DTF Print Test
Print a DTF colour and white-base test.
Print settings
Print this on the paper you normally use, then examine each section. What a healthy result looks like is described above each pattern on the sheet.
RunTheTests DTF Print Test · print at 100% · plain paper
CMYK — solid ink blocks
Ink coverage — solid density blocks
Skin tones
How this test page works
For direct-to-film transfer printing, this checks colour accuracy and ink density before you commit film and powder — solid, accurate colour here means good transfers.
What the results mean
- White-base density
- DTF relies on a solid white underbase. The density blocks show whether coverage is heavy and even enough for opaque transfers.
Common problems and fixes
- The transfer lifts at the edges after washing
- Under-cured powder or too little pressure, not a printing fault. The adhesive needs to reach full melt across the whole design, and the edges are where an uneven platen shows first. Check the press temperature with an independent probe rather than trusting the display, and confirm even pressure corner to corner.
- Colours are vivid on film and dull on the garment
- The white underbase is too thin, so the fabric colour is showing through the colour layer. Increase white ink density and check the underbase is printing at full opacity — on dark garments this is nearly always the cause, and adding colour density instead makes it worse by increasing ink load without improving opacity.
- Fine detail closes up on the transfer
- Powder is bridging small gaps before curing. Shake off excess more thoroughly, keep the powder layer thin on detailed areas, and consider increasing the minimum feature size in the artwork — DTF holds far less fine detail than the printer itself can resolve.
Frequently asked questions
My DTF transfers look washed out
Usually too little white underbase or low colour density. This test shows your colour and density on paper; on film, ensure the white channel is at full opacity and the powder is fully cured.
Can I judge final colour from the printed film?
No. DTF ink looks dull and slightly chalky on film and changes substantially once heat and the white base are involved, so on-film colour is a process check rather than a colour proof. Build a pressed reference chart from this sheet on the fabric you actually use, and match against that.
Does this test replace a proper ICC profile?
No — it shows whether the mechanics are right, which is the prerequisite. Density, coverage and white base have to be correct before a profile can do anything useful, since a profile cannot compensate for an underbase that is too thin. Get the sheet printing cleanly first, then profile.