Frequently Asked Questions

DTF (Direct-to-Film) is a custom printing method where a full-colour design is printed onto a PET film, coated with adhesive powder, and heat-pressed onto fabric. It works on cotton, polyester, blends, and both light and dark garments — no setup fees and no quantity minimums (smallest sheet is 60×50cm at R125).

DTF is for fabric (t-shirts, hoodies, caps, tote bags). UVDTF (UV Direct-to-Film) is for hard surfaces like mugs, tumblers, water bottles, phone cases, and laptops. UVDTF stickers are waterproof, dishwasher safe, and leave no raised edge.

DTF Creations prints and ships DTF transfers within 24-48 hours. Courier delivery takes another 2-3 business days to most major cities (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein).

No quantity minimum. The smallest gang sheet is the Half-Meter (60×50cm) at R125 — pack as many designs onto it as fit; you pay per sheet, not per design. Step up to Full-Meter (60×100cm), 2-Meter or 3-Meter for larger runs at the same per-cm² rate. No setup fees.

A gang sheet is a single large DTF transfer containing multiple separate designs laid out together. Gang sheets cut the effective cost per design by 30-45% because you pay for sheet area, not design count. You cut the designs apart yourself before pressing.

DTF works on cotton, polyester, cotton-polyester blends, nylon, denim, canvas, and even leather. It adheres equally well to light and dark garments thanks to a white underbase.

A heat press is ideal (15-second press at 160°C with medium-firm pressure), but a regular household iron works for small transfers — press firmly for 30-45 seconds without steam, using a cotton cloth as a barrier.

A properly applied DTF transfer survives 50+ wash cycles without cracking or fading. Wash inside-out in cold water (max 30°C), use normal detergent (no bleach or fabric softener), and line-dry or tumble on low.

Yes. Turn the shirt inside out, wash on cold (≤30°C) with normal detergent, and avoid bleach, fabric softener, and high-heat tumble drying. Wait 24 hours after pressing before the first wash.

DTF Creations accepts PNG, JPG, PDF, and SVG files. For best print quality use transparent-background PNG at 300 DPI — roughly 4× the intended print size in pixels.

Design files should be 300 DPI at the intended print size. A 10 cm print needs ~1,200 px wide; a 30 cm print needs ~3,600 px wide. The online designer automatically flags low-resolution uploads.

Yes. The DTF Creations online designer is free and runs in the browser — no signup needed. Add text with curved or arc styling, upload images, use AI image generation, pick from 500+ gallery templates, and export at 300 DPI automatically.

DTF Creations ships DTF transfers and UVDTF stickers nationwide across South Africa by tracked courier, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, East London, Polokwane, and Nelspruit.

A 60×50 cm half sheet is R185 and a 60×100 cm full sheet is R320 (April 2026). A full sheet can fit 20-25 separate designs, bringing the effective cost to R12-18 per design.

For orders under 100 shirts, yes — DTF has no setup fees and costs about R40-60 per A4 print. Screen printing only becomes cheaper above ~100 units of a single-colour design because of its screen setup costs (R250-R500 per colour).

Yes. DTF produces photo-quality full-colour prints including gradients and fine detail. Unlike single-colour methods like heat vinyl, DTF has no extra charge for multiple colours.

DTF Creations accepts card payments via Peach Payments (Visa, Mastercard) and EFT. Orders are printed after payment is confirmed.

Yes. DTF includes a printed white underbase before the colour layer, so prints stay vivid and opaque on black, navy, maroon, and other dark garments.