Your Custom ApparelSupply Destination
Sign In
Need Help?800-891-1094
Have you recently bought a DTF printer, or are you about to buy one? If so, don’t forget to throw in an extra roll of DTF film in your shopping cart!
Oh, but not any film will do! The kind you might find most everywhere and for cheap is not what will squeeze every last drop of quality from your direct-to-film printer.
What this means is you’re left with no choice but to stock up on your DTF film supplies from us.
We should know what film is best for you (and your printer) — after all, we’re the ones who made your printer — and we know exactly which film pairs best with it!
But don’t take our word for it, you need to try it for yourself!
That said, in the following paragraphs, we’ll go into the nuances and characteristics of what makes a good DTF film so you can make an informed purchase.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Stability – on the list of eight characteristics, in no particular order, stability takes the number one spot.
Stability simply means the film’s ability to ‘’stay as it should.’’ To put it in more practical terms, a stable film accomplishes a number of things at once.
For starters, it maintains its roll form without curling or warping. This ensures that the film feeds smoothly through the printer, reducing the risk of jams or misprints.
Secondly, you should be able to store the DTF film away for later use without it losing its quality or adhesive properties over time. That way you can use it for many printing sessions!
Then thirdly, all this combined with its ability to withstand environmental factors such as variations in humidity and temperature, makes up a film that’s, well, stable.
It’s a BIG deal for us decorators because we’re essentially buying peace of mind. Custom product decoration is hard as it is, the last thing we need are supplies that don’t work as intended.
Let’s next look at temperature-flexible films.
2. Temperature Flexible Films – Essentially, there are two types of films; cold peel and hot peel DTF PET films. But, what’s the difference between the two for you… and… which should you go for?
Well, let’s take a closer look at each film and go over their set of benefits and use case scenarios where each could come in handy.
a. Hot Peel DTF Film = The adhesive layer for this film cures immediately. The benefit of this is that it allows for faster application. You can easily guess the use case scenarios where this could be a perfect fit — situations where productivity, efficiency, and turnover are of paramount importance.
However, it comes with a ‘’little fine print.’’
You see, it’s not as stable on all textiles. This means Hot Peel DTF Film coating is prone to lifting if not applied correctly or when using a material that bonds differently, such as neoprene. This makes cotton, polyester, and poly blends the recommended fabrics for this method.
b. Cold Peel DTF Film = This film is quite the opposite. Its adhesive coating has an extended cooldown period after use. What else is different with cold peel film is how it releases from textiles — the film often peels off with slight resistance.
Now, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good performer for its targeted tasks. It’s just that the productivity is slower and turnover is delayed by the DTF film transfer cooling.
But it comes with a great benefit. This cooling time provides more stability to the transfer film coating allowing the ability to put the DTF Transfer on a variety of textile surfaces.
Whichever one you choose is up to you, it all comes down to what you’re working on, what a hurry you’re in, and everything else.
3. Retains Ink – The next characteristic of a high-quality DTF film is its ink retention. The thing is, there is an actual limit to how much ink can be printed on the film.
The better the layer of coating, the higher saturation of ink can it hold, and vice versa.
DTF transfer films with poor coating can lead to all kinds of issues, including ink banding (lines in the print), stripes, dripping, discoloration, muted and inaccurate colors, among others. These issues are something you very much want to avoid! You want to work with a film that’s consistent, and that you can trust.
So, let’s talk a little bit about that.
4. Consistency – What you want to look for in a film is consistency. What we mean by that is, you want each batch of DTF film to follow the same formula from the same manufacturer.
If the manufacturer changes their formula or isn’t consistent with their formula, you could have trouble with your transfers. This means wasted film while you tweak your settings to match the changed film.
Lucky for you, you can order DTF film directly from us. We keep high-quality control standards to reduce the variations among the batches. So you really don’t have anything to worry about.
Next up, let’s talk about versatility.
5. Versatility – You want a film that will work across different fabrics and textiles – not the ones that restrict you from offering an assortment of options to your customers. This overall versatility, combined with functional stability allows for some serious creative freedom.
6. Single vs Double Coated – DTF film comes as either single or double-coated. It means what it says, double-coated DTF films have coatings on both sides and single-coated films have a coating only on the front.
This means the back side is slippery so it is more likely to slip in the printer and on the rollers. Plus it’s likely that the corners can roll up. When it’s double-coated, the rollers can grip the film better and there is less chance of slippage.
7. Quick Release – To prevent situations where parts of your design do not transfer, go for a higher quality DTF film — it’s as simple as that. You want a smooth release when you pull the transfer off the garment and that it does not catch on the print, potentially causing errors in the transfer process.
And last, but certainly not least, we have to talk about color profiling.
8. Color Profiling – You want a film that works with the color profiling setup on your printer. Color profiling means the way your printer works with the supplies to create a high-quality DTF Transfer. To have an exceptional color profile, you must make sure your ink, software, powder adhesive, and film are set up to work together. If you change your film, you mess with the profile and may experience transfers that have issues working properly or produce a subpar product.
ColDesi offers DTF Film and products that have been specifically color Profiled to our DTF printers to work hand in hand. Direct to Film Transfer Film from ColDesi have been tested extensively to ensure our films meet all of the above criteria. They have worked out the challenges in profiling, so you (the customer) don’t have to waste time and money testing various DTF Films. ColDesi is here to provide you with the best DTF Transfer Film you need to help you succeed.
For one-on-one help simply call 800-891-1094 or live chat with one of our pros!
