Direct to Film DTF vs Vinyl | What's the Difference
Direct to Film Printing vs Heat Transfer Vinyl - which one is right for YOUR business?
Yes - High volume DTF Printing [direct-to-film] will always be a significantly faster way to produce full color t-shirt transfers. But is that what is most important for your business?
This comparison is between heat transfer vinyl cutters + print and cut eco solvent printers like the Roland BN-20a and the newest… direct to film.
DTF, or Direct to Film, has many features that make it an attractive option for busy shops.
- Very fast transfer production
- Use with any fabric
- Stretchable - and looks great afterwards
- Low cost per print
- Sell transfers as well as completed custom apparel
- Low heat press time
- Washes like screen printing
Another popular way to put high-quality, soft prints on shirts, is with DTG (direct-to-garment) printing. But this there are some differences in production here. Learn more about the pros and cons of these two methods in this video: • Direct-To-Film vs. Sub...
But on the other end is vinyl. Now there is traditional heat transfer vinyl that is one color and can be layered to create multi colored designs, OR there is printable vinyl and printer cutters.
And print cutters like the Roland BN-20 and Roland BN-20a have some great features too:
- Beautiful prints
- Lower up front costs
- Much quieter than high volume DTF
- No odor or fumes
- Smaller footprint
One significant differences in these two printers though is speed. The DTF-24H2 can print hundreds of transfers in minutes.
The Roland BN20 is slower and while it produces high quality prints like the DTF-24H2 there is a noticeable difference in print speed.
Sublimation is another low cost way to get a t-shirt business up and running. Learn the differences between DTF printing and sublimation printing in this video: • Direct-To-Film vs. Sub...
You can learn more about each technology and their differences at coldesi.com/20...