5 Ways To Make Your DTF Prints Better

[@Yaan_Robotique]

Ive watched countless photoshop tutorials and this was the first ttime Ive heard about anti aliasing! Thankyou! :)

[@transferexpress]

Hey Yaan, I'm so glad we could help out! Anti-Aliasing is definitely dives a little bit deeper into the saving settings, and typically only comes into play when designing t-shirts for printing (like DTF here) as well as screen printing. Typically for screen printed orders our art department will adjust the file so it prints nice and crisp (spot color printing helps too) but with the digital printing process for DTF it can lead to some unintended results- coupled with low resolution files it's VERY noticeable.

[@MM-cs3yz]

OMG ! What an important educational video. When I am ready to order I see no reason why I won't show my appreciation and order from them. Not to mention, they seem like a very reliable, quality business. And, I just increase the size of my logo beyond 100% and sure enough, I saw the light gray colored edges around my letters. I also did not have it set to SHARP. Time to do it over again. No biggie and it will be ready to go to press.

[@transferexpress]

Thanks MM! We're always happy to help small businesses grow and outstanding quality is a sure way to! From DTF Tips, to trending blanks and inspiration for out of the box ideas or t-shirt packaging we're here for you. If you ever can't find an answer, let us know, and we'll be quick to respond (most likely with a video!)

[@jvmauricio107]

Another tip: Always vectorize your design

[@transferexpress]

Great tip JV! Using vector files are certainly the preferred file type, but sometimes with complex images or photos a raster image is needed (something DTF is great for too!).

[@ralton7817]

my customer sends me a vector image, I import this into coreldraw to make a 300dpi multiple copy gang sheet, but then have to export this as png file becasue this is what my dtf transfer printing company needs. The png is raster even though the image starts out as a vector, so does thie mean raster images are also ok for dtf transfers?

[@transferexpress]

DTF can print raster images as well, but vector allows for easy resizing and sharp edges. That artwork process you describe seems like a little bit of a hassle though- Most custom DTF printers (us included) allow for per-image ordering as well as gang sheets to simplify your ordering process and save money. Have you tried using Easy View Online designer to create your gang sheets? Or if it's the same artwork we'll handle the gang sheeting for you so you're not paying for any of the blank carrier. www.transferexpress.com/designer

[@BE1U_Apparel]

Great tutorial, as always! I'm having issues with creasing on my DTF line work, so unless the garment is ironed, it looks wrinkled. I've tried thicker garments, and thicker lines, but can't pinpoint why its happening - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[@transferexpress]

That's a great question! To help out best, we'd need a little more information: 1. What DTF transfer are you using? Some low quality adhesives and inks can have less than desirable finishes when laundered. Sometimes they'll feel thick and 'paper-like' to the touch and present wrinkles and creases quite easily. 2. Application settings: If DTF is underapplied or applied with too high of a temperature, the adhesive may not hold into the fibers of the garment. Pressure can be a culprit for this as well, it may appear to apply fine, but one cycle in the wash and it doesn't look the same. Double check your application process and ensure it's correct: 3. What fabric type are you printing on? Carded, 100% unshrunk cotton (commonly the VERY inexpensive t-shirts) can shrink, buckling the prints and introducing a wrinkled effect. Try printing on a higher quality, 50/50 or 100% polyester garment to test if the issue is still present. 4. Artwork: Depending on how fine of lines you have, it may be under the minimum threshold for line weight and not receiving enough powdered adhesive in the production process to properly adhere to the garment and move and flex with the fabric. Possibly leading to the issues you're having. The industry standard is right around .02"

[@chardnaywoods1304]

Hi! I’m having issues with that grainy look. I use a procolored printer and their supplies. What do I need to do to fix that issue?

[@transferexpress]

Hey Chardnay, unfortunately we've heard similar issues from many apparel decorators with the low cost DTF printers. We understand it can be frustrating- While we don't have experience with those specific printers or supplies, it would be best to contact the company you bought it from for advice on how to fix the issues. With our extensive knowledge of DTF printing, We know it could be several things causing your issue, from specific inks and their compatibility to the PET carriers you're using to your print heads, print speed or even the climate of the room it's printing in (Do you monitor/control the humidity and temperature?). We've even seen quality differ from different batches of inks & carriers. Essentially what is happening is the ink is beading up on the carrier and not laying flat on the plastic from the print heads, then once white prints on top of it, it gives it the grainy texture and can even change the color/vibrancy of the ink in the finished print.

[@silvercreekshepherds]

How do you get the white layer in your artwork?

[@transferexpress]

Great question! We try to make it as easy as possible for artwork setup- If you're designing artwork in our designer, just select white ink in the color dropdown in the edit menu on the left side. Background colors can be adjusted with the little box in the bottom left that is labelled "Apparel Color", this is for visuals only and will not print. If you're designing files yourself, we make it really easy: You can save any areas printing white as white in your file, no need to setup any complicated spot color layers. If you save the file as a pdf, psd or png with a transparent background when you upload your artwork, the system will automatically recognize it and we will print as it appears on screen.

[@gabrielreis4382]

I bought a shirt that I like, how do I make the print less shinny

[@transferexpress]

Depending on how the print was created, you may not be able to reduce any glare on the print. Some DTF (notably cold peel films) A few things you can do (if it's a DTF Print): #1, Washing will sometimes remove the shine from the print. #2, Repressing with a parchment paper, craft paper or canvas coversheet on a heat press. This may texture the graphic and reduce any shine. Avoid any teflon/non-stick coversheets, as they may introduce more sheen to the image.

[@Steve-me7jh]

The minimum line weight stated here is “.021” however on your website it’s .018 for Ultracolor Max and .014 for Ultracolor pro?

[@transferexpress]

You are correct Steve, Great attention to detail! The minimums have been updated to the new standards to achieve even finer detail at 0.018" for UltraColor Max Direct To Film Transfers.

[@lisaunderwood4016]

I can not find anti-aliasing artwork in my photo shop please help me

[@transferexpress]

In photoshop you'll find the anti-aliasing checkbox in the top toolbar when you are working with selection tools. Exporting artwork from Illustrator into a raster format you'll see the anti-aliasing checkbox as a save option.

[@TheBaconeaterz]

What software program can knock out black in a design, i want to print on black Tee's and don't want black ink printed. I use coreldraw 6 Thanks

[@transferexpress]

If you're ordering prints from us at Transferexpress.com, it's really easy- Just upload a PDF exported from Corel and select any areas of black and just change the ink color to "no ink" which will create negative space and knock it out the garment. This video shows how easy it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmrXqH-XfNhgo68si=AzSWalqu0X4INrMK Alternatively, you can expand any shapes and use the pathfinder tool to divide, then delete any of the black objects/shapes before printing.

[@mainboard1987]

How do you get them not to feel like plastic? I have tried 3 suppliers and have yet to find one that does not feel like a hefty trash bag on a shirt.

[@transferexpress]

Ahhh, yes, we hear that out in the industry quite a bit- So much we made it the first tip of this video: Use a Quality DTF Heat Transfer. With many lower-cost inks being less pigmented than higher-quality inks they require more ink to be printed so the finished results are more vibrant and representative of the colors in the file. It's also quite common for Cold peel transfer to have a "crunch" to them too. Have you tried our UltraColor Max DTF Transfers yet? These are the best of the best, We'll send you samples at zero cost: www.transferexpress.com/marketing-tools/free-samples While DTF is great, and the end of the day it's still ink. We also laid out another way to avoid that 'plastic' feeling in the second tip of this video that's all about using negative space in your file. That part starts right at 02:46 and shows some ways you can help your designs wear much better.

[@alidadebruyn36]

I do not understand your set print minimum. You say you need to print the minimum of 1.15 points white, but printers do not print white, and are you meaning your white dtf must be 1.15 bigger? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@transferexpress]

DTF Prints like our UltraColor Max print white ink behind the entire image. This final layer ensures that all the colors in your print are vibrant and opaque on any color of fabric, light or dark. The white ink also holds the adhesive which allows for a strong and durable bond to the fibers to ensure it lasts 50+ wash cycles. If smaller than the minimum line weight, those elements may not last.

[@NancyDTF]

Sir,what is your email address?I would like to send our catalogue of DTF PET films for your reference.We are manufacturer in China ❤

[@transferexpress]

Sorry, we use our own proprietary formulas for inks and film to ensure consistent quality with the unreliable supply chains that are a challenge in the DTF printing industry. We ensure our customers only receive a quality product that they can count on being consistent in application and print quality from order to order. We appreciate the offer though.