To truly unlock automated income in the DTF business, having an online store is essential – even if you primarily sell locally. If you haven’t set one up yet, Shopify is highly recommended as your starting point. It’s incredibly user-friendly and quick to launch, offering a wide range of plugins that help you structure your website effectively and professionally.
Choosing Shopify is strongly recommended as the best way to start a DTF online store. Data from the DTF Gang Sheet Builder team, which supports around 1,000 clients in the US selling DTF transfers, shows that 90% of them use Shopify.
Custom Gang Sheets – The Primary Source of Income in the DTF Business.
In the business offering of DTF services, a key product is the custom gang sheet, which remains the most popular choice among clients. A gang sheet allows multiple different graphics to be placed on a single sheet, significantly improving production efficiency. Two main types of customers can be distinguished: those with experience in creating DTF gang sheets using software like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Affinity, who do not require additional design tools, and a large group of less tech-savvy users who need simple, website-based solutions for building gang sheets. The DTF Gang Sheet Builder is dedicated to this second group, enabling easy and intuitive creation of gang sheets without the need for specialized graphic design skills.
It’s worth knowing that most DTF printers are typically 24 inches wide, but the practical printable area is usually around 22.5 inches. This size makes it easy to fit two 11-inch transfers side by side, with enough space in between for cutting, which is a handy trick for maximizing efficiency. From working with DTF businesses over the past three and a half years, it’s clear that about one to two years ago, many people moved from a 22-inch width to 22.5 inches, so it’s definitely a good idea to go with this standard.
In the DTF Gang Sheet Builder tool, the process starts simply with uploading graphics, after which users can choose the quantity of each design they wish to order. Options are available to define the width, height, and background settings, including the possibility to remove backgrounds – either basic white removal or more advanced, AI-based background extraction. Additionally, the tool offers the feature to add designs directly from a built-in library, enabling businesses to present ready-made graphics to their customers, not just custom uploads. This helps automate significant parts of creating custom gang sheets, which remains a crucial aspect for both the businesses offering DTF services and for the tool users themselves. The output files generated can be in PNG or PDF formats and may include details such as an order ID barcode, facilitating seamless integration with RIP software for immediate printing.
Ready-to-Press DTF Transfers – An Essential Income Driver for Print Shops.
Another important part of a DTF business offering is ready-to-press transfers. These are pre-made, single designs that are not customized by the customer. Instead of uploading their own files, clients simply browse through available categories and products, selecting the designs they want. For example, a customer might purchase three transfers with Easter motifs, five designs for back-to-school themes, and ten featuring “Mama” graphics or other popular topics. This approach makes it easy for customers to quickly choose high-demand designs while providing businesses with an additional, steady revenue stream.
Ready-to-press transfers are typically showcased on mockups, such as T-shirts, allowing customers to see how the designs will look in real life and choose from various available sizes. When it comes to sourcing these designs, many businesses purchase them from platforms like Etsy, where hundreds of options are available at very low prices. However, for those aiming to stand out from the competition, it can be worthwhile to collaborate with a designer to create exclusive collections tailored specifically for their brand.
One of the significant advantages of offering ready-to-press transfers is the potential for much higher profit margins compared to DTF gang sheets. However, it’s essential that this process is also automated to ensure efficiency and scalability. In DTF Gang Sheet Builder, this workflow is fully supported. From the client’s perspective, the experience is seamless and functions like a typical e-commerce purchase – they simply select the desired size, add products to the cart, and complete the payment. Behind the scenes, once the order is finalized and paid, a gang sheet is automatically generated on the backend. The file is then prepared and sent directly to the RIP software, streamlining the production process without requiring any manual intervention.
Custom Single Transfers – The Third Pillar of a Successful DTF Business.
The third important part of the DTF business is custom singles. No matter how much effort is put into encouraging clients to use the gang sheet builder or to upload their own gang sheets, many customers will still prefer to order individual transfers. In this scenario, clients simply upload a single design file and specify the desired size, such as 8 inches, 10 inches, or 11 inches. They often do not want to spend time arranging multiple designs on a gang sheet and instead expect the business to handle this task for them, seeking convenience and simplicity in the ordering process.
Custom singles often allow businesses to set higher prices compared to custom gang sheets, reflecting the added convenience and individual attention required for each order. Additionally, many customers prefer to receive their transfers already cut rather than on a roll, expecting ready-to-use pieces for easy application. From discussions with numerous clients, it’s evident that this part of the business often requires significant manual effort. Many businesses employ one or two dedicated staff members solely focused on managing customer files, creating gang sheets from individual designs, and preparing the files for the RIP software to ensure smooth production workflows.
With Custom Singles Builder this process can be fully automated. Clients simply upload their files and select the desired quantity, making the ordering experience quick and user-friendly. On the backend, all these files are collected and automatically compiled into a DTF gang sheet, eliminating the need for manual layout work. As a result, businesses can significantly reduce labor costs, since just a few clicks are all it takes to produce a print-ready file. This ensures that even custom single orders are handled efficiently and seamlessly through automation.
In the DTF business, mixed orders are a common occurrence, combining ready-to-press transfers from the design library with custom individual designs. This represents one of the most frequent scenarios observed among users of the tool. Customers often choose to add both custom uploads and pre-designed transfers to their orders, sometimes selecting seasonal designs, such as those for Saint Patrick’s Day, to reach free shipping thresholds or to expand their product offering. The tool supports this process by collecting all files – both from the library and custom uploads – and automatically generating a unified gang sheet, which streamlines the entire production workflow.
Internal Building – Simplifying DTF Sales with an Internal Use Tool.
The internal builder tool is designed specifically for internal use, addressing situations where customers prefer to provide their design files through various channels – sometimes sending them via email, or visiting a physical store and bringing files on a USB stick, among other unconventional methods. Although encouraging customers to use the online platform is ideal, it’s not always feasible, as some may feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the process.
To accommodate these cases, the internal builder enables businesses to manually input orders by uploading customer-provided files directly into the system. By simply entering the required quantity and size, a gang sheet can be quickly and easily generated using the same automated process as for online orders. This level of automation significantly reduces labor costs and improves profit margins, ensuring that even customers who are less comfortable with technology can be served efficiently and professionally.
More than DTF Transfers – Expanding into Custom Apparel.
In addition to offering DTF transfers, it’s worth considering expanding into custom apparel to broaden the business portfolio and better serve customer needs. Providing clients with the ability to visualize how a particular graphic will appear on different T-shirt colors and sizes can significantly enhance their buying experience. This functionality is supported by the Antigro Designer, allowing customers to choose colors, select sizes, upload their designs, and preview how the final product will look. While DTF transfers remain the most profitable part of many businesses, introducing custom apparel can help maintain continuous production and ensure machines are running efficiently, especially as the market for DTF transfers continues to grow rapidly.
More than DTF Transfers – Which Other Products Are Worth Selling?
Businesses coming from other printing sectors, such as sublimation or wide-format printing, should consider dedicating a section of their website to additional products like stickers, yard signs, posters, mugs, tumblers, or banners. Even if these products don’t become top sellers, offering a broader range ensures the business becomes a go-to resource for customers’ diverse printing needs. Retaining existing equipment, such as sublimation printers and heat presses, can be valuable for fulfilling varied orders, as customers often seek complementary items for events or special occasions. Expanding into other products can create new revenue streams and strengthen customer loyalty by positioning the business as a comprehensive print solutions provider.