DTF and sublimation serve different needs. DTF works on any fabric type (cotton, polyester, nylon, blends) and prints on dark garments, while sublimation only works on polyester or polymer-coated surfaces and light colors. DTF has a slightly raised texture, while sublimation has zero texture (dye becomes part of the fiber). For a business serving diverse clients, DTF is more versatile. For polyester sportswear exclusively, sublimation produces a superior, no-texture finish.

For small runs (1-50 units), DTF is cheapest at $0.50-$1.80 per print (materials only). Sublimation is comparable at $0.30-$1.00 but only works on polyester. For large runs (100+ identical units), screen printing becomes cheapest at $0.50-$2.00 per unit once setup costs are amortized. DTG is the most expensive per unit at $1.50-$4.00 but offers the softest hand feel on cotton.

Sublimation prints on polyester last the longest — essentially the lifetime of the garment — because the dye is chemically embedded into the fibers. Screen printing on cotton is next, often outlasting the garment itself. DTF prints survive 50+ washes without cracking because the TPU resin encapsulates the ink. DTG prints typically show visible fading after 20-30 washes due to cotton fiber fibrillation — the fibers themselves fray and carry the ink with them. All methods far exceed heat transfer vinyl in durability.

No. Sublimation printing does not use white ink, so it cannot print on dark-colored fabrics. The dye-sublimation process relies on the garment's light/white base color to show through the transparent sublimation inks. For dark garments, DTF or DTG (with white pretreatment) are the appropriate technologies. This is a fundamental limitation of sublimation chemistry that cannot be overcome.

Powderless DTF systems integrate adhesive properties into the ink chemistry instead of using separate TPU powder. Benefits include no shaker unit (40% smaller footprint) and no airborne powder particulates. However, in 2026, powderless formulations often produce stiffer prints with worse hand feel, use proprietary (expensive) consumables, and are not yet mature enough for primary production. Standard powdered DTF with proper filtration remains the lower-risk, higher-margin path for business use.

UV DTF uses ultraviolet light (instead of heat) to cure ink onto a film with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The result is a 'peel-and-stick' transfer for rigid/hard surfaces like glass, metal, ceramic, and plastic — materials that cannot go through a heat press. Regular textile DTF uses heat-activated TPU powder to bond to fabrics. Both use similar RIP software (like CADlink Digital Factory), so a hybrid shop can cross-sell textile and hard goods decoration with minimal additional training.