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Shanghai Tengyang New Materials · Factory-Direct DTF Consumables
DTF Transfer Film & DTF Powder, Factory-Direct Transfer Materials
Consistent transfers start with consistent materials. As a hot-melt adhesive manufacturer, we make the DTF transfer film and TPU powder your print shop relies on, engineered, disclosed, and shipped from the line that produces them.
Consistent Transfers Start With Consistent Materials
DTF transfer film and DTF powder are the two consumables that decide whether a print survives its first wash or peels at the collar. A DTF transfer film is a coated PET (polyester) carrier that holds your printed ink; the powder is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hot-melt adhesive that bonds that ink to fabric. When either one drifts batch to batch, your reject rate does too.
What are DTF transfer materials?
DTF (Direct-to-Film) transfer materials are a matched pair: a coated PET film that receives the printed CMYK + white-ink layer, and a TPU hot-melt adhesive powder applied over the wet ink and cured (typically 160–180 °C / 320–356 °F, grade-dependent) so the design can later be heat-pressed onto a garment. The print → powder → cure → press sequence is documented in published DTF process patents.
In-House Manufacturing Data
Structurally, because Tengyang runs the coating and powder lines in-house, we can hold the film at 75–100 µm and the powder to a defined micron band with ISO-referenced wash methods, instead of reselling whatever a trader shipped. That is the real trade-off buyers keep missing, a cheaper material is not always a cheaper job once reprints are counted.
HOVER FOR POLYMER SPECS
Print-shop operators rarely fail because of their printer. They fail because a powder clumps in humid storage, a film feels oily and blotches solid colors, or a design turns dark on polyester after pressing. Those are material problems, and material problems are what we control at the polymer level.
Powder that clumps
TPU powder is hygroscopic; poor moisture control causes caking and uneven adhesion.
Prints that fade after washing
Usually the wrong cure window or an inconsistent adhesive, not the artwork.
Colors that go dark on polyester
Disperse-dye migration, solved with a black/anti-sublimation powder and a lower press temperature.
The Tengyang DTF Film & Powder Range
Because we manufacture both halves of the DTF system, film and powder are matched rather than mixed from two suppliers. Both formats run on standard DTF printers and inkjet-converted desktop units, and the film transfer step stays the same whether you press a sheet or a roll.
DTF Transfer Film (PET)
- Single- and double-sided matte, plus glossy back
- Cold-peel and hot/warm-peel coatings
- Cut sheets (A4/A3) and rolls to commercial widths
- Specialty options: UV DTF and glitter films
- Thickness typically 75–100 µm by application
DTF Powder (TPU hot-melt)
- White (standard) and black (dye-migration barrier)
- Fine / medium / coarse particle grades
- Low-melt grade for heat-sensitive polyester
- Packed for manual, shaker and roll-to-roll lines
- Melt behavior tuned per grade
Reference Spec Ranges (industry-typical)
| Property | Typical Range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| PET film thickness | 75–100 µm | 75 µm feeds easily; 100 µm stays flat on large designs and rolls |
| Powder melt onset | ~105 °C (221 °F) | Point the adhesive begins to soften onto the ink |
| Powder melt-flow | ~120 °C (248 °F) | Where it flows into a continuous film during cure |
| Cure window | 160–180 °C (320–356 °F) | Until the powder looks glossy and uniform; grade-dependent |
| Press (transfer) | ~150–165 °C (300–330 °F), 10–15 s | Lower end protects polyester from dye migration |
| Powder decomposition | >350 °C | Well above any correct cure temperature |
Ranges are industry-typical for TPU DTF systems and vary by supplier and grade; they're provided for orientation only. We publish grade-specific values with each order rather than as blanket marketing figures.
The DTF Powder Micron-Grade Band
| Grade | Particle size | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | 0–80 µm | Fine detail, small text, soft hand on light fabrics | Slightly lower wash-life on heavy use |
| Medium | 80–170 µm | All-round everyday graphics, most fabrics | The safe default when unsure |
| Coarse | 170 µm+ | Canvas, denim, heavy weaves, large solids | Stiffer hand-feel |
| Low-melt | fine–medium | Polyester, performance wear, heat-sensitive blends | Tighter cure control needed |
Exact band cut-offs differ between manufacturers; what matters is that they follow standard sieve classification (ASTM D1921) so a buyer can audit them, not just trust a label. Textured white-ink DTF film constructions are also documented in published DTF film patents.
Quick Selection Matrix
| Your situation | Film | Powder | Peel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop / A3 converted printer, mixed jobs | 75 µm double-sided matte, sheets | Medium 80–170 µm white | Cold peel |
| Roll-to-roll production, high volume | 100 µm roll, commercial width | Medium/coarse, shaker-grade | Hot/warm peel |
| Dark polyester / sportswear | 75–100 µm matte | Low-melt or black anti-migration | Cold peel, press ≤150 °C |
| Fine detail, soft-hand apparel | 75 µm double-sided matte | Fine 0–80 µm white | Cold peel |
Auditable Quality Signals (ask any supplier for these)
| Signal | How it's measured | What it prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Particle-size band | Sieve analysis, ASTM D1921 | Uneven adhesion, gritty texture |
| Apparent density / pourability | ASTM D1895 | Shaker jams, uneven powder lay-down |
| Moisture content | ASTM D6869 / D7191 | Clumping, weak bonds from hygroscopic TPU |
| Wash colorfastness | AATCC TM61 / ISO 6330 | Fade and cracking after laundering |
| Dye-transfer / migration | AATCC TM140 / TM163 | Colors going dark on polyester |
Test-method references: ASTM plastics standards and AATCC textile test methods.
Want to compare our figures against your current supplier?
Request a spec sheet & free samples →"On dark polyester we tell customers to drop the press temperature before they change anything else. Nine times out of ten the 'bad powder' complaint is really a dye-migration problem the material can't fix on its own."
[ HOVER FOR ENGINEER INSIGHT ]
Selecting Film & Powder by Fabric & Application
"More powder or a higher-melt powder bonds stronger." In practice a coarse powder just stiffens the hand, and operators have found a low-temp powder outperforming a "factory-approved" one on adhesion. More isn't always better, bond quality is about purity and particle match, not quantity.
Why polyester turns your print dark
Under press heat, polyester's disperse dyes reactivate and bleed into the transfer, the print "turns black or a very dark color and you lose all the bright colors," as one decorator described it. Pressing at or below ~150 °C (300 °F) and switching to a black or anti-sublimation powder blocks most of it; wash durability of the finished transfer is verified against laundering methods such as ISO 6330.
The DTF Material Pairing Index
| Fabric / job | Film | Powder grade | Peel | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% cotton tee | 75 µm matte | Medium white | Cold | Most forgiving substrate |
| Cotton/poly blend | 75 µm matte | Medium white | Cold/warm | Watch press temp on high-poly |
| Dark 100% polyester | 75–100 µm matte | Black / low-melt | Cold, ≤150 °C | Dye migration risk |
| Nylon / performance wear | 75 µm matte | Low-melt | Cold | Low melt point; test first |
| Denim | 100 µm matte | Medium/coarse | Warm | Heavy weave needs coverage |
| Canvas / tote | 100 µm matte | Coarse | Warm | Stiffer hand acceptable |
| Leather / faux leather | 75 µm matte | Low-melt | Cold | Heat-sensitive; low press temp |
| Fine detail / small text | 75 µm double-sided | Fine white | Cold | Fine powder holds edges |
| High-volume roll production | 100 µm roll | Medium shaker | Hot/warm | Throughput over margin |
Pairings are starting points for a test press, not guarantees, always confirm on your exact substrate and machine.
Not sure which pairing fits your line?
Request a matched film + powder sample set →Quality, Consistency & Compliance
For an international buyer, "consistent" and "compliant" are the two words that de-risk a first order. Both are documents you can check here, not adjectives.
OEKO-TEX®
STANDARD 100 on request, verify by certificate number & scope
REACH
SVHC declarations for EU shipments
Wash method
AATCC TM61 / ISO 6330 test framing
Batch QC
Sieve band + moisture per lot
Handle powder safely
DTF adhesive powder is a fine particulate. During manual application and curing it becomes airborne, so a well-ventilated space and a dust mask are basic practice; general nuisance-dust exposure limits (OSHA PNOR, 29 CFR 1910.1000 — 5 mg/m³ respirable / 15 mg/m³ total, 8-hour average) are the reference point most shops work well under.
Wash durability is where most disappointment shows up, and it is a test-method question. A "survives X washes" claim means little without the method behind it, which is why we frame durability against AATCC TM61 accelerated laundering or ISO 6330 rather than a bare number.
A certification badge is only meaningful with a certificate number and the product scope it covers — OEKO-TEX certifies specific items, not a brand in general. We provide the certificate reference for the exact material you order rather than a generic logo.
Interactive Certificate Archive
Static High-Res Preview
Wholesale, OEM & Import: MOQ, Custom Specs, Lead Time & Duty
Buying materials from the factory is where you gain control over spec and cost, and where an honest supplier tells you about the parts of landed cost that a quoted unit price hides.
Rather than a headline price that changes with every order, the real variables are worth understanding up front. Your total cost is driven by grade and format, order volume and reorder cadence, packaging and private-label work, freight mode, and, for US buyers, import duty.
Cost driver
What raises or lowers it
Grade & format
Specialty films/powders and rolls vs sheets
Volume & cadence
Bulk and standing reorders reduce unit cost
Customization
OEM specs and private-label packaging
Freight
Sea vs air; consolidation
US import duty
See duty note below — confirm scope with your broker
What we customize (OEM)
- Film width, thickness and peel type to match your printer and workflow
- Powder particle grade, melt point and color (including anti-migration black)
- Private-label packaging and roll cores
- Matched film + powder pairing validated together, not mixed from two vendors
Import-duty transparency for US buyers
This is the part most overseas suppliers stay quiet about. PET film from China is classified under HTSUS 3920.62.00.90 with a base duty around 4.2% (CBP ruling N338010), but PET film, sheet and strip from China also sit under an antidumping/countervailing order (case A-570-924). In March 2026 the order was continued by the Department of Commerce after an affirmative USITC sunset determination, so it remains in force.
Whether a coated, further-processed DTF transfer film falls inside or outside that order's scope is a formal scope question — the written scope is dispositive, and Commerce can issue a scope ruling (19 CFR 351.225). A coated DTF film may fall entirely outside the order; we do not claim our film is subject or exempt, and we are not quoting a duty on it. The responsible move is to confirm scope and the current cash-deposit rate for your specific coated film with a licensed customs broker before you budget landed cost.
Treat the AD/CVD figure as a worst-case line item to check, not a cost we're quoting: 2026 sunset results put China PET-film dumping margins "likely to prevail" at up to roughly 76.72% where a product is in scope, and CBP collects deposits at the rate in effect on the entry date. That's exactly why it belongs in your cost model as a question for your broker, not as a surprise at the port.
Ready to scope a first order to your specs?
Request a wholesale quote & price list →System Tools
Engineering Tools & Selectors
Access our interactive tools to calculate optimal cure settings and pair the right transfer materials for your specific substrate.
OEM Material Configuration
Get consistent DTF film and powder from the factory that makes them
Tell us your material, printer, fabric, width, thickness and application. We'll recommend a matched film + powder pairing and send samples to test before you commit.
Request a Wholesale QuoteDTF Transfer Materials, FAQ
TPU powder is hygroscopic, so it absorbs moisture and cakes if it is stored open or in humid conditions, decorators report clumping even around 55% humidity. A well-sealed, moisture-controlled powder and dry storage fix most of it; ask your supplier for the moisture spec (ASTM D6869) on the lot.
Wash failure usually traces to the cure window (wrong heat, pressure or time) or a low-quality film/powder, not the artwork. Cure until the powder is glossy and continuous, and hold your supplier to a wash method such as AATCC TM61 or ISO 6330 rather than a vague "X washes" claim.
That's dye migration: press heat reactivates polyester's disperse dyes. Use a black or anti-sublimation powder and press at or below ~150 °C (300 °F). A low-melt powder helps because it cures and presses at gentler temperatures.
Cold peel is more forgiving and better for fine detail; hot/warm peel speeds up production but leaves less room for error. High-volume roll shops usually favor hot peel for throughput; newer operators are safer on cold peel.
Yes, film width, thickness, peel type, powder particle grade, melt point, color, and private-label packaging. We validate the film and powder as a matched pair, so you aren't mixing two suppliers' tolerances.
MOQ and lead time are sized to your grade, format and customization, just request a quote for the specifics of your order. Free material samples are available first so you can test on your own substrates and press before committing.
PET film from China carries a base HTS 3920.62 duty (~4.2%) and may have additional antidumping/countervailing exposure under order A-570-924, which was continued in 2026. Whether a coated DTF film is in scope is a customs scope question, confirm with a licensed broker so it's in your landed-cost model up front.
