Is there a difference between DFT and vinyl printing?

Yes there is. Vinyl heat transfer printing uses sheets of coloured material that are cut into shape and heat-applied one at a time. It’s limited to simple, single-colour designs and tends to feel a bit more thick and heavy on the garment. Direct Film Transfer, on the other hand, is a full-colour digital process that prints your entire design, including fine details and gradients, onto film before pressing the ink onto the fabric in one smooth application. The ink and underbase is transferred, but the film is not.

DFT is thinner, softer, and much more versatile than vinyl. There’s no cutting, layering, or weeding involved, which means faster turnaround and more design freedom. The result is a print that looks sharper, feels lighter, and holds up better over time. If you’ve ever had an old vinyl shirt crack or peel, you’ll immediately notice the difference with DFT’s quality.