DTF Transfers for Screen Printers and Print Shops
Share
A 22×60 DTF gang sheet costs $45 — about 3.4 cents per square inch — with no minimum order, so you can outsource DTF transfers for a single short-run job or a full week's production at the same per-inch rate. Pre-cut transfers, with each design cut apart individually, are available; pricing is quoted on request. Order by 2 PM ET Monday through Friday and it ships the same business day with tracking from our shop in upstate New York; typical delivery is 1-2 business days to New York, New Jersey and New England. For recurring volume, email info@dtfsirius.com for a volume quote on 50 or more sheets a month.
Which Jobs to Route to DTF
For a shop that already runs screens, DTF for print shops usually isn't an either/or decision — it's picking the right jobs to route to a transfer instead of a screen. Short runs, one-off names, full-color art and mixed garment colors tend to cost less in time pressed from a gang sheet; long one-color runs still favor the screen press.
| Job | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 12-piece full-color order | DTF | Screen costs don't shrink for a small full-color run; DTF prices by the design's size, not by color count |
| 300-piece one-color order | Screen print | One screen and one ink amortize well across a large one-color run |
| Names and numbers | DTF | Each name is a one-off print that doesn't suit a reusable screen |
| Polyester team wear | DTF | Pressed at the low end of the temperature range with a cover sheet to limit dye migration, without a dedicated low-cure ink system |
| Mixed garment colors in one order | DTF | Every transfer already carries a white underbase, so dark and light garments press the same way |
| Photo-realistic, full-color prints | DTF | Gradients and fine detail print directly instead of being separated into spot colors |
| Reorders of 6 | DTF | Below the quantity where pulling a screen back out is worth the setup time |
Outsourcing DTF vs. Buying a DTF Printer
The question of DTF vs. buying a DTF printer comes down to whether you want to manage another piece of production equipment or hand that part of the job to someone else. Running a DTF printer in-house means owning and maintaining more than the printer itself.
| Owning a DTF printer | Outsourcing DTF transfers |
|---|---|
| Printer purchase and setup | No equipment to buy |
| Powder and a powder shaker or applicator | Not your process to run |
| A curing oven or conveyor | Not your process to run |
| Ongoing white ink maintenance - it settles and needs circulation | Not your process to run |
| Daily cleaning, print head checks and calibration | Not your process to run |
| Dedicated floor space for the printer, oven and film storage | Floor space only for finished transfers waiting to be pressed |
| Film and powder stock to keep on hand | Order what you need, when you need it, at about 3.4 cents per square inch with no minimum |
| Staff time to run and troubleshoot the equipment | Staff time only for pressing, which you're already doing |
None of that makes owning a printer the wrong call for every shop — high, steady DTF volume can justify it. But for a shop whose DTF jobs are occasional or seasonal, outsourcing DTF transfers at a flat per-inch rate, with same-day shipping by 2 PM ET, usually means less equipment, less maintenance and less floor space than running a second print process alongside screens.
Cost Per Print on a Gang Sheet
| Print size | Approx. per 22×60 sheet | Approx. cost each |
|---|---|---|
| 3×3 in (left chest, pocket) | about 108 | ≈$0.42 |
| 4×4 in | about 70 | ≈$0.64 |
| 8×10 in (chest print) | about 10 | ≈$4.50 |
| 10×12 in (full front) | about 8-10 | ≈$4.50-$5.63 |
A 22×60 sheet costs $45 total regardless of the mix, so laying out several sizes on one sheet — names and numbers alongside a chest logo, say — spreads that $45 across whatever combination fills the sheet. Shops ordering bulk DTF transfers for a season's worth of jobs often mix sizes this way instead of ordering one size per sheet.
Press-Floor Workflow
- Receive the gang sheet, or pre-cut transfers if you ordered that option.
- If not pre-cut, cut each design apart along the gaps.
- Pre-press the garment 3-5 seconds to clear moisture and wrinkles.
- Press at 315-325°F with medium-firm, even pressure for 6-12 seconds.
- Peel the film immediately while it's hot.
- Optional: a 5-second second press with a cover sheet for a matte finish and extra durability.
- Let the garment sit 24 hours before the first wash.
Pre-cut transfers save cutting time on press day but cost more per sheet; a shop pressing a handful of designs from one sheet often comes out ahead cutting them by hand, while a shop running higher volume through one press station may prefer paying for pre-cut.
Preparing Files for a Gang Sheet
Send artwork as a PNG with a transparent background at 300 DPI at the size you intend to press, with lines and text at least 1 mm thick. We print what's uploaded — a person checks every file and emails you if something looks off, but we don't edit the art itself. If you're laying out a sheet with several jobs' worth of designs, our artwork guide for gang sheets covers spacing, resolution and file setup in more detail.
Scheduling Around the 2 PM ET Cutoff
For a shop in the Northeast running a next-day press schedule, the 2 PM ET order cutoff matters as much as the price per sheet. Orders placed by 2 PM ET Monday through Friday ship the same day from upstate New York, with 1-2 business day delivery to New York, New Jersey and New England — see the same-day shipping page for full cutoff and delivery details, and the Albany, New York City and Boston and New England pages for estimates specific to those areas. Ordering the day before a press day, ahead of the cutoff, is the simplest way to keep transfers from becoming the bottleneck on a job.
Quality and Reprints
Any DTF transfer supplier for print shops should be judged on what happens when something goes wrong, not just the price per sheet. A person checks every file before it prints. If a transfer arrives misprinted, damaged or wrong, email photos to info@dtfsirius.com within 7 days of delivery and it's reprinted or refunded.
DTF for Print Shops FAQ
Do you offer wholesale pricing?
Pricing is flat per square inch at any quantity, so there's no separate tier for DTF gang sheets wholesale or DTF transfers ready to press wholesale — a 22×60 sheet is $45 whether you order one or several a week, with no minimum order. For recurring volume of 50 or more sheets a month, email info@dtfsirius.com for a volume quote.
Can I send a print-ready gang sheet?
Yes. Upload your own laid-out file instead of using the gang sheet builder, as long as it's a 22-inch-wide file at 300 DPI with a transparent background.
Do you pre-cut transfers?
Yes, pre-cut is available on top of the base gang sheet price, so each design arrives cut apart and ready to press; pre-cut pricing is quoted on request.
Can I white-label the order?
Transfers ship to you, not to your customer, so your client only ever sees your finished garment. If you need an order packed a particular way for a client, email info@dtfsirius.com before you order.
Do DTF transfers work on polyester jerseys?
Yes. Press heat-sensitive or sublimated polyester at the low end of the range, 315°F for 6-8 seconds with light-to-medium pressure, and use a cover sheet to limit dye migration. Test a piece of the actual jersey first.
What file do you need?
A PNG with a transparent background at 300 DPI at the size you plan to print, with lines and text at least 1 mm thick. Don't mirror the design — we print it as uploaded.
How fast can I get transfers for a job this week?
Order by 2 PM ET Monday through Friday and it ships the same business day from upstate New York, with 1-2 business day delivery to New York, New Jersey and New England and 2-4 business days to the rest of the US.
What if a transfer is misprinted?
Email photos to info@dtfsirius.com within 7 days of delivery and we'll reprint or refund it.
Get DTF Transfers for Your Shop
Build a sheet mixing names, numbers and full-color art on the gang sheet builder, or upload your own print-ready gang sheet. Price a single design on the DTF transfers by size page, or check length-based pricing on the gang sheet pricing page. See more on ordering in volume on the bulk DTF transfers and wholesale DTF transfers pages, compare DTF to other methods in our comparison of DTF, screen printing, sublimation and HTV, and check press settings by fabric on the press settings page.