Pressing a DTF transfer takes about a minute once you have done it once. Every order includes a pressing card with the settings for that film; the steps below are the same for every shirt.
What you need
- A flat heat press (a household iron does not give even heat or pressure, so prints wash out sooner)
- A Teflon sheet or parchment paper
- A lint roller
- Your transfer and the garment
The steps
- Prepare the shirt. Lint-roll the print area and pre-press the garment for 3–5 seconds to flatten it and remove moisture.
- Place the transfer. Lay it ink side down where you want it. Use heat tape if it needs to stay put.
- Press. 310 °F (155 °C), medium pressure, for 12–15 seconds.
- Peel. Peel the film cold, once it has cooled completely, as the pressing card says. Peel slowly and low, close to the shirt.
- Finish. Cover the print with the Teflon sheet or parchment and press again for 5 seconds. This sets the print into the fabric and gives a softer feel.
If something goes wrong
- Edges lift when you peel: lay the film back down and press for a few more seconds with a little more pressure.
- The print looks shiny: do the finishing press with a cover sheet; a textured parchment gives a matte look.
- Ghosting or a double image: the film moved while hot. Use heat tape and lift the press straight up.
Washing and care
Wait 24 hours before the first wash. Turn the shirt inside out, wash cold or warm, tumble dry low or hang to dry, and do not iron directly on the print. Pressed this way, our transfers last 50+ wash cycles.
More detail, fabric by fabric, is in the pressing guide.