Comparison test of DTG and white ink heat transfer DTF

At the end of 2019, a new process of digital T-shirt printing became popular rapidly, heat transfer digital DTF PET Film. It has an impact on the original digital white ink DTG printing of ready-to-wear garments in the market. Printwant compares the two prints for your reference when choosing.

1. Color

Both processes are digital printing, and the richness of color is similar, but the process is different.
DTG
White ink DTG directly prints white ink on the fabric, then prints the color ink on the white ink, and directly prints the white ink on the clothing fabric, a part of which will be absorbed by the fabric, and the surface of most fabric fibers is uneven, so the white ink we see with our eyes does not seem to be So white, so the color printed on white ink does not seem to be so vivid.
DTF PET Film
DTF PET Film is to print color ink on the transfer film, and then print white ink on the color ink. After the white ink is sprinkled with glue powder, it is reversely ironed to the clothes. DTF ink is directly printed on the film, in fact, it is printed on the coating of the film, the coating will not absorb any ink, and can ensure that the ink does not spread, the white ink is printed on the color ink, and then sprinkled with glue powder to use Guaranteed bright colors.

Carefully observe the red part of the tongue, DTF PET Film is brighter than DTG.
Result: DTF PET Film color is better than white ink DTG.

2. Fastness

There are three kinds of clothing fastness we often say: dry rubbing fastness, wet rubbing fastness, and washing water fastness.
Dry rub fastness
The dry rubbing fastness of DTF PET Film is generally 4-4.5, and the DTG is generally above grade 4. DTF PET Film is better, but it can meet the requirements.
Wet rub fastness
The wet rubbing fastness of DTF PET Film is generally level 4, DTG is generally level 2-2.5, and DTF PET Film is much better.
Washing fastness
Washing fastness is generally level 4, DTG is generally level 3-4, and DTF PET Film is much better.
Result: The fastness of DTF PET Film is better than that of white ink DTG.



3. Product suitability

In principle, the paint ink is suitable for any clothing fabric, and the paint particles rely on the adhesive to stick to the clothing fabric, but in actual application, it is different.
DTF PET Film Process
DTF PET Film process is suitable for all fabrics.
DTG process
In principle, the coating ink is suitable for any fabric, but the DTG process does not perform well on some fabrics, such as pure polyester fabrics or fabrics with low cotton content, which do not perform well in terms of fastness.

Result: The DTF PET Film process is adaptable to more fabrics and processes,

4. Cost

Cost consists of two parts: material cost and production cost

Material costs
Because digital DTF ink is printed on the film, the requirements for ink are relatively low. The film transfer market is developing rapidly and the competition is fierce. At present, the price of ink is far lower than the price of DTG ink.
In the DTG production process, the fabric needs to be pre-treated. The cost of pre-treatment materials is relatively high, and the cost of pre-treatment is much higher than the cost of film.

Cost of production
The cost of production is directly related to production efficiency, and the complexity of the process will affect efficiency.
DTF PET Film production process
Film printing➡Cut ➡DTF PET Film transfer

DTG production process
Spray treatment liquid ➡ drying (pressing) ➡ printing ➡ drying ➡ drying (pressing) fixing color
DTG process and DTF PET Film process, printing the same pattern, the time is basically the same, but besides printing, DTG has two more processes than DTF PET Film, from the perspective of time, it takes almost twice as much time. Production efficiency is doubled.
In the printing process, there is not much difference between the two processes, but in addition to printing, the DTF PET Film process is simple, the efficiency is high, and the corresponding labor cost is low.
Result: Digital DTF PET Film is lower than digital white ink DTG from material to labor cost.

5. Environmentally friendly

In the production process of ready-to-wear DTF PET Film printing and DTG printing, they will not have any impact on the environment, and they are all environmentally friendly production processes.
DTG
DTGT shirt printing produces almost no waste, and the printing ink also contains almost no toxic substances.
DTF PET Film
DTF PET Film T-shirt printing, production process, will produce waste film, but the film can be recycled, and the production process will not produce waste ink.
Results: Neither DTF PET Film nor white ink DTG polluted the environment.

6. Product comfort

The DTG printing part has uniform light passing through, while the DTF PET Film printing part is completely black without any light. If we blow air on the cloth with our mouth, we will find that DTG is breathable, while DTF PET Film is not breathable. For summer clothes, it has good air permeability and good comfort.

Result: White ink DTG has good air permeability, so the wearing comfort is better than DTF PET Film.


7. Comparison of market prospects

Results: In the above analysis, 6 indicators, 5 indicators of DTF PET Film are dominant, but the most critical indicator is lagging behind in wearing comfort, so although DTG is at a disadvantage, it cannot be eliminated. DTF PET Film has obvious technological advantages. It has good market prospects, but it cannot be a monopoly.