DTF ink
DTF ink is pigment-based and sold as CMYK plus white. At DTF Station (checked 4 September 2026) white is $99.99 per kilogram and each colour — cyan, magenta, yellow, black — is $74.99 per litre. White is consumed fastest because it forms the underbase behind every colour.
- ●Match ink to printhead. Inks are formulated for specific head families — i3200, XP-600, 4720. Using the wrong viscosity causes misfires and shortens head life.
- ●Buy in quantities you will use within six months. DTF ink has a shelf life; white settles hard in storage.
- ●Do not mix brands mid-tank. Different formulations can react and gel inside the lines.
- ●Store upright, away from sunlight, at room temperature.
Consumable cost is inseparable from the machine that uses them — check ink system and running costs on our DTF printers listings before you commit to a platform.
DTF film: cold peel vs hot peel
DTF film is coated PET, sold in sheets or rolls. Verified DTF Station pricing: 100 A3+ (13 × 19 in) sheets $62.99, 100 sheets of 14 × 16 in $64.99, 100 sheets of 16 × 20 in $85.99, or an economy 16 × 20 pack at $54.99. Rolls run $88.99 for 13 in × 109 yd up to $219.99 for 35.43 in × 109 yd. The single most important property is peel type, and it is decided by the film, not the printer.
| Type | How to peel | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold peel | Wait until fully cool | Most work; matte finish | Most forgiving, industry default |
| Hot peel | Peel immediately after pressing | High-volume production | Faster workflow, less margin for error |
| Warm peel | Peel after ~10 seconds | Mixed workflows | Middle ground, less common |
- ●Sheets vs rolls: sheets suit desktop machines and small runs; rolls are cheaper per print but need a roll-feed machine
- ●Thickness: 75 micron is standard. Thinner film curls during curing; thicker film costs more without improving results
- ●Store flat, sealed, away from humidity — damp film is a common cause of poor powder adhesion
Adhesive powder
Hot-melt adhesive powder is listed at $32.99 per kilogram, or $599.99 for 20 kg ($30.00/kg) at DTF Station. A specialist flex powder is $35.99/kg. At those prices it works out to roughly $0.06–$0.11 per average transfer. Grade is chosen by garment type.
| Grade | Particle size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 0–80 micron | Detailed designs, thin lines, soft hand feel |
| Medium | 80–170 micron | General purpose — the safe default |
| Coarse | 170–250 micron | Thick fabrics, denim, canvas, outdoor wear |
Powder is an airborne irritant
Use it in a ventilated space and wear a mask when shaking off excess. This is genuinely the least pleasant part of the DTF workflow, and the reason shaker units exist.
What consumables cost per print
| Layout on one A3+ sheet ($62.99 / 100) | Film per transfer | Powder per transfer | Film + powder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × adult front (11" × 14") | $0.63 | ~$0.07 | ~$0.70 |
| 2 × youth front (8" × 10") | $0.32 | ~$0.07 | ~$0.39 |
| 4 × sleeve print (3.5" × 4") | $0.16 | ~$0.05 | ~$0.21 |
| 9 × left chest (4" × 4") | $0.07 | ~$0.04 | ~$0.11 |
Ink is deliberately excluded from the table above: consumption depends on how much of the sheet your design actually covers, and no honest per-print figure exists without measuring your own output. Use the gang sheet calculator to work out film cost for your exact layout, and the cost calculator once you have measured your ink usage.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of ink do DTF printers use?+
Pigment-based DTF ink in CMYK plus white, formulated for the specific printhead family in your machine. It is not interchangeable with sublimation or standard inkjet ink. Listed prices at DTF Station are $99.99/kg for white and $74.99/L for each colour.
What is the difference between cold peel and hot peel DTF film?+
Cold peel film must cool fully before the film is removed and gives a matte finish; hot peel is removed immediately after pressing and speeds up production. The film determines which, not the printer.
How much powder do you use per transfer?+
Only a few cents worth. At $32.99 per kilogram — or $30.00/kg buying 20 kg — a kilo covers a few hundred average transfers, so budget roughly $0.06–$0.11 each depending on how much of the sheet your design covers.
Can you use regular transfer paper for DTF?+
No. DTF requires coated PET film that holds wet ink and releases it under heat. Standard transfer or transparency paper will not work.
Does DTF film expire?+
It does not expire in the strict sense, but the coating degrades with humidity and UV exposure. Stored flat, sealed and dry, film stays usable for well over a year.
Put the numbers to work
Free calculators that turn everything on this page into figures for your own setup.