Custom DTF Transfers, Printed From Your Artwork and Ready to Press

If you decorate shirts, hoodies, totes or team gear, custom DTF transfers are the easiest way to get full-color prints without screens, setup fees or a minimum order. You send the artwork. Summit Transfers prints it on film. You press it onto the garment yourself.

This guide covers what DTF transfers are, what they cost at Summit, how to prepare your files, how fast they ship, and how to press them, so you can order with confidence.

What is a DTF transfer?

DTF stands for direct-to-film. Your design is printed onto a special film, coated with an adhesive powder and cured. What you get is a physical transfer: a print-ready graphic on a clear carrier sheet. Lay it on the garment, press it with heat, peel the film away, and the design stays on the fabric.

DTF has become the go-to for small shops and makers because:

  • Unlimited colors. Gradients, photos and fine detail don't add cost the way extra screens do.
  • No minimums and no setup fees. Order one shirt's worth or a hundred at the same $0.55 per inch.
  • Print now, press later. Order transfers ahead of time and press them on demand as orders come in.
  • Built for everyday fabrics. Cotton, polyester and blends, rated for 50+ washes.
  • Simple pricing. No setup fees and no per-sheet fees. You pay for the length of film you use.

What makes Summit's custom DTF transfers different

Summit prints on a 9-color expanded-gamut DTF printer instead of a standard 4-color setup. More ink channels mean deeper reds, brighter neons, smoother blends and prints that match your file more closely, which matters a lot for brand colors and photo-style art.

Sheets are 24.5 inches wide, giving you about 11% more print area than the standard 22" sheet for every inch of length you buy.

Summit is based in West Michigan. Orders ship anywhere in the US, and local pickup in West Olive, MI is available at checkout during store hours (Mon–Fri, 8 AM–6 PM ET). The pickup address comes in your ready-for-pickup email.

How much do custom DTF transfers cost?

Summit prices DTF by the length of the sheet. The sheet is always 24.5" wide, and you pay for the length you use: $0.55 per linear inch ($6.60 per foot), with no setup fees and no per-sheet fees.

Sheet length (24.5" wide) Price
12" $6.60
24" $13.20
36" $19.80
48" $26.40
60" $33.00
72" $39.60
96" $52.80
120" $66.00

Choose any length up to 200" ($110.00), so you only pay for the film your layout needs. There's no minimum order size.

What does that mean per shirt? A rough example: a 4" × 4" left-chest logo with about half an inch of spacing fits roughly five across a 24.5" sheet. A 24" sheet ($13.20) holds about 25 of them, or around 53¢ per logo. Full-front designs around 11" wide fit two across, so a 48" sheet ($26.40) holds about eight, or roughly $3.30 each. Your actual count depends on your art and spacing; the builder shows the exact layout and price before you check out.

Shipping: US-only. Flat $9.99 UPS Ground on orders under $125, and free on orders of $125 or more. See the full shipping policy. New email subscribers also get a 20% off single-use code (valid 30 days, can't be combined with other discounts).

Three ways to order custom DTF transfers

Every option prints on the same 24.5" expanded-gamut setup. Pick the one that matches the artwork you have.

1. RapidGang: "I have individual designs." Upload each design, enter the finished size and quantity, and RapidGang arranges the sheet and calculates the price for you. It's the fastest way to order custom DTF transfers by size: left-chest logos, full fronts, sleeve prints, or a mix. Accepts PNG, PDF, AI or SVG. → Start RapidGang

2. Gang Sheet Builder: "I want to arrange it myself." Open the online canvas, upload your art, then resize, rotate and duplicate designs to fill the sheet exactly how you want. Best for squeezing the most out of every inch. → Open the Gang Sheet Builder

3. Finished Sheet Upload: "My gang sheet is already built." Already laid it out in Photoshop, Illustrator or another program? Upload the completed file at final size and it goes straight to production as submitted. → Upload a finished gang sheet

Not sure which to choose? The How It Works page walks through all three.

How to prepare artwork for DTF transfers

Clean files make clean transfers. Before you upload:

  • Use PNG, PDF, AI or SVG. PNG should be 300+ DPI at print size (a 10" wide design should be at least 3,000 pixels wide).
  • Transparent background, unless a background is meant to print. Solid backgrounds print exactly as supplied. Skip JPG: it can't have a transparent background.
  • Correct dimensions. Measure the finished width and height you want on the garment.
  • Clean edges. Remove stray pixels, soft shadows and hidden layers.
  • Rights confirmed. Only upload artwork you're authorized to reproduce.

Got a blurry logo or a low-res file? Summit Artwork Rescue cleans up problem artwork. You preview the improved version for $2, and that $2 is applied to the $12.95 finished vector file package.

Try it before you commit: the free sample sheet

Want to see the quality first? Summit's free sample sheet is a pre-made sheet of Summit DTF prints you can press and test on your own garments. The sheet is free; you just pay $5 flat shipping. Limit one per customer. → Get your free sample sheet

How fast are custom DTF transfers?

  • Orders with print-ready files placed by 12 PM Eastern, Monday–Friday, ship the same business day. Orders after noon, on weekends or on major holidays ship the next business day. Orders that need file corrections don't qualify for same-day dispatch; they ship once the corrected file is approved.
  • UPS Ground: 1–5 business days after it ships, anywhere in the US. UPS Next Day Air is also available at checkout.
  • Local pickup in West Olive, MI is available at checkout during store hours (Mon–Fri, 8 AM–6 PM ET). The pickup address comes in your ready-for-pickup email.
  • ParcelGuard protection is automatic on every package.

Full details: Shipping policy.

How to press DTF transfers

Summit's recommended starting settings for regular DTF transfers (results may vary by press and garment, so test first):

  1. Set the press to 300°F with medium-to-firm pressure.
  2. Pre-press if needed. For fabrics that hold moisture or are very thick, pre-press the garment for a few seconds first.
  3. Position the transfer on the garment.
  4. Press for 15 seconds.
  5. Peel the film. Hot peel is standard; cold peel is fine if it suits your workflow.
  6. Second press for 7 seconds with a texturizing sheet over the design.

Works on cotton, polyester and blends, rated for 50+ washes.

Full pressing guide: How It Works: Apply your transfers

Questions while you press? Call 616-500-3331, Monday–Friday, 8 AM–6 PM.

Hard goods? Try UV DTF

For tumblers, glass, acrylic, metal and plastic, Summit also offers UV DTF transfers with a clear carrier, no background and a raised, glossy finish. No heat press needed: apply to a clean, smooth surface. Peel, apply and go, no heat needed. UV DTF sheets are 22.5" wide: 12" $24.99 · 24" $39.99 · 36" $59.99 · 48" $79.99. Build your sheet, or upload a finished UV gang sheet, in the UV DTF builder. → UV DTF Transfers

Ordering every month?

Shops and brands that order every month can ask about the Summit Partnership Program. Call 616-500-3331 (Mon–Fri, 8 AM–6 PM ET) or email support@summittransfers.co.

FAQ: Custom DTF Transfers

Is there a minimum order for custom DTF transfers?

No. There's no minimum order size. Choose any sheet length up to 200" ($110.00) at $0.55 per inch; a 12" sheet, for example, is $6.60.

How wide are Summit's DTF sheets?

24.5 inches wide, about 11% more print area than the standard 22" sheet.

How is pricing calculated?

By sheet length: $0.55 per linear inch ($6.60 per foot) on a 24.5"-wide sheet. No setup fees and no per-sheet fees.

What file types can I upload?

PNG (300+ DPI at print size, transparent background), PDF, AI or SVG. JPG isn't recommended because it can't have a transparent background.

Can I get a sample first?

Yes. The free sample sheet is a pre-made sheet of Summit prints. It's free with $5 flat shipping, one per customer.

What if my artwork is low quality?

Use Artwork Rescue: a $2 preview, applied toward the $12.95 finished vector file.

How much is shipping, and how fast is it?

US-only. $9.99 flat under $125, free at $125 and up. Orders with print-ready files placed by 12 PM ET (Mon–Fri, excluding major holidays) ship the same business day, and UPS Ground takes 1–5 business days. Local pickup in West Olive, MI is also available. If a package is returned or reshipped because of an incorrect address, the customer pays reshipping. See the shipping policy.

What temperature do I press DTF transfers at?

300°F for 15 seconds with medium-to-firm pressure. Hot peel is standard (cold peel works too), then a 7-second second press with a texturizing sheet. Pre-press moisture-holding or very thick fabrics. Results may vary, so test on your press and garment.

What fabrics do DTF transfers work on?

Cotton, polyester and blends, rated for 50+ washes.

What if my order arrives defective or wrong?

Summit will reprint it free. Transfers are custom, so it's a reprint rather than a refund; email support@summittransfers.co within 5 days of delivery. ParcelGuard protection is automatic on every package. See the refund policy.

How can I reach Summit?

Call 616-500-3331 (Mon–Fri, 8 AM–6 PM), email support@summittransfers.co, or follow @summit_transfers on Instagram.

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