DTF transfers on quarter zips and mock necks
When the art is too big, too detailed or too colorful for embroidery, we use a DTF (direct-to-film) transfer. Battle Born Clothing does not print DTF in-house; the transfers are printed by DTF Tribe in Carson City, Nevada, and we press them in our shop.
When DTF is the right call
- Full back designs over about 6 inches wide.
- Photos, gradients, or more than 15 colors.
- Very fine text or thin lines that would not sew.
- Mixed orders where a few pieces need a design that embroidery cannot do.
When to stick with embroidery
Left-chest logos, anything that should feel like a uniform, and performance knits that are thin or very stretchy. Embroidery outlasts any transfer on a garment that gets washed weekly.
Price
DTF is quoted per job by print size and quantity. There are no screen or digitizing fees. Send the art and the print size and we price it with the blank the same business day.
How it is applied
We press transfers on our heat presses and cure them per the transfer maker's settings. Fleece quarter zips take DTF well; sweater fleece and deep-pile fleece do not, and we will tell you if your blank is a poor fit. Battle Born Clothing has a published guide on pressing DTF transfers.
Artwork
Vector or 300 dpi PNG with a transparent background at the final print size. We proof the placement before pressing.
Questions
Can I mix embroidery and DTF on one quarter zip?
Yes. A common combination is an embroidered left chest and a DTF back print. Both are quoted on one order.
How does DTF hold up on fleece?
Well on smooth-face fleece like the F218 and PC78Q. It does not bond well to sweater knits or sherpa, so we steer those to embroidery.