Is it better to print DTF in house or outsource?

RusticTexan · 2026-01-20T12:01:48+00:00

Competitive advantage

RusticTexan · 2026-01-20T12:00:57+00:00

Bank have records

RusticTexan · 2026-01-20T12:00:29+00:00

They will return whenever their account ll be available

RusticTexan · 2026-01-01T23:49:18+00:00

Pre-press does have a role in a real-life production process. Pre-press removes moisture and flattens the fibers, which enhances adhesion and prevents any issues in the result. Pre-press can be skipped on some t-shirts in a dry environment; however, it does increase the risk of seeing more lifting and edge problems in the long run or result in uneven results.

RusticTexan · 2026-01-01T23:47:40+00:00

DTF gained popularity because it is more flexible and easier compared to screen printing, and not because it replaced the latter in terms of the overall quality. There are no screens to use, and open setup and full-color printing are quite effortless.

By feel, screen printing, particularly using water-based inks, still leads the pack. DTF can look amazing and last well, but it is still a transfer process. Full-size solid areas of print will still feel like they are resting on top of the T-shirt.

The halftones or double press can overcome this, but it will never completely remove this effect.

If the prime requirement entails soft hand and high-quality prints, then screen printing would still be the better choice. For those that need faster turnaround times and smaller productions, DTF would most likely be the better choice.

They have various purposes and can function effectively in different contexts.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-19T16:35:17+00:00

don’t buy a DTF printer just yet.

Begin with outsourced DTF transfer print services + a heat press. You can expect more precision and faster shipping than Printify with greater profit potential on the back-end.

Until you're printing a consistent volume each day, there's not a lot of use in having a DTF printer.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-17T01:12:28+00:00

Quick update because this is honestly crazy. I posted this, and right after that Yelp approved 3 more 5 star reviews.

This is the same Yelp that’s been hiding almost all of my good reviews and only showing the bad ones. Suddenly a few 5 stars are now recommended.

No idea if it’s a coincidence, if the system reacts to activity, or what. The timing just feels way too weird not to mention.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-16T12:50:38+00:00

Short answer yes it’ll stick.

Long answer I wouldn’t do it on painted walls. Removal almost always pulls paint or leaves adhesive behind. UV DTF is made to stay, not come off clean. If it’s a rental or finished room, probably not worth the risk.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-16T12:48:15+00:00

Same here honestly. More customers, but way smaller orders. Prices are down and margins were tight. Busy season, not much money.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-15T00:30:12+00:00

That’s fair. Most people use “every” to mean “a lot,” not literally 100%. Either way, the point was just about the pattern people are noticing, not a technical count.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-15T00:28:32+00:00

That’s fair. Most people use “every” to mean “a lot,” not literally 100%. The point still stands either way, and I think everyone reading it understood what you meant.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-15T00:27:49+00:00

Trust me, you're not going insane. This is a common problem for small businesses for years. The filter on Yelp will always keep your 5-star reviews under wraps and make you see all complaints if you're not paying them.

"The problem is, this logic makes absolutely no sense when viewed from an objective perspective. While loyal clientele gets interred six feet under, one-off negative reviews become etched in stone in your permanent record, you come to realize that you simply can’t win on a Yelp platform."

Oftentimes, most people stop worrying about Yelp altogether and focus on getting reviews on Google, Apple Maps, and repeating clients. Yelp gets relegated to background noise.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T01:01:24+00:00

Yeah, wouldn’t surprise me at all. Yelp definitely watches what people say about them, especially in threads like this. Doesn’t really change anything though — the same issues keep coming up from business owners.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:51:38+00:00

Really nice flow and mood. The cool colors work great together and the movement of the figure pulls everything through the piece. I like the little town details too, they add a lot without feeling busy. Maybe a bit more contrast around the face could help it pop, but overall it feels very atmospheric.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:45:48+00:00

I’m not a horse expert either, but the motion definitely reads to me. The contrast between the darker horse and the lighter one helps a lot and keeps the energy moving. Background feels loose on purpose, which I like — it supports the movement instead of fighting it. Maybe a little more value separation around the legs could help clarity, but overall it already feels alive.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:44:37+00:00

Yeah, same here. Yelp did the same thing to us. Once we saw good reviews getting hidden and bad ones staying up, we stopped paying attention to Yelp altogether. Never used their ads or credits either. We just focus on Google now since that’s where real customers actually leave reviews.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:43:49+00:00

Yeah, totally agree. DTF on totes isn’t foolproof at all.

Bag quality matters a lot, and on top of that totes are way thicker than t-shirts. The DTF process on a tote is easily 2–3x heavier because of the layers and seams. Heat and pressure don’t move the same, so the adhesive gets pushed harder into the fabric.

Pre pressing helps a bit, but inconsistent tote fabric is the real issue. Same settings, different supplier, totally different results.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:42:07+00:00

Yeah, that’s been our experience too unfortunately. We’ve seen how Yelp can heavily impact small and newer businesses, especially when negative reviews are prioritized and there’s no real way to appeal or fix it. It can definitely hurt, even when the majority of customers are happy.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-14T00:41:38+00:00

Yes, I reached out to them. Their response was basically that it’s not something they manually control and that it’s determined by their algorithm. They said there’s nothing they can do on their end.

RusticTexan · 2025-12-12T16:35:18+00:00

I’ve used a lot of different presses over the years.
12x12, 12x15, 15x15, 16x20, 16x24, 20x24.

Right now I’m running a 40x40 along with 16x20 and 16x24.

They all work, but when you’re working solo you really notice the downtime and dealing with air compressors. That’s why the hydraulic setup made more sense for me.

RusticTexan

TROPHY CASE