in place, all that’s left to do manually is thread the blank garments onto a platen at one end and then remove the fully decorated garments from the other—a process that looks awfully similar to a fully automated screen-printing operation.

“If you factor in all the costs, time, risk and space required to run a screen printing shop, training printers, prep an order, ensure everything is perfect to reduce errors while printing, break down the screens, clean up, and assign job to the correct printer who can handle it and compare it to the simplicity of DTF pressing, you’ll quickly realize it’s so easy, your ‘professional’ 10-year-old nephew can do it,” Ninja Transfers’ Nemeroff said, putting the amount of time involved in DTF decorating in perspective.

“With innovations to the process, like Easy Peel Technology allowing you to peel hot, dual-platen heat presses or simply having more heat presses, you can handle any size order,” Nemeroff added. “Typically, customers are doing one-piece orders to 100-piece orders on the regular, but this has been increasing ever since DTF came out and will continue to rise in average quantity over time as everyone becomes more experienced with pressing DTF efficiently.”

ColDesi’s Vila agreed, emphasizing, the fact that it’s much easier to train someone to operate a digital printer than it is the many steps involved in screen printing. “The amount of square footage needed to operate a high-color automatic screen press is [also] significantly larger. As real estate prices increase, the cost per square foot of business operation becomes more important,” he added.

Bottom line: for those decorators convinced DTF only make sense for fulfilling smaller orders, think again. Plenty of companies are already pushing the envelope in terms of big numbers, and you may want to consider doing so as well. Per M&R’s Biberstine, “Whether they are testing the waters or diving in headfirst, its undeniable that our industry is adopting DTF as a core competency. You get to decide if you want to be part of it or just watch it happen.”  

Ed Note: To see Part 2 of this two-part series, which focuses on DTF special effects and outsourcing DTF printing versus bringing the work inhouse, click here. 

Updated 4/24/25

The post The Tidal Wave that is Direct-to-Film (DTF) Apparel Decorating: Part 1 of 2 appeared first on Impressions.

Speed is more than just a competitive advantage. It’s the difference between being a contender and being left in the dust. Yet, so many shops in the screen-printing industry are still chugging along with a 10- to 14-day turnaround, while others have mastered the three to five-day workflow.

Where is your shop on your production turnaround?

One common theme remains true for the entire industry: the shared challenge of accomplishing tasks faster. This isn’t just about boosting sales, increasing productivity or maximizing profits. It’s about gaining a competitive edge or being the shop that can deliver in record time. We’re all in this race together, constantly seeking ways to accelerate our progress.

First Gear: Your Orders

Let’s shift into first gear and get this article rolling by discussing the most critical ingredient for shop speed. Your customer and their order. Why is this important?

What you constantly say, yes to, matters in terms of how fast you turn that order around. What are you agreeing to daily and for what type of production method? As we can’t bend the laws of time and physics, your shop must add the necessary elements to increase the speed for your average order, no matter the type. What are you missing to put the pedal to the metal?

This may mean different things in different shops. Some focus on larger orders, which might mean adding equipment or shifts to reduce turn-time days. Others focus on many smaller orders, in which case the killer question will revolve around faster setups or getting the necessary inventory in the building to begin production.

Shifting into first gear here with speed means you need clarity of purpose for your business focus. Eliminate the junk getting in the way of building a faster way to turn jobs based on your typical customer order.

Solve the problem. The speedbumps getting in the way and the excuses you make can be mitigated.

For example, many shops stock inventory in black, white, gray and their local team color in full case quantities per size. There are also automatic quantity levels that trigger purchasing more stock. What happens, though, if someone requests something in a color that isn’t in stock. Maybe try replying, “Here’s the turn time for that. If you need it faster, here’s what we offer.”

You might also try simplifying your offer. If speed is the hallmark of your offering, what scenarios with your market get in the way of a faster turnaround? Your shop’s practices must align with the orders you accept. Audit the work you are saying yes to. Can you earmark the “best practice” orders you receive that allow you to jump up in speed?

Speed Checklist

• Is the order the kind you typically accept, or is it something weird? Weird things take longer.
• Is all of the order information accurate and entered correctly in the system?
• What is the ship date? This is the most important piece of information regarding the order. What will prevent you from shipping on this date? Mitigate that concern early.
• What guidelines have you set up for orders you are accepting?

Second Gear: Having the Right Equipment

Next, examine the type of equipment and software you have deployed in your shop. Older equipment may be paid off, but newer equipment and ideas can significantly increase production.

If you have been to a trade show in the last couple of years, you probably have noticed the upgrades in production equipment and other support machines for the industry. Are you taking advantage of these new industry upgrades?

Speed often comes in the form of automation, which in turn can allow you to take various steps out of a process and/or significantly improve the output.

For example, many shops still use film positives to prep transfer an image to a screen in screen-print production. However, while this is a tried and true method and foundational for smaller shops, companies with computer-to-screen or laser-to-screen systems enjoy a pronounced speed advantage. Moiré and emulsion pinholes are also virtually eliminated when taking this approach. How many minutes a year in your shop are you wasting trying to eliminate these two challenges alone?

Did you know you could have printed about 12 shirts every time you stop your auto press to tape up a pinhole? How many times a year do you think you are doing that? Multiply that scenario over 12 months and discover the time savings you will get by solving this one problem.

Most likely there are hundreds of instances like this floating around your business. Are you spending the necessary time to monitor these challenges and compare what you’re working with now to more modern technology, software and consumables to see if there is a better way of doing things moving forward?

Time savings comes in small increments. A second or two savings at any stage in your production processes will be cumulative. Everything stacks. Annualize the impact of improving something. Even a tiny improvement could save hours or even days over the course of a year. Honestly, it pays to rethink your work.

Speed Checklist

• Is all your company’s equipment functioning properly? What isn’t working as it should?
• Are multiple employees trained on the equipment? What happens if someone gets sick or goes on vacation?
• What parts of your process could you automate?
• If you change the type of work you accept to gain speed, do you have the equipment to produce this new work?
• What are you putting up with because “that machine is paid off?”

Third Gear: Quality, Quality, Quality!

Quality control. Yep, that tired old nugget. However, in the context of speed, it is crucial. How can you get faster if you are doing anything over a second time? In my experience, many shops don’t even track their errors. You absolutely need to comprehend the quantity, reasons and potential solutions for errors in every department.

And this isn’t just limited to production. It could be incorrectly ordered inventory, incorrect shipping information, or artwork or digitizing challenges.

These problems are an anchor for your business. They’re holding you back.

A great way to start solving these issues is with an exercise called “Root Cause Analysis.” Often, the real cause for a situation is farther upstream than where the error occurred. Keep asking “why” something happened and what led to it happening.

By the way, most errors are caused by two things: information or training.
Better information produces better results. Keep track of why your team makes mistakes. I’ll bet you many of those challenges are information related. This could be input from your customer or with order entry. Simply typing in 84 instead of 48 can greatly impact what happens in other departments.

Keeping track of your challenges is a great way to learn what is slowing you down. And I’ll say this again so everyone in the back row can hear me: This isn’t limited to production. In fact, the biggest culprit is generally the sales or customer service team and the order entry process. Wrong or incorrect information can lead to problems in many departments in the shop.

Speed Checklist

• Where do most of the mistakes happen in your shop?
• Start a spreadsheet and record the problems. Fix them so they don’t occur again.
• Be neutral when investigating problems. Yes, it could be Fred. But what if Fred wasn’t trained properly, or he’s trying to make things work with old machinery?
• Measure. Numbers don’t lie.

Fourth Gear: An Effective Workforce

Now, let’s examine one of a business’s most crucial parts: its people. Let’s face it, you are only going to go as fast and as well as the people on your team. What are you doing to train these folks to become print superheroes? This is an ongoing, constant effort to raise the bar in your shop.

In racing, the driver might be behind the wheel, but an entire team is needed to help the driver win. Drivers can’t do it alone. They rely on mechanics, engineers support staff, logistics people and layers of management. Believe it or not, about 100 people work for each car.

Here’s a cold, hard fact: Not all employees give the same effort or have the same attitude toward learning. This brings us to the magic phrase: “Change your people or change your people.” Your job as a leader is to help your team get better at what they do. However, some people don’t want to change, are complacent or have other soft-skill issues.

I know a shop that changed everyone in its 35-person workforce over the last couple of years, dialing in this concept. They can regularly turn jobs in three to five business days, but most jobs are out the door in about two days after they get everything they need to start (garments and art). They rely heavily on software, automation, processes and standard operating procedures to give them the lift they need. They have simple rules for running the business and guardrails to ensure everything happens properly.

The chaos is further minimized by ensuring it doesn’t make it onto the schedule. They say no to jobs that are not aligned with the work they want to produce. They also say no to employees who get in the way of this mission. You can too. This is where mission, vision and core values intersect.

Speed Checklist
Practice the “Rule of 3.” There should be three trained people for every core function in the shop.
Bring in outside help to train staff members in best practices.
Send staff to training sessions, conferences, trade shows and even friendly shops willing to share how they do things.
Give everyone clear expectations regarding what success looks like in the work they do. Support them so they can do it to the best of their ability.

Fifth Gear: Organization

I’ve been to a good number of shops. The ones that produce the most have one thing in common: clarity. Everyone knows what to do next. Jobs are lined up and ready to go early. Every department has a stringent production schedule. Systems are everywhere, and the people who do the work help build them.

Organization is important because it focuses on effectiveness. There is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness.

For example, you can print 500 full front prints at record speed. Super efficient! Then you realize you should have printed the image on the back of the shirt. (Insert car crash skidding and crashing sound here.)

I’ll take a crew that works effectively at a comfortable pace and doesn’t make a mistake over a team trying to go so fast misprinting becomes a serious liability any day of the week. Wouldn’t you?

Get clear on what should happen and set this up so people can instantly know how to succeed.

Speed Checklist

• All information is double-checked for accuracy early. Consider every field on the order mandatory.
• Work out when each step in your process is due. Work backward from the ship date. The ship date is the day on the calendar that the order has to leave the building. It should be ready to go one business day before. Every department is responsible for their piece of the order.
• If any employee is struggling, they should feel safe raising their hands and asking for help.
• Inventory must be checked in and counted on the day it is received. Find out where the time bomb is long before your production date, so you will have time to resolve it.
• Line up tomorrow’s work today. Print a schedule and arrange each job in the order it should be produced.
• It’s okay to say no to jobs that are not profitable or not in your wheelhouse.
  What are you measuring? What are your current KPI’s, or key performance indicators? Are they what they should be? If not, what do you need to do to get them there?

Overdrive: Making it Happen

So, how do you put all of this together? First, let’s face facts. You aren’t going to get faster by reading this article. The only way that will happen is by putting in the work. Actions make things happen.

Something else I’ve learned having completed many of these kinds of improvement projects over the years: it can’t be top-down. You have to involve the whole team. They probably already know the reason why something is slow.

Get the team together and have a chat. What are their ideas on getting better? Can they name the things they hate or complain about at dinner every night? I’ll bet they can.

Fix those first.

Remember the old adage, “Man supports what he helps create.” More often than not, simply barking orders at people will only lead to resentment and little, if any, improvement. Knock out what your team already knows is broken, but has been too busy or too shy to say anything about.

This will create momentum and some early wins. When your crew sees positive change, they will be more willing to work on the next idea. A year from now, when you have made significant speed improvements all over the shop, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to begin. Time to start your engines!

Marshall Atkinson is a veteran designer, custom apparel decorator, business coach and principal of Atkinson Consulting, (atkinsontshirt.com). This past year he launched the online “Midjourney: Elevating Print Creativity” newsletter.

The post Getting Your Screen Printing in Gear appeared first on Impressions.

“The press never really registered, and it almost defeated me from the start,” Moulds says. “I used my mechanical background to weld steel piping onto the frame so it wouldn’t flex and bend so much.”

When he could afford an upgrade, Moulds moved up to a Vastex V-2000HD six-color/six-station press, purchased from Discovery Lancer, a national screen-printing distributor. After that came a Vastex LittleRed X2-30 infrared conveyor dryer. A year later, Moulds started dabbling in specialty printing.

“I was interested in high-density and lifted prints, so I started working with heat-transfer vinyl that was about 600 microns thick,” he says, “but after six months of repeated washings, the vinyl would start cracking, so I knew I had to find another way.”

High-density Screen Prints

Moulds, who prides himself on being a self-taught screen printer, spent the next year learning about high-density printing through social media groups and YouTube videos. After much trial and error, he perfected his technique using his V-2000HD system.

Applying a smooth, flat base layer of ink as a first step to creating a high-density raised print. Photo courtesy of Vastex

To prep the press for high-density prints, he lowers the print heads by turning the off-contact knobs as far as they will go. Once the screens are registered on press, he fine-tunes the micro-registration and turns the off-contact knobs to gradually raise the screens as he builds his high-density layers. Some of his highest stacks have consisted of as many as 12 layers––and he still has room to raise his screens some more.

In addition to tight registration, precise vertical travel of the press’s off-contact adjustment is critical for the vertical build-up of high-density layers in alignment with crisp, clean edges. This ensures the printhead and screen remain parallel to—and vertically aligned with—the pallet, from the lowest to the highest off-contact setting. Anti-backlash knobs further enable Moulds to accurately predetermine the degree of knob rotation–and corresponding off-contact adjustment–required to prevent the ink from mashing the previous layer.

“Being able to lift the print heads as I’m printing has helped tremendously, because it gives me a lot of room to stack prints,” he says. “Micro registration ensures the high-density ink doesn’t run down the side of an existing high-density layer or squirt out—similar to what happens when you put too much peanut butter and jelly on a sandwich and push the bread together. When this happens, the ink puckers and creates stiff peaks, which makes your print look unattractive.”

One of Moulds’ most ambitious projects to date is a series of hoodies for his children featuring a 9-by-7-inch high-density LEGO base plate. The process for creating these and other similar designs is time-consuming and requires patience; he has spent up to six hours working on a single shirt with printed stacks composed of layers 1,800 microns thick. However, the results can be nothing less than spectacular.

“I used a specialty high-density ink that hardens like plastic, so it allowed me to make a wearable LEGO,” he says. “Then we built a house out of LEGO, attached it to the shirt, and my son ran around while he was wearing it. When people saw it on social media my inbox blew up overnight.”

Rubber Pallets, High-temp Cures

According to Moulds, quality high-density prints begin with a smooth, flat base layer.

“If you have irregularities in your base layer, you’ll get peaks in the ink, and they’ll show up all the way through your high-density stack,” he explains. “By the time you get to the top of the stack, the whole print will be ruined.”

To maintain a flat, glass-like base layer, he uses a small handheld heat press to cure the ink while the shirt is on-press. The rubber pallets on the V-2000 press facilitate this process.

“The thick rubber on top of the steel pallets allows me to heat-press the shirt and achieve that smooth finish without weakening the shirt’s fibers,” he says. “In contrast, standard metal pallets can destroy the fibers because you’re pinching the fabric between two metal plates and applying high heat.”

After curing the base layer, Moulds cures the subsequent high-density layers using a flash dryer between stations. Next, he runs the finished shirts through the LittleRed X2 dryer, equipped with a 30-inch-wide, 66-inch-long conveyor belt. For standard prints, Moulds raises the heater height 2.5-inches. For high-density prints he raises it 4 to 5 inches to prevent the ink from boiling and forming bubbles on the print’s surface.

“I also raise the temperature from a usual 515°F for shirts and hoodies to 600°F for a high-density print and turn the belt speed down as low as it will go,” he says. “Dwell time is crucial to cure high-density prints, so I run it through the dryer two or three times, depending on how thick the ink is.”

Pushes the Boundaries of High-density Printing

Looking ahead, Moulds says he plans to invest in a larger dryer and flash-cure unit, and a 10-color/10-station press. He says he is also considering

AshCo’s raised designs can include as many as 12 high-density layers. Photo courtesy of Vastex

investing in an exposure unit to help him achieve fine lines and halftones and a drying cabinet to counteract the effects of the humidity in his basement where he does his printing.

Moulds says he is looking at adding an automatic press as well to see how far he can take his high-density printing, though he adds: “I have a feeling I won’t be able to do what I can do on a manual press. There’s something special about a hand-printed textile. When it comes down to it, what I do is wearable art.”

Today, more than 50 percent of Moulds’ business is high-density, with a variety of clients, including automobile dealerships, parks, and construction and roofing companies. His biggest high-density order to date has been for 160 tone-on-tone hoodies for a regional park. The hoodies were printed with six layers of high-density ink measuring 600 microns each and took four days to print.

To help promote the use of its specialty inks, Discovery Lancer invited Moulds to print some samples of his work for inclusion its trade show catalog. In the process, Moulds figured out a way to create a silicone high-density transfer that releases from carrier paper. The transfers are printed on the V-2000 press.

“Silicone direct-to-garment (DTG) ink sticks to the paper and never releases, so I created a high-density patch that does not collapse under heat and pressure,” he says. “No one else has been able to accomplish this yet. It’s a new product, and they’re floored with it.”
As for Moulds’ high-density prints, “It never fails,” he says. “People walk up to me all the time and say, ‘That’s the coolest shirt I’ve ever seen. How do you do that?’”

Mark Vasilantone is the president of Vastex International Inc., a leading supplier of screen-printing equipment, and direct-to-film (DTF) and direct-to-garment (DTG) equipment as well. The company also offers a host of workshops and classes for those apparel decorators looking to take their craft to the next level. For more information, go to vastex.com.

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