What is DTF?
Direct-to-Film is a full-colour transfer method that works on virtually any fabric, with no minimums and no setup fees. How it works, how it compares, and what it costs in Australia.
01 The basics
Direct-to-Film (DTF) is a digital transfer printing method. A specialist printer lays down full-colour CMYK pigment ink onto a thin PET film, dusts it with a hot-melt adhesive powder, then heat-cures the result into a flexible, peelable transfer. You apply that transfer to a garment with a heat press — and the print bonds to the fabric.
Compared to other apparel decoration methods, DTF is the all-rounder. It prints any colour design at full resolution, on virtually any fabric: cotton, polyester, blends, fleece, denim, canvas, hi-vis and most performance fabrics. It works in batches of one or one thousand — no screens to set up, no separations to cut, no minimum to justify.
02 How it works — 3 steps
Print & powder
Full CMYK plus a precision white underbase prints onto PET film. While wet, a powder station bonds hot-melt adhesive to the printed areas only.
Cure
The film passes through a ~160°C curing tunnel, melting the adhesive into a uniform, flexible bond. The result is a peelable, press-ready transfer.
Press onto fabric
Position ink-side down, press at 150°C with medium-firm pressure for 10s, then cold-peel. The print bonds permanently into the fabric.
03 DTF vs everything else
| Feature | DTF | DTG | Screen | Sublimation | HTV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric range | Any — cotton, poly, blends, fleece, denim, hi-vis | Cotton-heavy only | Most fabrics | Polyester (light only) | Most fabrics |
| Colours | Unlimited — full CMYK + white | Full colour | Limited per screen | Full colour (on white poly) | Solid colours only |
| Setup fees | None | None | Per-colour screen fees | None | Cutter setup + weeding |
| Minimum order | No minimum | No minimum | Typically 25+ | No minimum | No minimum (labour-heavy) |
| Best for | Mixed fabrics, full colour, any qty | High-detail cotton tees | Bulk simple designs | White poly merch | Names & numbers |
The honest take: screen printing still wins on cost-per-piece for very large single-colour runs (500+). Sublimation wins for fully-dyed white polyester sportswear. For everything else — short-to-medium runs, full colour, mixed fabrics, no setup risk — DTF is now the default choice for most Australian print buyers.
04 When to choose DTF
Order 5 today, 50 next month, 500 after — no setup fees, ever.
Names, logos, crests — all on one sheet, any jersey fabric.
Decorate hi-vis, polos, jackets and softshells in one order — brand colours hold to spec.
Short-run colour that doesn't justify screen setup. Trade tiers reward volume.
Print 5, test the market, scale only what sells.
05 What DTF costs in Australia
Custom DTF starts at $2.95 inc GST per transfer for our smallest preset (5×5cm) and runs up to $21.95 for an oversized 30×45cm. Custom dimensions up to 50×50cm are priced by area, and never less than the standard size they match.
Quantity discounts on Custom DTF transfers — 10% off at 10 of a design, 20% at 20, 30% at 50, 40% at 100, and 50% at 250+. Approved trade accounts save 15–30%, and the two together are capped at 50% in total. All prices include 10% GST. Free shipping over $100, no minimum order, no setup fees.