What Printers Are Good for DTF Printing?

Direct to Film printing, or DTF, is an emerging technology that allows users to print their custom t-shirt designs onto special films. It’s a unique process that lets you combine the best of digital inkjet printing and transfer printing.

And considering how competitive the T-shirt market is today, customers are looking for bright, vibrant prints that “pop” and look great on all sorts of fabrics. Direct to Film does that and more.

People are asking which direct-to-film printer they should purchase so that they can know they made a good choice.

DTF printers, which are direct to film printers, utilize DTF ink to print on PET film first. The printed pattern will be transferred to the garment with some necessary steps like being processed by hot-melt powder and heat pressing. The special and innovative printing idea makes DTF printers special and charming so that more and more sublimation and DTG printers users are embracing this new printing technology. DTF printers have overcome the limitation of sublimation printers and DTG printers.

Direct Transfer Film printers combine reliability, quality, and high productivity. They can handle large production volumes, which is essential in this fast-growing industry. For quality results, you will need DTF powder and DTF sheets to print transfer film, and of course, DTF Ink.

The most popular models are going to be the best to use unless you are fine with figuring things out on your own.

L1800 (1430 w/ bulk ink) is used a lot because it’s cheap and available outside of the USA. It prints 13×19 but is very slow. 15 minutes plus for a full print. 6 channel print head.

P400 is at least 3 times faster than the L1800 / 1430 because it is a 8 channel DX5 print head. Ink cartridges or CISS plug in right on top of the print head so there is easy access to the head and not much wasted ink to flush the print head out when the printer needs to sit for days without use. 13×19 max print size.

P600 is fast like the p400 with a 8 channel DX7 print head. It is better if you’re printing daily with volume because of the built in pressurized ink system and available 80ml cartridges.  Because of the ink system not using often will cause white ink separation in the lines and you’ll have to waste ink to get it out. 13×19 max print size.

P800 has a wider 17″ print width. It too have a ink system built in like the P600.

There is no question that the market, and especially the fashion industry, is focused on sustainability.  Reducing the pre-treatment step is better for the environment, and by reducing over spray associated with other methods, purchasing a direct-to-film printer is something most t-shirt companies will want to consider.