DTF Or DTG Printing : Which Is Best For You?

by ASUB Paper A-SUB Sublimation Paper

DTF and DTG Printing are two kinds of popular transfer operations in recent years. As a kind of brand-new transfer operation, DTF aroused people’s interests because of its principle of transfer printing. Different from DTG, the DTF can make the film directly and transfer the film to the garments. More and more DTF Transfer Film manufacturers want to give it a try.

What’s the Differences Between DTF & DTG?

Principle of Transfer Printing

The biggest difference is their own principle of transfer printing. The DTG’s full name is Direct-to-garment. It means the transfer printing will happen on the garments directly. The DTF is invented after DTG. Its full name is Direct-to-film. Before transferred to the garments, the film will be printed at first. This two kinds of transfer operations are both of great population in recent years.

Process of Transfer Printing

DTG Printing

Okay, let me introduce the transfer printing process of DTG to you. We are going to work on the garments directly. As a result, we need to have a pre-treatment in the beginning. The ink on the garment can be locked very well. The process of DTG is short than DTF. Compared with the DTF, the DTG’s need of white ink is less. Because only the part of the pattern need to print with white ink in the bottom. Finally, the garments printed must be pressed. Then the clothing is completed. The DTG’s operation is quite different from the most operations in the market.

DTF Printing

Here is the transfer printing process of DTF. Firstly, we should modify the nozzle of the printer before printing. After printing, we need to fully spray the powder on average right now after printing and shake the over sprayed powder down. Secondly, put the film into the oven to heat the powder on it at 140℃-150℃ for 3-5 minutes. Remember to preheat the oven before you heat. Finally, use the heat press to heat transfer the image for 10-20 seconds. Preheating the heat press at 160℃-170℃ helps the image be transferred to the substrates better. By the way, the DTF film can be peeled both in high or low temperatures.

Available Materials

On one hand, the DTG only can be used on the cotton. On the other hand, the DTF can be used on any textile materials, including some leathers resistant to the high temperature.

Advantages and Limitations of DTF Printing

Advantages of DTF

The biggest advantage of DTF is its wide range of fabric availability. Any textile materials can be transferred. You can even transfer the leathers which are resistant to high temperature. When you wash the DTF products, you can obviously feel the high quality of the transfer. Moreover, you can change the size of the film if you need. This is for free.

Limitations of DTF

The DTF results in poor breath-ability of the fabric because of the construction of the DTF film. Then the feel of the fabric is not the best. At the same time, the DTF film will be wasted in the process of transfer printing. It is not friendly to the environment.

Advantages and Limitations of DTG Printing

Advantages of DTG

Firstly, it is friendly to the environment. Secondly, the feel of the fabric is very good which is better than DTF. It also has excellent performance in washing.

Limitations of DTG

DTG doesn’t need so much machines. But it needs lots of human power and time. Also, it can only be used on cotton, cotton, combed cotton, organic cotton, linen, etc. What’s more, if you have diverse sizes of products to produce through DTG, the cost will be higher.

How to Choose the Best Operation Between DTF and DTG?

There are three main aspects which influence your choice between DTF and DTG. Let me make a detailed description about these aspects below.

Output

The machine of DTG has diverse functions to use. It can provide faster and bigger scale of production. Moreover, it can save your cost in the process of producing. If you have a large order and the main products are made of cotton, you had better choose DTG. Otherwise, you can choose DTF.

Product Fabric

DTF has a wide availability in fabric. The DTF film can be applied to the most common materials, such as cotton, nylon, polyester, etc. The leathers which resistant to the high temperature can also be transfer printed through DTF. At the same time, DTG can only be used on cotton. If your order includes different kinds of fabrics, you need to choose DTF transfer operation. But if your order only has cotton fabric, you can choose DTG to save your cost in the production.

Final Product Quality

During the comparison, the final results of DTG and DTF are different. The final result of DTG will be a little rough because it is direct-to-garment. But the final result of DTF is very pretty. The DTF ink has a higher density. It provides DTF with a pretty and glossy final result. If you have a high requirement in final product quality, I recommend you to choose DTF.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you will know how to choose between DTF and DTG. You also learned more about the detailed information of DTF and DTG. There are some differences between DTF and DTG. But these differences can help you decide to make a decision in the end. You can make your decision according to your need in output, product fabric, and final product quality. Of course, you can also choose DTF if you only want to use in your small studio.

If you have any questions about DTF or DTG, you are welcome to communicate with us through comments or e-mail. Thank you for reading here.