At PRINTING United Expo, Apparelist’s Cassie Green led a discussion on the state of direct-to-film (DTF) printing, featuring Rob Super, CEO and founder of American Print and Supply, and Deana Iribe, training and marketing content manager for Printer Biz and owner of The Print Bakery.

Alongside technical insight, the panel explored real-world decision-making, business strategy, and where DTF fits into the broader apparel decoration landscape.

When Should Shops Bring DTF In-House?

According to Super, there’s not one universal answer to know when to bring the process in-house. However, there is a clear indicator: cost. “If I’m spending two to three times my monthly lease payment on outsourced transfers, that’s a good signal I’m leaving money on the table,” he shared.

That said, decorators also need to think about all the facility requirements that come with bringing DTF in-house. That includes the space, power, and humidity control, in addition to labor. “If I’m spending time running and maintaining the printer, I’m losing line of sight to sales,” he continued.

If volume is low, outsourcing makes sense. “I think if you’re just going to be printing maybe like 100 prints a week, you probably are not quite ready,” Iribe added.

The numbers do have to make sense because, as Super stated, the lease payment needs to be paid. If you’re printing 100 shirts per week, you can’t cover that payment. What’s great about DTF is that you don’t need equipment to succeed. “Build the book of business first,” he advised.

Choosing the Right Transfer Partner

To build that book of DTF business, you need to find the right transfer partner. The big no-no here: If the provider mentions price first, Super warned decorators to run the other way.

What they do want to focus on is expertise. Look for OEKO-TEX certification, color charts, expanded gamut capabilities, and strong workflow tools. Both experts emphasized avoiding the race to the bottom with vendors.

“We want to have the digital print reflect what we’re seeing on our screen and ultimately our customer satisfaction, so they should be able to print you a color chart on their materials off their printers,” Super explained. “You receive it, and you go, ‘OK, this value equals this color on the transfer, and I can transfer that to a substrate, so I’m going to use this value in my design, and then I should know the inputs are going to equal the outputs.'”

That’s the bare minimum, he said. Then conversations about speed and price can happen in addition to information on the order process, shipping, etc. Do they have a gang sheet builder? These are all important questions to investigate.

Safety and Quality Considerations

The importance of certified consumables cannot be understated. “This is something you want to be extremely confident in,” Super stressed regarding the powder needed to make DTF transfers. Apparel decoration businesses need to know what they’re exposing their operators to in production.

Iribe’s top quality tip? Purchase a printer from a manufacturer that offers ongoing training, not just a one-and-done approach. Decorators want to know they have support, and that can come via virtual training sessions or in-person sessions. During those trainings, Iribe advises decorators to record them, even if they’re in-person. There will likely be times you have a question after hours, and if you want to find a solution as soon as possible, those trainings can be a great resource.

“The training is going to be the most important aspect of any type of printer that you purchase, because without that type of education, there’s no way that you’ll be able to have a good, high-quality product,” she added.

On the note of quality, Super added that artwork prep cannot be overlooked. To get a better hand-feel with DTF, he explained that less is more. “Putting more opaque white ink down helps reduce some of that rubbery textile feel to it,” he continued. “These are things that help, but more importantly, it’s artwork preparation catered to the technology. Screen printers figured [that] out a long time ago. We need to do the same here with direct-to-film.”

Does DTF Replace DTG or Screen Printing?

Both panelists were clear: No.

Speaking to direct-to-garment (DTG) and DTF, Iribe says they’re both tools in the toolbox for decorators to utilize and get the end product the customer needs.

“The way that I see direct-to-film, it covers a lot,” Iribe said. “It does offer a high variety of things that you’re able to do, but you’re still going to get the 10%, 20%, 30% who want something special. Something very specific. I offer both. I would say, for me, it’s close to 50/50 of what people prefer. If they’re going to want something that’s polyester, I have to go to the direct-to-film route.”

Super echoed Iribe: “I don’t believe ‘replace’ is the correct word, especially when we’re talking about the different verticals within the decoration industry. It’s definitely not a replacement. It’s an enhancement to your business. … It’s the multi-tool right now, and I strongly believe that, meaning it does a lot of things really well. It’s not going to replace some specific niche tools that you have, whether you’ll call that screen print or embroidery or whatever, but it does a lot of things really, really well.”

“I think it would be foolish if you were to only choose just one technology.”

—Deana Iribe, Printer Biz | The Print Bakery

Where Is DTF Headed?

Looking ahead at the future of DTF, Super anticipates more automation, as well as high-volume capability. “What I ultimately see is DTF getting similar to what we see in high-volume production shops with screen print, where we’re going to do 300 to 400 or 500 pieces an hour with a single operator or two-person operation, and that’s what I am pushing for in the next three to five years,” he shared.

On the other side of that, Iribe hopes for stronger mid-range options for home-based businesses because not everyone starts in a shop — a solution between the desktop printers and the industrial setups. “Maybe something within the $10,000 range, maybe another 17-inch, maybe a 13-inch, but something that’s enough that you can help compete with other people printing, but also start within your home,” she explained. “I’m really hoping to see it go in that direction.”

8 Key Takeaways and Actionable Tips

  1. Check your numbers: If outsource costs are two to three times a lease payment, consider in-house DTF.

  2. Assess your space and power: Many systems require 220v and reliable humidity control.

  3. Prioritize safety: Use OEKO-TEX-certified film, powder, and ink — especially white ink.

  4. Vet partners by quality, not price: Look for color charts, expanded gamut, and dependable turnaround.

  5. Prep artwork for DTF: Remove background colors, use halftones, and optimize opacity.

  6. Know your model: Decide early – finished goods or selling rolls? Each changes workflow and pricing.

  7. Avoid cheap equipment traps: Converted paper printers often lead to “tears and constant maintenance,” Super noted.

  8. DTF is a business enabler: Opens new revenue, faster turnarounds, and broader substrate options.