Written by the DTF Prints team. Last updated:
The short answer
Where to buy DTF transfers depends on speed, volume and support. A local print shop fits rush jobs and pickup. An online supplier fits repeat orders and custom sizes shipped to your door. A marketplace can fit a small one-off buy, but each seller sets its own rules. Check minimums, cutoff time and reprint policy first.
A DTF transfer is a design printed on film that you press onto a garment with a heat press. Mimaki, a printer manufacturer, describes the process as printing the design and a white layer on film, applying hot melt powder to the wet ink, drying the film, and then heat pressing the transfer onto fabric. Because the transfer arrives finished, the seller you pick decides your turnaround, your price per design and what happens if a print comes out wrong. This guide compares three kinds of seller, gives you a checklist to run before a first order, and explains where DTF-Prints.com fits for buyers in Tampa and beyond.
Local print shop, online supplier or marketplace compared
This table describes the three kinds of seller in general terms. Individual sellers differ, so treat each cell as something to confirm before you pay.
| What to compare | Local print shop | Online supplier | Marketplace seller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnaround | Pickup removes shipping time. Ask for a ready date and time. | Production time plus shipping time. Look for a stated order cutoff time. | Set by each seller. Compare the handling time in each listing. |
| Minimums | Ask whether there is a minimum order or a setup fee. | Check the product page for minimums and setup fees. | Set per listing. Read the quantity options before you pay. |
| File help | You can review the file with a person. Ask whether staff check it before printing. | Look for posted file requirements and any warning the order tool gives for a weak file. | Handled by message with the seller. Ask before you pay. |
| Reorder ease | Ask whether the shop keeps your file and how you reorder. | Look for an account with order history and a way to repeat an order. | Depends on the seller. Save the listing and your order details. |
| Support | In person and by phone, during shop hours. | Check which channels exist, such as phone or email, and the hours. | Messages to the seller, plus whatever dispute process the marketplace offers. |
Local print shop
A local shop lets you hand over a file, talk it through and collect the transfers without shipping. That removes transit time. Ask whether the shop has a minimum order, whether it prints your file as submitted, how it prices odd sizes and what hours it keeps. If you will want the same transfers again next month, ask whether it stores your file.
Online supplier
An online supplier takes your order and file through its website and ships the transfers to you. Production time and carrier time add up, so look for a stated cutoff time for same-day or next-day production and a stated shipping cost. Read the product page for minimums and setup fees. Then check how the site handles a weak file. Some order tools warn you, and some suppliers print whatever you upload.
Marketplace seller
A marketplace hosts independent sellers, and each seller sets its own terms. Two listings for similar transfers can have different turnaround, return rules and file requirements. Compare the listing details, not only the price, and message the seller before you pay if the listing leaves a question open.
Buyer’s checklist before your first order
Ask these questions of any supplier, including us.
- Minimums and setup fees. Ask whether there is a minimum quantity or a setup fee, and whether you can order a single transfer.
- Turnaround and cutoff time. Ask for the order cutoff time, the production time after it and the shipping time after that. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule says a seller must have a reasonable basis for any shipping time it states, and must ask for your consent to a delay and refund your money if you do not give it.
- File requirements. Ask which formats and what resolution the seller accepts, and whether you should send artwork mirrored or not.
- What happens with a bad file. Ask whether the seller flags a low-resolution file before printing, or prints it as sent and treats the result as your responsibility.
- Color matching. Ask whether the seller offers a printed color swatch sheet, so you can compare real output with your screen. Ours is the Custom Color Matching Guide, a swatch sheet printed on a DTF transfer.
- Reprint and return policy. Get the policy in writing before you pay. Ask what counts as a seller error, how long you have to report a problem and whether the remedy is a reprint, a credit or a refund.
- Shipping cost. Ask what shipping costs, whether a free shipping threshold applies and which delivery speeds the seller offers.
- Pressing instructions. Mimaki advises following the film supplier’s instructions for press temperature, time and peel settings. Ask the seller for the settings that match its film instead of guessing.
- How to reach a person. Look for a phone number, an email address and posted hours. Send one question before your first order and see how fast the answer comes back.
Ready-to-press, custom size and gang sheets: which to buy
DTF-Prints.com sells three DTF transfer types. Here is how each one works and who it suits.
Ready-to-press transfers
Ready-to-press DTF transfers are pre-made designs. You pick a finished design instead of uploading artwork, heat press the transfer onto apparel and peel it. There is no weeding or cutting and no minimum. They suit a seller who wants to test a product, or anyone who needs a design but has no artwork. Each design lists its price by size on its product page.
Custom size transfers
Custom size DTF transfers print one design at the exact length and width you enter. You pay $0.015 per square inch, with no minimum order and no setup fee. They suit one design at one size, such as an 11 by 11 inch adult full front. The product page says you are responsible for the dimensions you enter, so measure the garment first. The DTF transfer size guide lists common sizes.
Gang sheets
A hot peel DTF gang sheet holds many designs on one sheet, and you pay for the sheet size, not for each design. Hot peel gang sheets start at $0.012 per square inch, and the shortest sheets can cost more per square inch. Our FAQ gives an example. Ten 3 by 3 inch designs on a 12 by 16 inch sheet cost about $2.30, or $0.23 per design. Gang sheets suit anyone with several designs, including shops that press for other people. Use the DTF calculator to estimate a design before you build the sheet.
If you are in Tampa or Florida
DTF-Prints.com prints at 9203 N 19th St, Tampa, FL 33612. Orders placed before 4 PM ET, Monday to Friday, get same-day processing. Processing means we print and prepare the order that day. Shipping time comes after it.
You can pick up at the shop, or use the 24/7 pickup locker after hours. Phone hours are Monday to Friday 9 AM to 7 PM ET and Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM ET, and we are closed Sunday. Call or text (386) 327-0009.
We ship within the United States, and shipping is free on orders of $35 or more. Delivery time depends on the shipping method you choose at checkout. For pickup details, see DTF transfers in Tampa. Our Tampa shop guide has gang sheet tips and contact details.
For print shops and resellers
Print shops, screen printers, apparel brands and resellers can order the same products at the listed rates. There is no minimum, no setup fee and no volume tier, and you do not need an account to order at the product page prices. A wholesale account is for businesses with a state sales tax (resale) certificate. You apply online, upload the certificate, and the team reviews the application in about 1 business day.
We also run white label drop shipping. We print your order and ship it to your customer with no DTF-Prints.com branding, so you hold no inventory. Contact us to set it up. Read the wholesale DTF transfers page for rates and the process, then apply for a wholesale account.
Buying versus making your own transfers
Making transfers in house takes more than a printer. Mimaki lists a compatible DTF printer, DTF inks including white, DTF film, hot-melt adhesive powder, a curing shaker or dryer and a heat press. Roland DG describes the same workflow, with powder applied to the wet ink, curing in an oven or shaker unit and transfer with a heat press. Mimaki also says that film quality, powder grain size and accurate time and temperature are critical for consistent transfers.
Equipment and supply prices change, so this guide does not quote one cost per transfer. To compare, add your equipment, supplies and maintenance time, divide by the transfers you press each month, and set the result against a supplier’s price per transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to buy DTF transfers?
There is no single best place for every buyer. The right seller is the one that meets your deadline, order size, file needs and support needs. Compare a local print shop, an online supplier and a marketplace with the table above, then run the checklist on any seller you are considering. DTF-Prints.com is an online supplier with a shop in Tampa, FL.
Is it cheaper to buy DTF transfers or make them?
It depends on your volume, so this guide does not quote one cost per transfer. According to Mimaki, making your own needs a compatible DTF printer, DTF inks including white, film, hot-melt adhesive powder, a curing shaker or dryer and a heat press. Add those costs to your time, divide by the transfers you press each month, and compare the result with what a supplier charges.
What should I check before ordering DTF transfers from a new supplier?
Check six things. Ask about minimums and setup fees, the order cutoff time and turnaround, accepted file formats, what happens with a low-resolution file, the reprint policy and the shipping cost. Then confirm you can reach a person by phone or email. The full checklist is above.
Do I need to buy in bulk?
That depends on the seller, so ask before you order. DTF-Prints.com has no minimum order and no setup fee on DTF transfers, so you can order a single transfer. A gang sheet lowers the cost per design when you fill the sheet with several designs.
Can I pick up DTF transfers in Tampa?
Yes. Order online, then collect your transfers at 9203 N 19th St, Tampa, FL 33612, or use the 24/7 pickup locker after hours. Orders placed before 4 PM ET, Monday to Friday, get same-day processing. See DTF transfers in Tampa for details.
What file should I send, and what if it is low resolution?
Send a PNG at 300 DPI or higher with a transparent background. We also accept vector files such as AI, PDF and EPS, and we do not accept JPG files. Do not mirror your artwork. We print what you upload, and our FAQ says images below 200 DPI look pixelated or blurry when printed. The gang sheet builder warns you when an image resolution is too low.
What is the reprint policy at DTF-Prints.com?
Our FAQ says that if a print quality issue is on our end, such as a color defect or smearing, you contact us with photos within 7 business days of delivery and we reprint or credit your account. Sizing errors from dimensions you enter are your responsibility. Every order is custom printed, so we do not offer standard refunds, and we are not responsible for problems caused by low-resolution artwork, incorrect files or improper pressing. Our terms and conditions say we offer a reprint or account credit at our discretion.
Can print shops and resellers buy wholesale from DTF-Prints.com?
Yes. You can order at the listed rates without an account. A wholesale account is for businesses with a state sales tax (resale) certificate, and approval takes about 1 business day. We also offer white label drop shipping, where we print the order and ship it to your customer with no DTF-Prints.com branding. See the wholesale DTF transfers page or apply for a wholesale account.
Sources
Outside sources, read on October 5, 2026.
- Mimaki Europe, “What is DTF printing?”
- Roland DG, “VersaSTUDIO BY-20 Desktop Direct-to-Film Printer”
- Federal Trade Commission, “Business Guide to the FTC’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule”
DTF-Prints.com facts on this page come from our FAQ, terms and conditions, wholesale page, wholesale application page, Tampa page and product pages. Prices and policies can change, so confirm them on the linked page before you order.