DTF Printing London

DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing prints your design onto a special film, then heat-presses it onto the garment as a full-colour transfer. With no per-colour setup cost, it's ideal for small businesses, detailed artwork, and orders of any size — from a single custom tee to a few hundred pieces.

DTF printing in London, with no minimum order

If your design has more than two or three colours, a photo, a gradient or tiny lettering, DTF is usually where we start. DTF stands for direct-to-film. We print your artwork onto a clear film, add an adhesive powder, then heat-press the transfer onto the garment. Because the image is built on film first, there are no screens to burn and no per-colour set-up charge, so one custom tee is as easy for us to take on as fifty.

What DTF does well

• Full-colour artwork, including gradients, shadows and photographic detail
• Fine lines and small text that would clog a screen
• Dark garments, because a white underbase sits under the colours and keeps them bright
• Cotton, poly-cotton and most standard t-shirt blends
• Orders of one, ten or a few hundred pieces, with no minimum quantity

When we would point you somewhere else

DTF is not always the cheapest route. For a few hundred identical shirts in one or two flat colours, screen printing can work out better per piece. For workwear that gets washed hard every week, embroidery often outlasts any print. We will say so in the quote rather than sell you the wrong method. If you want the full comparison, our guide to DTF vs screen printing covers cost, detail and durability side by side.

What we need from you

Send the artwork as a vector file (AI, EPS or PDF) or as a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background. A logo saved from a website at 300 pixels wide will look soft once it is printed across a chest, so if that is all you have, tell us and we will explain what can be done. Also tell us the garment, the sizes, where the print should sit (chest, back or sleeve) and the date you need the order by. If file types are new to you, our note on the best file format for t-shirt printing explains the options.

How a DTF order runs

1. Send your design, quantity and deadline through the quote form, by email or on WhatsApp.
2. We reply with a written, itemised quote, usually within one business day.
3. You approve the quote and, for larger runs, a sample or mock-up.
4. We print the film, press the transfers and check every piece before it is packed.
5. Your order is delivered to you. If you would rather see the work first, the shop is open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm.

Orders over 100 pieces need a 50% deposit before production starts. Smaller orders are paid once you have approved the written quote.

Garments we print DTF on

Round neck t-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts are the most common requests, and the process works the same way on long sleeves, tank tops, oversized fits and sports jerseys. You can look through the range on our product pages: round neck t-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts.

What DTF printing costs

Our pricing page lists DTF printing from £4 per piece for the print itself. The final figure depends on the garment, the size of the design, how many positions you want printed and how many pieces you order, and the price per piece steps down as quantity goes up. Every quote is written and itemised, so you see the garment, the print and any extra print position as separate lines before you pay anything. The sample packages further down this page show typical figures.

Turnaround and rush orders

With no screens to prepare, DTF is normally the quickest method we offer for small and medium runs. Give us your delivery or event date when you ask for a quote and we will tell you plainly whether it works. If the date is tight, ask about rush production. It carries an extra fee, and we confirm it in the quote before anything starts.

Looking after DTF prints

Turn the garment inside out, wash it at a moderate temperature and avoid the hottest tumble-dryer setting. Do not iron directly over the print. Treated this way, a DTF transfer holds up well to regular washing.

Repeat orders

We keep your artwork on file, so a repeat order is a quick message rather than a fresh set-up. That suits small brands testing a design, clubs topping up sizes and businesses with new starters.

Print size and placement

A standard chest print sits a few inches below the collar and is sized to the garment, so a small left-chest logo and a full-width front design are both easy to do. Back prints, sleeve prints and a second design on the same garment are quoted as separate positions. If you are not sure what size looks right, send us the artwork with the garment type and we will mock it up before you approve anything.

Related reading

• What is DTF t-shirt printing and how does it work?
• Where to buy affordable DTF transfers in London
• DTF printing for small clothing brands and startups

Ordering for a team or a business? See our bulk t-shirt printing and corporate t-shirt printing pages.

Get a DTF quote

Use the free quote form, call 020 3355 6191, or message us on WhatsApp. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 8pm.