can dtf printers print on any fabric?

DTF printing is very popular in the apparel industry. There is no doubt about the impact that increasingly customized patterns are having on clothing brands. It's also this sense of seemingly being able to print on any garment that gives DTF printers something of a misnomer. The most common here is that DTF printers can print on a variety of fabrics!

To that I'm going to give a definitive answer: Most can, but not all. This article will look at what types of fabrics can be printed on this type of printer.

Cotton: It's the "golden partner" for DTF printing. On materials like pure cotton T-shirts and canvas bags, DTF printing can produce very rich and vibrant colors, and the designs are also very durable and not easy to fall off.

Linen, Silk: Linen and silk fabrics can also be DTF transferred, but due to the rigid or smooth fibers, parameters such as temperature and pressure need to be adjusted appropriately during heat pressing to prevent uneven transfer.

Polyester: With excellent compatibility, it is a common printing material for sportswear, yoga wear, swimwear and other categories. DTF patterns adhere firmly and have good washability.

Nylon: The surface is relatively smooth, but transfer can be successful. Pay attention to surface cleaning before printing, and appropriately control the transfer temperature and pressure to improve adhesion.

Cotton-Polyester Blends (e.g., 50/50): The performance on blended fabrics is stable, the pattern details are clear, and the color fastness is high. Suitable for everyday apparel and work clothes, etc.

Leather: DTF can also be used for DIY bags, shoe uppers, and other products. It is recommended to appropriately reduce the ironing temperature and use medium pressure.

Elastic Fabrics (Spandex): For example, yoga pants, stretch T-shirts, etc. If elastic hot melt powder is used, it can effectively avoid cracking of the pattern due to stretching.

While DTF printing boasts a wide range of applications, it's not a universal solution for all fabrics. Exercise caution with the following types of materials:

Common in outdoor jackets, raincoats, and the like, these fabrics undergo special coating treatments, rendering them highly impermeable. This impermeability prevents hot-melt powder from properly penetrating and adhering, leading to easy pattern detachment.

Recommendation: Try pre-treating the surface, such as applying an undercoat adhesive, to improve adhesion.

Fabrics like burlap or tweed, with their pronounced fiber textures, tend to "swallow" pattern details, resulting in a less refined finish. Note that this issue can't be resolved by simply changing the ink you're using.

Recommendation: Address the surface roughness before considering printing.

With certain highly elastic materials, the pattern is prone to tearing or peeling when stretched during wear, negatively impacting the overall aesthetics and durability. Highly elastic fabrics will cause the adhered pattern to crack, a phenomenon difficult to avoid, even when using highly flexible hot-melt powder.

Recommendation: Sublimation is a more suitable process for these fabrics. When using DTF printing, first determine the fabric's printability.

While DTF printers aren't suitable for all fabrics, they perform exceptionally well on common materials like cotton, polyester, and blends. By mastering the correlation between printing parameters, transfer materials, and fabric characteristics, DTF printing can satisfy most of your fabric pattern transfer needs.