r/heatpress

I’m considering doing a small business again but with DTF transfers/custom tshirts. When Cricut first became a thing I had a successful Etsy shop and FB page but life got busy and I scaled back. DTF has come along now and is much easier than all the weeding required for cricut designs.

Here’s my dilemma. The initial startup costs are pretty high for the DTF printer and oven. I’ve looked into buying DTF from other businesses since I don’t have steady customers yet, but if I’m only ordering 1-2 designs every week (maybe less when getting started), so I’d barely be making any profit after shipping fees. It’s also my understanding (correct me if I’m wrong) that the DTF printers need to be ran at least every other day to keep them primed.

Any advice on what to do?

Learned this the hard way so figured I'd share. Rush orders sound like easy extra money until they blow up your whole week.

I'll take a rush order if all of these are true:

I actually have room in my schedule. Not "I can squeeze it in if I push everything else," actual room.

It's a simple job. Standard blanks, files they already have, nothing weird.

The rush fee is real money. I do 30-50% on top depending on how fast they need it. If they balk at that, it wasn't that urgent.

Design and sizing are approved BEFORE I start. This one is non negotiable.

I turn it down when:

They still need to approve stuff mid process. If they haven't picked colors or sizes yet it's not a rush order, it's a rush headache.

I'm already maxed out and would be pressing at midnight to make it happen. Been there, not doing it again.

The fee doesn't match the disruption. Sometimes people want rush turnaround at regular prices and the answer is just no.

They want rush AND changes to the design. Pick one. Rush and revisions do not mix, ever.

Best thing I ever did was set a hard cutoff instead of negotiating every request one by one. Mine is basically "same day pressing if your approved files are in by 10am." People respect a system way more than a maybe.

And honestly, just be straight with people when you can't do it. Declining nicely keeps the customer. Missing their deadline loses them forever.

TLDR; Only take rush orders if you have actual capacity, the job is simple, the fee is worth it (30-50% extra), and files are approved before you start. Set a hard cutoff like "approved files by 10am for same day pressing" so you're not negotiating every request. Saying no nicely beats missing a deadline.

UV Printing: Prints directly onto hard surfaces like acrylic, wood, metal, glass, and plastic.

DTF: Prints onto a transfer film first, then uses heat to transfer the design onto T-shirts, tote bags, hoodies, and other soft materials.

UV DTF: Prints onto a transfer film that can be applied directly to hard objects without heat, making it great for cups, bottles, and other curved surfaces.

DTG: Prints directly onto T-shirts and other cotton garments, resulting in a softer, more natural feel.

Did I get this right, or am I missing something?

What resources/YT channels have helped you learn about DTF before getting into it?

I can't find a reliable DTF supplier that does a consistently good job on dark fabrics. A lot of the cheaper ones I’ve tried end up with weak opacity, the white base looks thin or the colors fade after just a couple washes. My mate had good results with DTF Transfers Now, but I’m still looking for better options specifically for black and navy hoodies.

Has anyone found a supplier that really nails dark hoodies? Would love to hear your recommendations and experiences.

ok so i been pressing dtf for like 6 months now. mostly small orders for local businesses and etsy sellers. i thought i had my settings dialed in perfectly

then i switched to a new supplier for one order cause my usual was out of stock. used the exact same temp, time, pressure as always. results were completely different. colors looked washed out and the adhesive didnt seem to bond as well

went back to my usual supplier for the next order and everything went back to normal. so its not my press, its the transfers themselves

makes me wonder how much variation there is between manufacturers. like is there a standard or is it just luck of the draw

anyone have recommendations for suppliers that are actually consistent batch to batch

"I just need to dial in the settings a little more" I have no idea what's happening

"It's pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it" it took me 6 months and I cried twice

"The transfer should hold up well to washing" please wash it inside out on cold and air dry

"Let me check my availability" I am already fully booked but maybe if I stare at the calendar long enough it'll change

"This is a great learning experience" this is a disaster

"I'll get that sample over to you" I'm printing it right now and hoping for the best

"The color may vary slightly from what you see on screen" I have done everything possible and blues are still a little purple, I accept this now

Anyone have others? I feel like we all speak the same dialect 😂

ok so maybe a dumb question but does anyone else just hate cold peel transfers? like i know some films need it but waiting around for the thing to cool down before i can pull the film drives me crazy

hot peel is so much more satisfying. press, pull, done. cold peel i always end up checking it too early and messing up the edge or getting impatient and pulling when its still warm and then the adhesive comes off with the film

anyone got tips for making cold peel less annoying? or do i just need to be more patient lol

1. I see the pressure adjustment knob, but how do I know how much pressure is being applied?
2. Should I buy an upper platen cover to protect it, and do such covers compromise the quality of the transfer?
3. There was a roll of white material included with the press. What is the purpose of this?

Thanks all!

so i had this idea for a small collection, like 20 pieces just to see if anyone would even buy my stuff. started looking into printing options and honestly almost quit before i even started

screen printing quotes were insane for small quantities. like $300 for setup alone. pod was cheaper upfront but the quality looked meh and shipping times were ridiculous

then i randomly found out about dtf transfers. ordered a few samples to test. pressed them myself with a borrowed heat press

honestly the quality surprised me. colors were bright, edges clean, and they held up after washing. plus no minimum orders so i could order exactly what i needed

ended up spending way less than i expected and actually launched my first drop. sold like 15 out of 20 pieces which i thought was decent for a first try

just sharing in case anyone else is stuck in that "i want to start but everything is too expensive" phase. theres other options out there besides traditional screen printing

Wanted do a couple of shirts me and my buddies maybe 50-100 a year tops. Ended up buying a venor 1 in 8 for 300 and it’s giving me an uneven press and not making the DTF sheets adhere properly. After doing some research it seems venor is not really the best there is for the price.

Any suggestions for an ok quality one from $200-300?
Gonna return the venor if I can I got the orginal packaging and bought it like 2 weeks ago.

I’m currently pressing large block letters (11x~6) for a back design of cotton shirt.
What’s the best material to use to finish the press? I’ve used parchment paper, and recently switched to using a single layer of a spare blank that seems to get better results. I’ve noticed these specialty finishing teflon sheets that add texture. Has anyone used them/are they worth it? Is there anything else to try that removes that smooth iron on feel?

I see a100 htvront for sale with hat, tumbler, and heat press combo $339 but its 12x10... same with sublimation printer (et8550, 15000) and more... they have pretty good sales right now. If i buy the wonderpress today (kickstarter ends tomorrow) then i'd have to wait til end of july when they ship it. Lol. I'd love to start ASAP. Still need a printer but thats on sale too.

Theres also hrvront auto press 2 $279 and ver 1 of it $188