1.Introduction – Why DTF Film Type and Size are Crucial for DTF Traders/Distributors

Direct to film transfer (DTF) printing has become the fastest-growing digital printing solution in the apparel, merchandise, and industrial printing sectors. While many people are familiar with DTF films through their coating techniques or printing effects, distributors, factories, and printing studios may be more focused on the application scenarios.

For them, the question, "Which DTF film is suitable for which job?" directly impacts:

• Production efficiency
• Defect rate
• Customer complaint rate
• Printer compatibility
• Printing consistency
• Cost

Therefore, this article is not only a general introduction to DTF transfer film but also an application-oriented guide to help buyers select the appropriate heat transfer film type based on application and size.

As a DTF manufacturer, our factory produces DTF film rolls and jumbo roll DTF films ranging from 30cm to 120cm, covering a variety of DTF heat transfer films including hot-peel, cold-peel, cold/hot-peel, premium matte, glitter, and fluorescent films. This guide, combined with real factory data, provides a reliable reference for distributors and traders.

2.Why Size Matters When Choosing DTF Film Rolls

Most users believe that "all DTF films work the same regardless of width/size," but for our distributors/traders/garment manufacturers, the right width/size can help streamline processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

The width of DTF Heat Transfer Film affects:

1. Machine compatibility
2. Maximum graphic size
3. Hourly output
4. Labor requirements
5. Trimming waste
6. Production efficiency

Therefore, even DTF film rolls purchased from the same supplier will have different effects in different application scenarios. For example:

• 30cm wide DTF PET film rolls are ideal for small workshops and multi-pattern layouts.
• 60cm wide DTF transfer film rolls are the mainstream choice for garment manufacturing and commercial studios.
• 100cm to 120cm wide large format DTF film is suitable for industrial mass production and garment factories.

Understanding these application scenarios helps distributors accurately target their customer base and reduce mismatches between sales and demand.

3.Application Scenarios by Size — Full Breakdown

3.1 30cm DTF Film Roll (13 inches)

Main User Needs:

1. Small Studios
2. Personalized Gift Shops
3. Handicraft Businesses
4. Etsy Sellers
5. On-Demand Micro-Printing

Why is the 13 inches size DTF film so popular?

• Compatible with modified Epson printer models
• Suitable for most desktop DTF printers
• Low entry cost
• Easy to store and cut
• Ideal for small designs and single-piece printing

Typical Application Scenarios:

✔ Designs on custom T-shirts and hoodies

Ideal Uses:

• Logos
• Left chest badges
• Sleeve prints
• Children's clothing designs

Small personalized studios rarely need large-format output, so the 30cm Direct to Film roll reduces waste.

✔ Labels, heat transfer brand labels, and washing labels

DTF printing has replaced screen printing in the dominance of clothing labels. For making these types of labels, 13 inch DTF rolls are the best choice because:

• Small label size
• Production requires fast batch processing
• Minimal film waste

✔ Personalized Gifts

1. Baby clothes
2. Small tote bags
3. Pet clothing
4. Promotional small gifts

These orders are not huge in quantity, so the 30cm DTF film roll is the most flexible option.

✔ Gang Printing

The 30cm width is ideal for arranging multiple different designs together

→ Higher profits

→ Less waste

3.2 33-35 cm DTF Film Rolls (13 - 14 inches, a special size for Europe)

Popular Regions:

• Europe (Germany, Italy, France)
• United Kingdom
• Turkey

Why do these regions in Europe prefer the 33-35 cm size?

• These regions have a very high demand for A3+ size.
• Compatible with various European DTF desktop printers.
• Suitable for medium-sized layout printing.

Typical Applications:

✔ Fashion Boutique Production

Boutiques typically produce:

1. Small batches of fashion T-shirts
2. Niche micro-collections
3. Seasonal limited editions

The 33-35 cm size supports larger pattern sizes than 12 inches DTF PET film, making it more suitable for printing fashion-forward designs.

✔ Print-on-Demand E-commerce Orders

E-commerce sellers often combine 33-35 cm film with automated printing processes:

• Automatic cutting
• Automatic powder application
• Fast processing of multiple orders

3.3 40cm Direct to Film Rolls (16 inches)

Main Customer Base:

• Medium-sized printing studios
• Entry-level dual-head DTF printers
• Bags, sleeves, and medium-sized apparel decoration businesses

Main Application Scenarios:

✔ Children's and Teenagers' Clothing

Children's clothing designs typically require:

1. Medium size
2. High detail
3. Soft feel

The 40cm width is suitable for children's clothing sizes, eliminating the need for large-width DTF film rolls.

✔ Tote Bags and Medium-Sized Accessories

Ideal for:

• Printing center designs on tote bags
• Printing on small bags
• Aprons

It avoids the excessive waste of 60cm width dtf film while providing ample design space.

3.4 60cm DTF Film Roll (24 inches) – The Standard Size for Industrial Machines

This is the most widely used DTF roll size globally.

Why is the 60cm wide DTF film roll the industry's top choice?

• Compatible with most commercial DTF printers
• Offers the best balance of speed, size, and material utilization
• Suitable for almost all garment manufacturers
• Most cost-effective for batch printing patterns

Main Users:

1. Garment factories
2. Brand owners
3. Printing service providers
4. Production lines equipped with automatic powder shaking machines

Typical Application Scenarios:

✔ T-shirt front and back patterns

Common sizes:

• Widh 25-30 cm
• Height 35-40 cm

60cm film rolls allow for:

1. Printing 2-3 T-shirt patterns horizontally
2. Reduced film consumption
3. Increased production efficiency

✔ Hoodie back patterns

Large hoodie patterns require:

• Higher ink saturation
• Stable film coating
• Lint-free surface

60cm film is designed for this production volume and temperature range.

✔ Fashion streetwear production

Streetwear brands often use:

• Large-sized patterns
• Neon/fluorescent colors
• Gradient printing

24-inch DTF film can meet the required production scale.

✔ Sportswear numbers and team uniforms

Ideal for:

• Jersey numbers
• Team logos
• Sponsor logos

Many sportswear factories can use 60cm film rolls for mass production.

3.5 100cm/120cm DTF Film Rolls (40-48 inches) – Industrial Grade

Main Customer Base:

• Large garment factories
• OEM/ODM apparel manufacturers
• Large-scale production lines
• International brands producing fast fashion

Why do large factories prefer 100-120 cm wide dtf film?

1. Suitable for industrial-grade DTF printers
2. Maximizes film utilization
3. Allows for extra-large format printing
4. Supports uninterrupted printing for hours
5. Highest output per unit labor cost

Typical Application Scenarios:

✔ Mass production of fashion apparel

48 inches wide film:

1. Allows simultaneous printing of multiple patterns
2. Reduces trimming
3. Improves overall production line efficiency

✔ All-over printing (AOP) on garment fabrics

Wide-format DTF printers enable:

• Large-size fabric transfer
• Partial all-over shirt patterns
• Extra-large back patterns

This is crucial for fashion apparel manufacturers.

✔ Promotional bulk orders

Factories handling products such as:

• Corporate T-shirts
• Event merchandise
• Marathon uniforms
• Holiday apparel

Using 100-120 cm (40-48 inches) wide DTF film, thousands of products can be produced daily.

4.Application Scenarios by DTF Film Type (Coating Differences)

4.1 Hot Peel DTF Film – Fast Production Process

Ideal for:

1. Fast-paced studios
2. Medium to large orders
3. Streetwear brands
4. High-efficiency production lines

Applications:

• Hoodie back printing
• T-shirt mass production
• Promotional orders
• Everyday e-commerce printing

Hot Peel transfer film significantly reduces labor time and increases production efficiency.

4.2 Cold Peel DTF Film – Maximum Detail and Optimal Adhesion

Best suited for:

• Intricate patterns
• Metallic ink printing
• High-precision illustrations
• Fine line artwork

Applications:

• Fashion illustration T-shirts
• High-end brand labels
• High-resolution designs

The cold peel process delivers superior ink adhesion and a matte finish.

4.3 Fast-Peel Film – High-Efficiency Production

  Combines the advantages of both hot and cold peeling.

Application areas:

• Small factories/workshops
• Shops requiring a balance of production efficiency and quality
• Multi-tasking operators

4.4 Glitter/Pearlescent DTF Film

Application areas:

• Dance and performance costumes
• Holiday attire
• Children's fashion
• Shiny high-end products

4.5 Fluorescent DTF Film

Application areas:

• Streetwear
• Nightclub clothing
• Rave music festival merchandise
• Youth fashion

5.Industry-Specific Application Summary

5.1 Fashion Industry

Uses:

• 60cm
• 100cm
• 120cm

DTF Film types:

1. hot peel
2. cold peel
3. fluorescent
4. glitter

5.2 Sports Apparel

Uses:

1. 60cm
2. 100cm

Direct to Film types:

1. hot peel
2. instant peel

5.3 Promotional Merchandise

Uses:

1. 60cm

Heat Transfer Film types:

1. economical hot peel
2. matte cold peel

5.4 E-commerce & POD

Uses:

1. 30cm
2. 33/35cm

DTF PET Film types:

1. hot peel
2. instant peel

6.How Our Koala® DTF Factory Helps Distributors/Traders Choose the Right Wide-Format DTF Film Size

We offer:

1. Size recommendation charts
2. Flexible Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)
3. OEM core and packaging
4. Custom width film production
5. Technical data for different application scenarios
6. Defect rate control reports

Our Koala® DTF Manufacturer uses:

• Precision coating production lines
• Imported PET base film
• Multi-layer anti-static treatment
• Automatic detection to ensure uniform thickness

This ensures that the heat transfer film maintains stable performance in different application environments.

7.Conclusion

Choosing the right DTF film roll is not just about coating or price, but more importantly, matching it to the application scenario.

1. Small studios → Choose 30 cm DTF roll
2. Growing studios → Choose 35 cm/40 cm DTF PET roll
3. Standard garment production → Choose 60 cm DTF film roll
4. Industrial mass production → Choose 100-120 cm DTF heat transfer film roll
5. Special designs → Choose glitter/fluorescent/cold peel DTF film

When the size and coating perfectly match the application scenario, production efficiency and customer satisfaction will significantly improve.