DTF Transfer Size Chart: What Size to Print for Every Garment
Pocket to 3XL — the size chart our production team works from, with placement tips for chest logos, sleeves, neck labels and full-front prints.
Direct to Film — Size Chart
Measurement = longest side of the print
| Size | Inches | Cm |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket size | 3–5" | 7–13 |
| Infant | 4–6" | 10–16 |
| Toddler | 6–7" | 15–18 |
| Youth S/M | 8–9" | 20–23 |
| Youth L/XL | 9–10" | 23–26 |
| Adult XS/S | 10" | 26 |
| Adult M/L | 11" | 28 |
| Adult XL/2XL | 12" | 30 |
| Adult 3X and up | 13" | 33 |
This is the measurement for the longest side. When in doubt, measure your garment. These are suggested sizes — garments differ, so a ruler always wins.
A DTF transfer doesn't come in fixed dimensions like a screen print — it's cut to your artwork. So the one number that matters is the longest side of your design. Match that to the garment and you'll never press something that swims on a kids' tee or looks cramped across an adult back.
The chart above is the same one our production team works from. Below we break down how to read it, which size lands best on each garment, and the placements we line up most often — pocket prints, full fronts, sleeves and backs.
This is the measurement for the longest side. When in doubt, measure your garment.
How to read this chart
DTF artwork can be any shape, so we don't size it by width and height — we size it by whichever edge is longest. A tall portrait design is measured top-to-bottom; a wide banner-style design is measured side-to-side. The other dimension simply scales with your file.
- Find the longest edge of your design — that's the figure you match to the chart, in inches or centimetres.
- The shorter side floats. Set the longest side and your artwork keeps its proportions automatically.
- Sizes are starting points. Every garment is cut differently, so treat the chart as a guide and confirm with a ruler on the actual blank.
Before you order
Lay the garment flat and measure the printable chest area between the seams. Knock 4–5 cm off that width for a safe margin — a print should never run into a seam or the armhole.
Full size chart & best fit
Here's the chart in full, with a real-world "best for" column so you can match a size to a garment in one glance. All measurements are the longest side of the finished print.
| Size | Inches | Cm | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocket size | 3–5" | 7–13 | Left chest, pocket, sleeve & cap prints |
| Infant | 4–6" | 10–16 | 0–18m bodysuits & vests |
| Toddler | 6–7" | 15–18 | 2T–4T tees & sweats |
| Youth S/M | 8–9" | 20–23 | Ages 5–9 fronts |
| Youth L/XL | 9–10" | 23–26 | Ages 10–14 fronts |
| Adult XS/S | 10" | 26 | Slim & small adult tees |
| Adult M/L | 11" | 28 | The everyday standard front |
| Adult XL/2XL | 12" | 30 | Roomier fronts & full backs |
| Adult 3X and up | 13" | 33 | Big & tall, oversized fits |
Measurements are the longest side of the print. Suggested starting points — all garments differ, so measure when in doubt.
Which size fits which garment
The four garment groups below show how the print area grows from a tiny infant bodysuit up to a full adult tee. The dashed box is roughly where a front print sits, scaled to each garment.
A safe rule: youth sizes land around 20–26 cm, while most adult fronts sit at 28 cm. Go up to 30–33 cm only on XL+ or oversized fits where you genuinely have the chest width to fill.
How to use it
From file to finished press in six steps:
- Pick the garment and size you're printing — an Adult M tee, a 3T sweat, a 6-month bodysuit.
- Read its row on the chart and note the longest-side figure in cm or inches.
- Set your artwork's longest edge to that number. The other side scales on its own.
- Measure the blank to confirm — printable chest width minus a 4–5 cm margin each side.
- Place it: centre a full front and drop it about 7–9 cm below the collar; nudge pocket prints to the left chest.
- Order your DTF by size, or nest several onto a gang sheet to save on film.
Pro tip: print a paper template first
Cut your chosen size out of paper and lay it on the garment before you press. It takes thirty seconds and saves you guessing — especially on the jump between youth and adult.
Custom DTF by size
Upload a single design, set the longest side to any size, and we'll print it solo. Priced by the centimetre.
Build a gang sheet
Mix pocket prints, youth fronts and adult backs on one sheet and pay for film, not setups — the cheapest way to print at scale.
Common placements at a glance
Six prints we set up most days, with the longest-side size we'd start from on an adult tee. The mint zone shows roughly where each one lands.
Earn £15 = a free gang-sheet metre
Every follow, review or post earns DTF Credit.
Tag us in a finished press, leave an honest review, or follow along and your account stacks up DTF Credit. Hit £15 of credit and that's a free gang-sheet metre — a whole metre of film to fill with as many sizes as you can nest.
