Plastisol Transfer
A heat-applied transfer made by screen-printing plastisol ink onto release paper, then heat-pressing the cured ink onto a garment. Plastisol transfers predate DTF and offer thicker hand-feel and bright opaque colors, but require separate screens for each color and have higher minimum order quantities. DTF has largely replaced plastisol transfers for short runs and full-color designs.
Related Terms
A traditional printing method that pushes ink through a mesh screen onto fabric. Each color requires a separate screen, making it cost-effective only for large runs. DTF eliminates setup costs and minimum order requirements.
DTF (Direct to Film) printing is a digital heat transfer method where full-color designs are printed onto PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film using CMYK and white pigment inks, coated with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) adhesive powder, cured, and then heat-pressed onto fabric at 300–325°F for 10–15 seconds. DTF does not require pre-treatment, weeding, or color separation, and works on cotton, polyester, blends, nylon, and other materials. DTF transfers typically last 50–80 washes and support photographic full-color designs with no per-color cost increase.
A machine that applies heat and even pressure to transfer DTF prints from film onto garments. Standard DTF pressing temperatures range from 300-330°F (149-165°C) at medium-firm pressure for 10-15 seconds. Available in clamshell, swing-away, and drawer styles.