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Shanghai APP exhibition experience: the scam of low-priced dtf pet film

Author : Alex

Update time : 2025-03-28 13:50:27

In the context of fierce competition in the DTF (Direct to Film) industry, PrintWant, as an industry leader, can clearly sort out the following industry trends and core competitiveness building directions through observations and market feedback from the Shanghai APPP exhibition.

1. Vicious cycle of low-priced and low-quality dtf pet film

- The Shocking Reality of Low-Cost DTF Film Production
Let’s break down the lowest configuration production cost of the cheapest DTF film on the market:
- Base film: RMB 1.5 (USD 0.2) / sqm
- Ink-absorbing coating: RMB 0.15 (USD 0.021) / sqm
- Release coating: RMB 0.1 (USD 0.014) / sqm
- Anti-static coating: RMB 0.1 (USD 0.014) / sqm
- Labor: RMB 0.1 (USD 0.014) / sqm
- Overhead (rent, utilities): RMB 0.1 (USD 0.014) / sqm

Total cost: RMB 2.05 (USD 0.285)/ sqm, for a standard 60cm*100m roll, the production cost alone is USD 17.08.

- It was revealed that some dtf film manufacturers cut costs by reducing coating processes, using recycled base films or reducing after-sales services, resulting in customers facing problems such as poor release, electrostatic ink accumulation, and stretching breakage in actual use.

- Short-term price wars have triggered a crisis of trust in the international market (such as a wave of withdrawals), which may damage the reputation of China's supply chain in the long run.

2. Underestimation of technical barriers

- Many factories that follow suit lack the accumulation of core technologies such as coating chemical ratios and base film control, and their product batches have poor stability and cannot meet the needs of high-precision printing or complex environments (such as high temperature and high humidity).

3. Lack of after-sales system
- The hot tearing caused by inferior DTF pet film cannot be torn, the pattern has spots, the hot pressing sticks to the board and other related losses are often borne by the customer, further pushing up the overall cost.

Future trends of DTF transfer printing

1. Differentiated technology competition

- Functional upgrade: high elastic DTF pet film (adapt to elastic fabrics), low temperature release coating (energy saving), environmentally friendly materials, multifunctional DTF film will become a premium point.

- Intelligent adaptation: through the dynamic matching of film parameters (such as surface tension value) with printer nozzles and thermal transfer equipment, human operation errors are reduced.

2. Transformation from products to solutions
- Customer demand has shifted from single film procurement to a full set of solutions of "dtf --film + ink + equipment + process support", such as water-resistant solutions for sportswear or quick-drying and power-saving solutions for digital printing plants.

3. Supply Chain Transparency Construction
- Publicize the cost structure (such as the segmented cost table displayed by PrintWant) and quality inspection reports, and rebuild customer trust through a traceable quality control system.

PrintWant's competitive barrier construction suggestions
1. Technology side
- Establish a coating R&D laboratory, cooperate with universities to tackle patented formulas, and set industry standards through the disclosure of technical parameters (such as release force ≥ 0.8N/25mm).

2. Service side
- After-sales response SOP: Provide "72-hour technical intervention + data-based attribution report" for customer complaints (such as locating release process problems through film residue analysis).
- Value-added service: Launch an online DTF process simulator, customers can enter fabric type, environmental parameters, etc. to obtain customized film recommendations.

3. Strategic opportunities during the industry reshuffle
The current market chaos has actually accelerated the elimination of inferior production capacity. PrintWant can take this opportunity to:
- Acquire high-quality dtf base film suppliers and extend upstream to control costs;
- Launch a "graded certification system" (such as industrial grade/commercial grade/entry-level) to cover different demand scenarios;
- Establish an ecological alliance with leading printer brands to bind the high-end market through joint certification.

The competition in the DTF transfer printing industry has entered the three-dimensional stage of "technology + service + ecology". Only by upgrading product logic to value logic can we cross the cycle. PrintWant's next step may focus on becoming an industry standard setter, not just a participant.

Next : Beware of Counterfeit DTF PET Film OEKO Test Reports: PrintWant Leads with Authenticity and Quality