DTF & Custom Printing Glossary
Quick, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll run into when ordering custom DTF transfers or blank apparel.
DTF Transfer (Direct-to-Film)
A printing method where a full-color design is printed onto a special film with a white ink underbase, then applied to a garment using a heat press. Works on cotton, polyester, blends, and more, with no color limit and no minimum order size. See our DTF vs. Screen Printing and DTF vs. Vinyl comparisons.
Gang Sheet
A single large sheet (commonly 22" wide, various lengths) with multiple designs printed together - the same design repeated, several different designs, or the same design in multiple sizes - to maximize material use and reduce cost per design. See Gang Sheet vs. Individual Transfers.
Cold Peel
A transfer film designed to be peeled away from the garment after it has cooled to room temperature following pressing. Cold peel is common for finer detail and gradients.
Hot Peel
A transfer film designed to be peeled immediately while still hot, right after pressing. Faster for production but requires quick, careful handling. Print Station specifies which peel type applies with every order.
CMYK
The four-color printing model (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) used to reproduce full-color designs, including photos and gradients, on DTF film.
PET Film
The polyester-based film that DTF designs are printed onto before being pressed onto a garment. It's what gives DTF transfers their flexibility and durability compared to rigid vinyl.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
A measure of image resolution. We recommend artwork at 300 DPI at the actual print size for the sharpest results - lower resolution can appear pixelated when printed at full size.
Weeding
The process of removing excess vinyl material from around a cut design before pressing - required for Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) but not for DTF, since DTF prints the full design directly with no cutting involved.
Heat Press
The equipment used to apply a DTF transfer or vinyl design to a garment using heat and pressure. Our transfers are designed for standard heat press temperatures of 300-320°F.
Have more questions? See our full FAQ or browse custom DTF transfers and gang sheets.
