By Melissa Donovan
Print service providers (PSPs) can tap into the potential of direct to film (DTF) printing in a few easy steps. Offering the service to customers is a great expansion of existing services.
“DTF is gaining traction due to its versatility, vibrant output, and ability to print on a variety of substrates without pretreatment. For wide format PSPs, adding DTF expands their offerings into apparel and promotional products, unlocking new revenue streams with minimal setup changes,” shares a representative from DuPont Artistri Digital Inks.
The printers are user friendly and preset minimal maintenance. Consumables like ink, adhesive powder, and film are easy to procure thanks to the increase in vendors supplying this segment of the market.
“DTF has emerged as a significantly popular technology due to it’s versatility and ease of use. DTF transfers can be applied to a variety of fabrics including cotton, polyester, blends, and nylon, without the use of pretreatments. The finished product is consistent and very durable. Additionally, certain DTF systems are automated, reducing operator supervision, making them more profitable,” says Karl Tipre, owner, Printer Biz, a DTG-C company.
The December issue of Digital Output discusses the main types of DTF ink—water-based pigment and UV—and how to tell when to use which; in addition it covers adhesive powder and its influence on the entire DTF process.
Here we share some of the products from vendors interviewed for the December article.
AW Specialty Papers is dedicated to bringing creative solutions to the heat transfer market. It offers an array of paper products for desktop through wide format printers, and for digital, screen, and litho applications. Its Breeze D2F transfer film is a coated one-side DTF transfer film for use with DTF or direct to garment printers. Stock roll sizes are available 23.6, 16.9, 12.9, and 47.24 inches by 328-foot lengths. Sheet sizes of 14×16 and 16×20 inches are also available.
American Print and Supply is a premier provider of DTF printers, equipment, and services for textile, promotional products, garment embellishment, and signs. It offers its own brand of DTF ink for use in its DTF printers, this includes both aqueous and UV ink sets. In addition, DTF adhesive powder is available in two, ten, and 20 lb containers.
DuPont Artistri P1600 pigment inks are well suited for DTF printing applications, for garment printers who want a professionally printed product with consistent, vibrant colors on a variety of fabrics. Artistri P1600 inks are available in CMYK plus white and compatible with Epson I3200, DX4, DX5, and DX7 printheads. The inks are considered non-hazardous under GHS or Global Hazard System and do not contain ethylene glycol.
Epson America, Inc. offers the SureColor G6070 35-inch DTF printer. An automated maintenance system helps minimize downtime, and it takes just a few minutes of upkeep each week to keep the printer running smoothly. It is equipped with UltraChrome DF inks, which are Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certified, CPSIA compliant, and non-toxic.
Mimaki USA, Inc.’s UJV300DTF-75 printer is the company’s first purpose-built UV DTF printer, designed to easily produce vibrant, durable transfers including curved or uneven surfaces using a dedicated film system. With a maximum media width of 25.6 inches, it can be equipped with UV-curable flexible ink ELS-170 for CMYK and UV-curable hard ink ELH-100 in white and clear.
The new Mimaki TxF300-1600 utilizes aqueous pigment ink, PHT50 from Mimaki. It takes DTF to another level with the ability to print up to 63-inch rolls. Embodying the same core functionalities as the 31-inch TxF300-75 model, the new TxF300-1600 increases both versatility and throughput without the added parts complexity and maintenance required with additional printheads.
Mutoh America, Inc.’s UV inks produce bright vibrant color and durable adhesion across a range of applications, including DTF. They also meet California Proposition 65 and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. MUTOH’s US11 (flexible) and UH21 (rigid) ink sets both deliver consistency with the added benefit of flexibility in application. Nice-to-have features are extended shelf life, an expanded color gamut, and the ability to build up layers or special effects like textures and gloss embossing.
Printer Biz, a DTG-C company, sells the Uninet DTF Xpress, which is engineered specifically for DTF production. Able to print on DTF material up to 17 inches in width, the narrow frame of the device allows it to fit through a 30-inch doorway, and unlike most DTF printers that require 220V, the Uninet DTF Xpress runs on a standard household 110V outlet. Maintenance is easy, as an automatic wet cap and wiper cleaning system prevents clogging and extends printhead life, minimizing downtime.
Roland DGA Corporation offers a choice of high-quality DTF printers, including the desktop-sized VersaSTUDIO BY-20 and the higher volume production TY-300. These devices are designed for optimum ease of use, productivity, and reliability.
Dec2025, Digital Output Magazine
