How to apply
DTF transfers

A DTF transfer goes on in under a minute. What decides how long it lasts is heat, time, pressure — and a little patience when the film comes off. Here’s the whole guide, from prep to the first wash.

At a glance

Temperature
150–160 °C
Time
10–15 sec
Pressure
Medium
Peel
Hot

Hot peel = peel the film off as soon as the press opens, while the print is still warm.

4 steps

From sheet to finished garment

  1. A DTF transfer with the StickZ logo placed in the middle of a black T-shirt’s chest, 7–10 cm below the collar.

    Step 1: Place

    Lay the garment flat on the press and place the transfer film side up, print against the fabric. Centre it and measure down from the collar.

  2. A heat press closing over the T-shirt: 150–160 °C for 10–15 seconds.

    Step 2: Press

    Close the press: 150–160 °C for 10–15 seconds at medium pressure. A teflon sheet or baking paper on top protects both print and garment.

  3. While the print is still warm, a hand peels the film straight off in one smooth pull at a low angle.

    Step 3: Peel the film straight away

    Hot peel: open the press and peel the film straight away while the print is still warm — in one smooth pull, low and close to the fabric.

  4. The finished T-shirt with the StickZ print on a hanger.

    Step 4: Done

    Done! For a matte finish and an even tougher print, give it a 5-second finishing press with baking paper on top.

What you’ll need

  • A heat press — gives even heat and even pressure over the whole design. A household iron will do in a pinch for small designs.
  • A teflon sheet or baking paper to put between the platen and the transfer.
  • The garment — cotton, polyester or a blend, light or dark.
  • A clean, flat, sturdy surface if you’re not using a press with its own platen.

Preparation

  • Pre-press the garment for 3–5 seconds. It removes moisture and creases that could otherwise make the print stick unevenly.
  • Cut out the design if it’s on a full sheet — leave a narrow margin around it. If you ordered the sheet with Cutting, your designs arrive pre-cut.
  • Check the fabric. It needs to handle 150 °C. If you’re unsure, test on a hidden spot first.

Positioning

  • Find the centre line: fold the garment in half lengthways and run your hand along the fold — that’s your line to aim for.
  • Distance from the collar: for a chest print on an adult T-shirt, 7–10 cm from the collar to the top of the design is a good rule of thumb. Go a little higher on kids’ sizes.
  • Check that the design sits straight against the shoulder seams and the hem before you close the press.
  • Keep seams, pockets, zips and buttons out from under the design — they make the pressure uneven.

Pressing

With a heat press

  • Set it to 150–160 °C and 10–15 seconds.
  • Medium pressure: closing the press should take a bit of effort, but you shouldn’t have to hang off the handle.
  • Put a teflon sheet or baking paper over the transfer and keep the press closed for the full time.

With an iron — will do in a pinch

An iron has a smaller, less even hot surface than a press, so the result is rarely as durable. It works for the odd small design — for anything more, we strongly recommend a heat press.

  • Turn the steam off and empty the water tank. Use a high heat setting.
  • Work on a hard, flat surface — a table, not an ironing board, which gives.
  • Put baking paper on top and press straight down with your body weight. Don’t slide the iron back and forth — the transfer can shift.
  • Allow longer than in a press. Work on one part of the design at a time and make sure the whole area, right out to the edges, gets the same heat.

Peeling the film

  • Hot peel: peel the film off as soon as the press opens, while the print is still warm. Don’t wait for it to cool.
  • Start at a corner and pull in one smooth motion, keeping the film close to the fabric at a low angle — not straight up. Careful, the film is hot.
  • Print lifting with the film? Stop, lay the film back down, press for 5 more seconds and peel straight away again.

Finishing press (optional)

Put baking paper or a teflon sheet over the print and press for another 5 seconds. It pushes the ink into the fabric, gives a more matte finish and makes the print even tougher in the wash.

Troubleshooting

The print comes away with the film
Usually the print got too little heat, time or pressure — or it cooled down before the film came off. Lay the film back down, press for 5 more seconds and peel straight away while it’s warm, in one smooth pull at a low angle.
The edges lift after washing
A sign that the heat or pressure didn’t reach all the way to the edges — common with an iron or an uneven press. Put baking paper on top and press again briefly, with even pressure.
The print has cracked
Cracks often come from stretching the garment while the print was still warm, or from too much heat or time. Stick to 150–160 °C and 10–15 seconds, and don’t pull on the fabric until everything has cooled.
The print looks shiny
Perfectly normal straight after peeling. For a more matte look, put baking paper on top and give it a 5-second finishing press.
The press left marks or a shine on the garment
Heat-sensitive fabrics can pick up marks from the platen. Always use a teflon sheet or baking paper, check the temperature and test on a hidden spot first. Fabrics that can’t take 150 °C, such as some nylon jackets, aren’t suitable for DTF.

Care

  • Wash the garment inside out, at max 40 °C.
  • Skip the tumble dryer.
  • Never iron directly on the print — turn the garment inside out or put baking paper in between.
  • Applied and cared for properly, the print lasts 60+ washes.

More tips in our post Care advice for DTF prints (in Swedish).

Ready to print?

Upload your designs — we pack the sheet and you see the price right away. Questions? Get in touch

Create a DTF sheet →