In our daily life, we see exquisite pictures printed on clothes, bags or canvas shoes, and we are wondering how these special patterns attached on the textile. Actually, this process called heat transfer. It is achieved by DTF print and sublimation print, therefore, we are curious about the difference between them, and which one is better?

Generally speaking, it is made by 4 color overlay printing on ready-to-wear and high temperature fabrics, to achieve the effect of custom picture, the patterns are super vivid and bright. it is generally called DTF print.

1. The pros and cos of sublimation printing

Pros:

It’s affordable and accessible. Utmost of the time, you can simply refill an old printer with sublimation inks, and you’re free to leave, you can indeed get down with printing on regular office paper rather than using precious sublimation sheets.

It requires minimum maintenance, and the sublimation ink will not clog up easily.

It could work on various products, such as cups, coasters, key rings, and so on.

Cos:

It is limited to polyester garments, and it is a complicated process to make cotton sublimate with sublimation sprays and transfer powders.

It is limited to light color product, and it cannot sublimate onto black product.

2. Similarities

DTF printing and sublimation printing both need heat transfer, their principle of hot stamping is the same, transfer by heating.

3. Differences

Different processes:

DTF printing is divided into two parts, one part is film transfer film printing and the other part is transfer processing. The patterns are previously printed on the PET film, and then the exquisite patterns are transferred to the surface of the product, and the ink dry quickly and integrated with the product tightly.

The DTF printing adopts 4 color plus two fluorescent color, DTF printer Ink is affordable and bright, also suitable for dark color textile.

Different features:

The color is different. The DTF transfer can achieve the effect of the photo, as long as the original file is provided when the heat transfer is made. The effect of sublimation paper is not clear as film printing. It is related to hot stamping temperature and time, the higher the hot stamping temperature, the longer the time, the more vivid the color.

The washing fastness is different. Generally speaking, the fastness of sublimation paper is better than PET film, but it is distinguished by the quality of DTF heat transfer. The difference between the quality of DTF heat transfer is mainly based on elasticity and fastness.

Different applications:

Sublimation transfer is applied to leather, textile fabric, plexiglass, metal, plastic, crystal, wood, copperplate paper, etc. DTF printing is applied to clothes, handbag, shoes, sportswear, luggage, etc.

The PET film transfer fabric is different. PET film can be hot stamped on all fabrics such as knitting, textile, nylon, non-woven fabric, Oxford cloth, etc. The sublimation paper can only be ironed on light-colored or white polyester fabrics. The more you need polyester ingredients, the brighter the color.

The above is the difference between DTF printing and sublimation printing. I hope to help you make a choice that suits you. If you have a strong interest in DTF printing, you can pay more attention to us. We will update quality content from time to time. Thank you for reading.

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