DTG vs DTF vs Sublimation: what are the differences between them? We all know, with the development of printing technology, apparel printing is a growing industry. Different kinds of printers, ink, and methods for transferring the image to the garment are all crucial factors in the quality of your product and what you are capable of producing. The 3 main kinds of apparel printing are DTG (direct-to-garment), DTF (direct-to-film), and sublimation. Here is a comparison between them in order to choose the right type for your business.
DTG printing (direct to garment)
DTG printing works in the way of printing the image directly onto the fabric. In this process, we don’t need to film or transfer the paper required. However, we must do pretreatment to ensure the image is transferred properly. And DTG printing needs a special kind of ink and is usually best when printing on cotton fabric.
DTF (direct-to-film)
Direct-to-film or film-to-garment printing involves printing the image onto a film first. And then transferring the image from the film to the fabric. We don’t need to pretreat the garment beforehand. But it requires a powder to be applied after the image is transferred onto the film to prevent the ink from running or streaking.
Sublimation:
Sublimation is different from TDG or DTF technology, which is unique. The image can be printed onto transfer paper and then transferred to the fabric. When you choose which printing method between them for your business or the project at hand, please consider the following factors:
Fabric color:
Sublimation performs better on light-colored. And on the contrary, to printing in dark or black colors, DTG is a better printing method.
Range of colors in the image:
There is some limitation in sublimation, especially white. If there is white in your image, you need to go with DTG or DTF printing.
Type of fabric:
The DTF transfer film printer can apply in all kinds of fabrics, but DTG performs perfectly in cotton and sublimation works better on polyester.
Size of order:
If u want numerous items quickly, you can choose DTG printing because it is faster than others. However, pretreatment may waste some time, if you have rush orders, you can choose the others.
The texture of the final product:
When the ink combines with fabrics, DTF performs better than DTG, and DTF is smooth better. And the sublimation printed image feels the same as the rest of the fabric.
