DTF Printing
DTF Printing is one way to get any design you want onto a shirt. In this guide, you will learn how to print a custom design onto a shirt.
Resources, Tools & Materials
| Type | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Resource | DTF Printing Guide | Everything you need to know to print any design on a shirt! |
| Tools | DTF Transfer Paper | Film used to transfer the print to the shirt. |
| Tools | DTF Printer | Special printer for printing designs on the DTF Transfer Paper. |
| Tools | TPU Powder Bin | To contain any excess TPU powder. |
| Tools | TPU Heating Oven | Sets the TPU so it can fuse the ink to the shirt. |
| Tools | Heat Press | Presses the shirt and ink, melting the TPU, binding both together. |
| Tools | Teflon Sheet | Used to separate the shirt+print from the heat press so they do not stick! |
| Tools | Shirt Alignment Tool | Ensuring your graphic is level and centered. |
| Materials | Shirt | Perfect for DTF Printing! (Ask Zane for other materials when DTF Printing). |
| Materials | TPU Powder | Powder that will bind the ink to the shirt. |
| Materials | Heat Resistant Tape | So the DTF Transfer Paper does not shift in the process of being pressed. |
| Materials | Computer | Use a graphics editor(Inkscape, Canva, Adobe Illustrator, etc.) to make your graphic! |
Safety
- The Heating Press and TPU Heating Oven gets hot! Use the pink heat resistant glove when placing/removing your print!
- Avoid breathing in TPU powder when handling it!
- Turn off the heating press and TPU heating oven when you have finished!
- If you burn yourself, run the burn under cold water for 30 seconds, gently dry, and apply a small amount of burn gel to the affected area and cover with a bandaid (burn gel and bandaids are located in the first aid kit in the kitchen). If your burn seems severe, alert a lab director immediately.
Guide
 1) Turn on the TPU Heating Oven and Heating Press. When you turn on the TPU Heating Oven, it displays the word “UP” on the bottom display, this is how you know it is heating up. The top display shows the current temperature of the oven. Once the top display reaches ~130°, it has fully heated up, and the bottom display should show 120 (which is how many seconds it will need to heat up the TPU). The settings for the heating press should be: Temp-340°, Time-25 Seconds(you can change the setting by pressing the middle gear button) |  2) Insert DTF Transfer Paper to the DTF Printer NOTE: Make sure the matte side is face up. |  3) Import your png/jpeg graphic to the DTF software by: (1) Opening the DTF Software and (2) Pressing File > Open > Choose your file. NOTE: Note: There should be at least a 2 inch margin around the design. |
 4) Mirror the design by pressing the Mirror Canvas icon on the top right. |  5) Press the Print icon. Ensure the WHITE+COLOR & Print Color First boxes are checked, then press Print and wait! |  6) Once the design has printed, (with the ink/matte side facing up) place the transfer paper in the TPU Powder Bin and sprinkle TPU Powder on the ink. |
 7) Rock the paper back and forth until all ink has a layer of TPU Powder on it. |  8) Open the TPU Heating Oven and place the transfer paper with the TPU/matte side facing up. Close the oven and press the start button to begin the heating process. CAUTION: THE TPU HEATING OVEN WILL BE HOT; PUT A HEAT RESISTANT GLOVE ON! |  9) Once the TPU Heating Oven is done heating up the TPU, remove the transfer paper from the oven. CAUTION: THE TPU HEATING OVEN WILL BE HOT; PUT A HEAT RESISTANT GLOVE ON! NOTE: Steps 6-8 need to be completed once the design has been printed. If not, the TPU will not stick to the ink! |
 10) Place the print on the shirt with the TPU/matte side facing down. You may use the Shirt Guide and Heat Resistant Tape to ensure your optimal position of the print. |  11) Place the shirt with the DTF print on the heating press (print on top) with a Teflon Sheet on both the top and bottom of the shirt+print to prevent sticking. CAUTION: The heating press can get very warm, if necessary, use heat resistant glove! |  12) Slide the shirt+print under the press and press the start button(green R) to begin the heat pressing process. NOTE: If the R is red, it has not fully heated up! Wait until it is green. |
 13) Once the heat pressing process has finished, pull out the shirt and leave it to cool. You may peel off the transfer paper when it is cool to the touch. CAUTION: The heating press can get very warm, if necessary, use the heat resistant glove. |  14) When you are done, throw away all trash(used DTF transfer paper), put away all tools and turn off the Heating Press & TPU Heating Oven and put the excess TPU back in the bag! |  15) Congrats! You now know how to print a design onto a shirt using the DTF printer! ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ |
Tips
- If the prints from the DTF printer look smeared(and you are sure you put the matte side face up), grab a lab assistant to determine if it needs a quick/deep clean!
- The TPU will turn from a powder look to a frosty look when it has properly heated in the TPU Heating Oven.
- Once Step 8 is completed, you may store the print, but be cautious with smearing the ink.
- The canvas/paper size of the DTF printer is 11.811 in x 16.535 inches.
- The DPI for the DTF printer is 1440 x 720.
Additional Resources