Delivery worldwide from Pakistan+44 7367 067226info@velocity-wear.com
Delivery worldwide from Pakistan
At a glance
From our production
Finished pieces from our own production floor in Lahore, photographed as they leave the line.
On this page
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DTF stands for direct to film. The design is printed in reverse onto a clear PET film with colour inks and a white ink layer, coated with a hot-melt adhesive powder and cured. That DTF transfer is then heat-pressed onto the garment and the film peeled away, leaving the print bonded to the fabric. Because the white layer sits under the colour, prints stay bright on black and coloured garments as well as white ones.
Because each transfer is a printed image, the number of colours makes no difference to setup: a ten-colour illustration presses the same way as a one-colour logo.
For artwork with many colours, gradients or photographic detail, and for designs where screen printing would need too many screens to make sense. It is also a good fit for smaller runs of a full-colour design.
Screen printing is more economical for bold, limited-colour designs at volume, and has the softest feel with water-based inks. DTF wins on colour count, gradients and fine detail, and its setup does not grow with each colour. On a large solid area, a DTF print can feel slightly heavier than a water-based screen print, because it sits on the surface as a thin layer.
As a rule, choose screen printing for a one to three colour logo on a large run, and DTF for full-colour or photographic artwork. The comparison chart sets every method side by side.
| Compared | DTF | Screen printing |
|---|---|---|
| Colours | Any number, including gradients and photos | One screen per colour |
| Setup | No screens | A screen for every colour |
| Best run size | Any run from the minimum | Larger runs of one design |
| Feel | A thin, flexible layer on the surface | Softest with water-based ink; bolder with plastisol |
| Durability | Durable when washed inside out | Very durable |
DTF printing on clothing works on cotton, polyester and blends, including dark garments, so it suits custom t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tracksuits, joggers and workwear. It handles small placements such as sleeves and the back of the neck well. The quote confirms the right approach for your specific garment, and our t-shirt printing and hoodie printing pages compare DTF with the other methods on each.
The strengths: unlimited colours and photographic detail, no screens to set up, bright colour on dark fabrics thanks to the white base, and it works across cotton, polyester and blends.
The limits: the print is a layer on the fabric rather than in it, so large solid areas feel heavier than a water-based screen print or sublimation, and it needs gentler washing than embroidery. For a simple one-colour logo on a big run, screen printing is usually better value.
A well-pressed DTF print is flexible and survives regular washing without cracking. Its life depends on care: wash inside out on a cool wash, avoid bleach and fabric softener, tumble dry low or line dry, and never iron directly on the print. Follow the care label for the fabric itself.
DTF prints exactly what is in the file, edge to edge, so the background matters. We check every file and flag low resolution or stray backgrounds before the proof.
The size of the print, the number of placements, the garment and the quantity. The colour count does not change DTF setup, which is why it is good value for detailed artwork. Tiered volume pricing brings the price per piece down as the run grows, up to 35% off at 1,000 pieces or more, and the quote itemises each line.
Wholesale ranges
Catalogue photos of the lines this service goes onto. Each opens its wholesale range.
Ranges and pricing
Send the product, rough quantity and your logo or idea using the form at the top of the page. A real person replies, within 1 hour on working days.
You get a digital mockup and an itemised quote. Minimum order: 50 pieces per design (10 for leather jackets, for a limited time), sizes mixed freely.
£150 for one or two samples, worldwide shipping included. Place a bulk order afterwards and the £150 comes off your invoice.
Production takes 10 to 15 working days from proof approval and the 50% deposit, before freight. Payment is 50% when the order is placed and 50% once the order is ready to ship. Tracked freight worldwide. Delivery is charged on the weight and dimensions of the shipment and quoted with your order, separately from the product price. Import duties, taxes and customs charges at destination are the recipient's responsibility.
Guides
DTF handles colour that screens cannot and needs no setup per colour. Screens still win on long runs. Here is where the line falls.
Screens scale with quantity; DTF does not care how many colours you have. Here is where each one wins on a uniform order.
DTF carries unlimited colour and suits smaller runs. Screen printing wins on volume and hand feel. Here is the split.
DTF ignores colour count, screen printing punishes it. That is the whole decision on most jacket orders.
Colour count is free on a DTF transfer and paid for per screen on a press, which is the line that decides most tracksuit decoration arguments.
DTF ignores colour count and setup. Screen printing wins on long runs and hand feel. Here is where each belongs on a jogger.
50 pieces per design, with sizes mixed freely. Because DTF needs no screens, a full-colour design costs no more to set up than a simple one, which makes the minimum run good value for detailed artwork. Above it, tiered pricing reaches up to 35% off at 1,000 pieces or more.
Yes, when applied correctly and cared for as the label says. A well-pressed DTF print is flexible and survives regular washing without cracking. Wash inside out on a cool wash, avoid bleach and fabric softener, tumble dry low or line dry, and avoid ironing directly on the print.
Yes. Photographic and gradient artwork is where DTF is strongest, because it prints in full colour with no screen per colour. Send the highest-resolution image you have, ideally 300 dpi at the printed size, and we flag anything that would print soft before the proof is approved.
Sublimation is for polyester and gives an all-over print with no feel on the fabric, because the dye becomes part of the fibre. DTF works on cotton and blends too, and on dark garments, but sits on the surface as a thin layer. For cotton tees and hoodies, DTF; for polyester sportswear, sublimation.
A DTF transfer is the printed film, with its adhesive, before it is pressed onto a garment. For your order we print the transfers and press them on in production, so the garments arrive finished and ready to wear or sell, with the placement consistent across the whole run.
Yes. DTF prints a white ink layer under the colours, so designs stay bright and opaque on black, navy and other dark garments, as well as on white and light colours. It is one of the main reasons brands choose DTF for full-colour artwork on dark hoodies and tees.
Yes. Velocity Wear is a UK company, and DTF printed garments ship tracked to any UK address, as well as to the USA and worldwide. Production takes 10 to 15 working days from proof approval, delivery is charged on weight and dimensions, and duties at destination are the recipient's responsibility.
Get a quote
Tell us what you’re making and roughly how many. Pricing and a mockup plan come back within 1 hour on working days.
