DTF care instructions

These steps are for a garment after a DTF transfer has been pressed. They apply to Hot Insta Peel, speciality and labelled iron-on prints. For how to apply the film, see DTF transfer fitting instructions.

Care steps cannot fix a transfer that was not fitted correctly. Please test and quality-check before you sell a finished shirt. We print the film; application and aftercare are the customer’s responsibility.

After pressing · Washing · Drying · Ironing and heat

After pressing

  • Wait 24–48 hours before the first wash, and follow the care guide supplied with the order.
  • That wait matters: allow the print to cool and settle during this time. Do not rush it into a wash or a dryer.
  • Wait until the transfer is fully cool before folding or packing.
  • A heat-press mark on the fabric is normal. It usually washes out in the first few washes.
Freshly washed folded tee with a crisp DTF print — care instructions
Turn your DTF-printed tee inside out before washing

Washing

  • Turn the garment inside out.
  • Use a cool or cold wash on a gentle cycle. Do not hot-wash.
  • Use a pH-neutral detergent (for example OMO Sensitive).
  • Do not use bleach or fabric softener.
  • Do not dry-clean.
  • Some garments are better hand-washed — follow the garment maker’s label as well as these print-care steps.

Drying

  • Dry inside out.
  • Air drying is recommended.
  • Do not use a tumble dryer.
  • Avoid drying in direct sunlight for long periods.
Air dry DTF-printed tees flat after washing
Do not iron directly on a DTF transfer — iron kept clear of the print

Ironing and heat

  • Do not iron directly over the printed design.
  • If the garment needs a press, iron inside out on low heat and keep the iron off the print.
  • Avoid excess heat on the print — dryers, heat tunnels and a second unplanned press can damage it.

How long the print lasts

How the transfer is fitted has a major effect on how long it lasts and how many washes it takes. A transfer fitted with a household iron will not last as long as one fitted with a heat press at the correct time, temperature and pressure. We have tested our DTF transfers fitted with a heat press, and they reached 40 or more washes with no signs of problems. Shirts we wear ourselves have been through more than 50 washes. That is an observation from those shirts, not a test. It is not a warranty. It does not cover a transfer that was pressed incorrectly, or washed hot, bleached or tumble-dried.

If a shirt fails because it was fitted incorrectly, we cannot cover the garment or claims from your customers. See testing and your responsibility and our Return and Refund Policy.

Unsure whether a care issue is film-related or press-related? Email admin@dtftransfers.au or call (07) 3158 3498.

Read the fitting instructions