I’ve tried quite a few suppliers for dtf transfers. Some were cheap but the quality was all over the place, others were decent but slow as hell with shipping.
Now I'm ordering from dtf transfers wholesale lately and they’ve been the most reliable for me so far. Good color accuracy, strong adhesion after washing, and they actually hit their production times.
Curious what everyone else is using right now that’s working well?
Honestly, I’ve seen how much of a pain it is to get a straight answer on what a transfer actually costs. My wife has an online store, and whenever we looked at calculators, they were either trying to upsell us on a specific shop's sheets or they used "per square inch" math.
The square inch math is basically a lie because it doesn't account for wastage. If you can’t fit that last row of logos on a 22" roll, you're still paying for that empty space anyway.
I’m a dev, so I spent a few nights putting together a tool called InchWise to fix this. It’s free and doesn’t require an account or anything.
A few things I made sure to include:
True Cost: You put in the actual price you pay for a full sheet/roll so you see the real margin, wastage included.
Privacy: Everything happens locally in your browser. No artwork ever gets uploaded to a server— which was a huge requirement for her designs.
Neutral: It isn't tied to any specific print shop.
If it helps anyone else get quotes out faster, feel free to use it.
InchWise
I have two of these HTVRONT semi-auto presses. I’m using Bella 3001 shirts. I do a 5 second pre-press, then a 10 second transfer press at 130 lbs and 280°. Then I warm peel and move to the second machine at 280° for 10 seconds at 170 lbs. I know the pressure sounds really high but these machines weren’t bonding the transfer to the shirt under 100 lbs per the DTF manufacturer specs. First press is to get the image to remove and the second press helps me embed into the shirt. I don’t have this problem with Comfort Colors 1717 and I ramp up the temp to 320° for full cotton in that instance.
Hey homies!
So I am brand new to screen printing and I am so frustrated. I have done this countless times it feels like now. I am having trouble trying to get my design to burn into the screen. I have tried everything. I have tried doing 10 second, 30 second, and 1min 30 second interval calculator tests. I have been trying to follow all the right steps but it never seems to work. I have the uv lights turned on and the design can clearly be seen as you can tell but the second I go into the light the design isn’t there and I can’t see it. The mesh is a 110 mesh and I am using blue and red tex emulsion with the uv lights tagged below. Please help me. Thanks guys!
Hi looking at some budget friendly options for a hat press. Do you have one you’d reccomend? This isn’t a business just a hobby for me so don’t want to make a large investment. Thoughts on the Vevor press?
Also what’s your favorite hat style/brand to press? Any and all recommendations are welcome.
After two years selling custom apparel on Etsy, here's my honest take on when DTF makes sense vs when it doesn't.
DTF wins when:
You're doing runs of 1–24 pieces. No setup costs, no minimum quantities.
Your design has lots of colors, gradients, or photographic detail. Screen printing charges per color, DTF doesn't care.
You need a fast turnaround. Once your film is printed, pressing takes minutes.
You're selling multiple unique designs rather than one design in bulk.
Screen printing wins when:
You're doing 50+ of the same design. Cost per unit drops significantly at volume.
You need a very specific Pantone color match. DTF is close but not exact.
Your customer wants a softer hand feel. DTF has a slight texture that some people don't love.
You're printing on specialty items (towels, bags, oddly shaped things) where a flat heat press is awkward.
For most small Etsy sellers doing custom or made-to-order work, DTF is the better fit. The flexibility to print one at a time without setup fees is a huge advantage when you don't know which designs will sell.
My daughter is wanting to start a small business making t-shirts and is looking at both manual and automatic heat presses. She has some mild arthritis in her hands and wrists and is having to consider this in her search for a heat press. Would a manual heat press be an option for her or should she only consider an automatic heat press? Could anyone give recommendations for heat presses around the $500-750 price point? I know automatic heat presses are more expensive, so is it even possible to find a reliable automatic heat press around her price range?
I kinda fell into this search after ruining my first t shirt print. The design looked great on screen, but once I tried transferring it with some cheap setup, it came out faded and patchy. I just sat there staring at it like yeah this is not gonna work if I keep guessing.
So I started digging into how to find affordable heat press machines online. At first everything looked overpriced or sketchy, like either too cheap to trust or too expensive for someone just starting. I kept jumping between reviews, watching random videos, trying to figure out what actually matters. Temperature control, pressure, even heat spread, all that stuff people casually mention like it is obvious.
Then I drifted onto Alibaba and honestly that was kinda eye opening. The listings felt raw, like actual sellers showing machines in workshops, not just perfect studio shots. Some reviews were super blunt, like someone saying the handle felt loose but still worked fine for daily use, which weirdly made me trust it more.
Now I am stuck thinking… do I go for the cheapest decent option and learn, or spend more upfront and avoid messing up again? Anyone been through this?
Hey,
So Im looking for a heat press to print graphics on t-shirts, hoodies and tote bags mostly, so basically canvas only.
My budget would probably be around 200-400€. Is this even pheasible budget for a decent machine? I was looking for something like 30cm x 38cm size wise.
Saw brand like Vevor but I thought I'd ask the community first so I can dodge the bad brands.
I’ve been looking to upgrade my current heat press to a larger model. I see someone near me is selling this on marketplace for $100. Good deal? It’s 15x15. Should I be concerned about that discoloration on the bottom plate?
Hey guys,
I think I don’t have the right numbers when pressing my heat transfers.
The first photo is done by a third party supplier, the 2nd and 3rd are pressed by me.
I think the first one looks a lot betteruu “set” in the material, as with the ones I did look a bit worse.
Keep in mind photos 2 and 3 have gone through a washer already.
In your opinion is it purely a difference of pressure, or does the temp or texture of the shirt itself make a difference?
Am I obsessing too much over this?
Do tools actually make a big difference or is it mostly skill?
Like better heat presses / cutters / vinyl brands…
Sometimes I feel like upgrading will fix everything, but other times I think I just need more practice.
What’s something you upgraded that actually made a noticeable difference?
Y buisness pretty much runs on me picking designs and dropping them limited on one day a week. I had a supplier from turkey who made gang sheets for me for low price but I've been out for two years.
Who are yall using that isn't super high price? I like to make mine affordable for people, I don't like the flashy top people because I look to order 22x500 at least four a week so I need low price
I've been looking for new single color vendors and idk why they're so hard to find! :(
Hello all! I’ve been asked to take over the merchandise making for my son’s high school crew team. I’ve made many items on Custom Ink and I’ve ordered a few to see how they turn out, they arrive next week.
My question is- am I naive in thinking I might possibly be able to make t-shirts, hoodies, and other items at home? I have room for a 15x15 heat press or larger and have done some research into what is needed. I’ll have a team budget but would buy the machine and all things beyond the materials out of pocket. I have the time bc I work from home for myself so I have flexibility there. And I want to contribute to this team where I can, as it’s been a wonderful experience for our family.
My daughter will be rowing in a couple years as well, so home equipment would be used long term. But again, am I delusional that this is possible? I don’t assume it will be easy and that there is absolutely a learning curve, but I haven’t loved the options online via Custom Ink or others, and I’d love a little more creative room.
Tl/dr: Mom wants to make merch for son’s sports team. No experience whatsoever. Buy heat press, etc.? Or give up, mom.
Recently got the combo heat press from Vevor and I set the temp. (SP?) to 165 and 30 seconds. I noticed the temp. keeps jumping all over the place and even goes above 165. I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything correct, is it just broken?
Recently I bought a football shirt, 100% polyester. It has white marks, presumably from the heat press. There's also a visible square on the back and fabric is more loose there. This is actually the second one I bought. I returned the first one due to the same type of white marks, but that one at least wasn't loose on the back. I got them at two different stores but obviously all have same issues. Light green stripes also seem to be less visible inside the square on the back, as if heat press damages the fabric. A friend of mine bought the same shirt a few months ago from the store where I got my first without any white marks whatsoever. Is there any way to fix this or should I return this one as well?
Made this for myself after wasting a lot of transfers on the wrong settings. Sharing in case it helps anyone else.
100% Cotton
Temp: 305–315°F | Time: 15–20 sec | Pressure: medium-firm
Notes: Most forgiving fabric. Pre-press always. Hot or cold peel both work.
100% Polyester
Temp: 270–290°F | Time: 15 sec | Pressure: medium
Notes: Lower temp or you'll scorch. Watch for dye migration on dark polys — use a Teflon sheet. Cold peel preferred.
50/50 Blends
Temp: 290–300°F | Time: 15–18 sec | Pressure: medium
Notes: The middle ground. Usually very forgiving. Good starting point for testing new transfers.
Nylon / Nylon blends
Temp: 260–275°F | Time: 10–12 sec | Pressure: light
Notes: Heat sensitive. Test a corner first. Keep times short to avoid damage.
Moisture-wicking / Athletic wear
Temp: 270–285°F | Time: 12–15 sec | Pressure: medium-light
Notes: These are usually polyester-based. Same rules apply, low temp, watch for migration.
General rule of thumb: when in doubt, go lower and longer over higher and shorter. A slightly under-pressed transfer can be re-pressed. A scorched garment is toast