DTF powder is a soft white or black powder that helps your printed design stick to fabric. After printing on DTF film, you add the powder while the ink is still wet. Then, you heat it to melt the powder—this turns it into glue.
Once it’s cured, your design is ready to press onto a shirt. The powder makes the print stay on, wash after wash. It works for both light and dark fabrics and gives a smooth, strong finish.
DTF powder—also called DTF adhesive powder or hot melt powder for DTF printing—is an essential part of the Direct to Film process. It acts as the glue that bonds your printed design to fabric, helping ensure a long-lasting, professional finish.
The process starts by printing your design onto DTF film, a PET-based sheet, using a DTF printer loaded with textile ink. This printer must be capable of printing both coloured ink and a layer of white ink beneath it. The white layer is critical because DTF transfer powder sticks only to the white ink.
While the ink is still wet, the powder is applied—either manually or with a DTF powder shaker. This step is what transforms your printed image into a transfer. The sheet is then moved to a curing oven or placed under a heat source like a heat press, where the powder melts and bonds to the ink.
This curing process turns the powder into an adhesive layer. Now you have a ready-to-use DTF transfer. If you’ve printed on a gang sheet, you can cut out the designs individually. To finish, place the design onto your fabric—dark or light shirt, cotton or polyester—and apply heat using a press. As the DTF hot melt powder reheats, it creates a strong bond that lasts through multiple washes.
This is a common question—but the answer is no. A regular home inkjet printer isn't designed for the DTF process. DTF printing requires a specialised printer that can handle DTF ink and print in two layers: colour on top and white underneath.
Without the white underbase, DTF powder won’t stick to the print, which means the transfer won’t cure or apply properly. This is why a DTF-compatible printer is essential for producing transfers that look vibrant and stick well to fabric.
Yes, and choosing the right DTF powder can affect how your design feels on the fabric, how well it sticks, and how long it lasts after washing.
DTF powder comes in different grain sizes: fine, medium, and coarse.
Choosing the right texture helps improve the look and feel of the print.
Most DTF powders are white, but you can also find black DTF powder.
Some powders melt more evenly, stick better to the ink, and leave a softer feel after pressing. Others are designed to cure faster or hold up better in the wash.
When choosing DTF powder, look for features like:
If you're new to DTF printing, starting with a high-quality white fine powder is usually the safest choice.
