Take a close look at the fox’s whiskers and the blue jay’s feathers. That’s the detail that surprised me when I opened this order from Ninja Transfers. I sent them two high-quality PNGs from Embroidery Design Club, and the prints came back looking like you could reach out and feel the stitches.
These photos show the designs on the transfer film before heat pressing. You can see the fine lines around the fox’s ears and the way the shades of blue follow the direction of the bird’s feathers.
The fox transfer printed by Ninja Transfers. Look at the wispy fur around the ears and cheeks.
The blue jay transfer printed by Ninja Transfers. The shades of blue give the feathers depth.
How DTF gets that embroidered look
DTF stands for direct-to-film. The printer puts your artwork on a film, and you use a heat press to transfer the print onto a garment. The thread-like detail you see comes from the PNG artwork. The finished design has the visual effect of embroidery with the feel of a heat-applied print.
How to try it with an Embroidery Design Club PNG
- Download the original PNG. Choose a design that includes a PNG and open the full-resolution file from your download. Use artwork with a transparent background if you want the garment color to show around the design.
- Pick your finished print size. Check that the image has enough pixels for that size before ordering. Ninja Transfers recommends 300 DPI for PNG artwork. A 10-inch-wide print at that resolution needs an image that’s 3,000 pixels wide. (Ninja Transfers artwork FAQ)
- Order a sample transfer. Upload the PNG to a DTF printer such as Ninja Transfers. Start with one transfer so you can see how the fine detail reads at the size you chose.
- Heat press a test garment. Follow your printer’s directions for temperature, pressure, pressing time and when to peel the film. Test on the same type of garment you plan to use for the job. (Ninja Transfers pressing guide)
Your design, your garments: Embroidery Design Club members may print the PNG included with a design on garments and products they make or sell, and may send the PNG to a print shop only to produce their own order. The PNG file itself can’t be resold or shared. See the EDC terms.
When DTF can save you money
I’d price it both ways on a large, detailed sweatshirt design. With embroidery, a high stitch count adds machine time, and you also have thread, stabilizer and hooping labor. With DTF, you’re paying for the transfer, shipping and the time it takes to press it. For a big print with lots of detail, DTF can give you that stitched look at a lower cost. Compare the finished cost per garment before quoting the job.
You can even use both methods on the same piece. Think a stitched name on the front of a hoodie and a large fox transfer on the back.
Pro Tip:
👉 Find a design you’d like to try on your next tee or sweatshirt. Browse Embroidery Design Club
TEX Inc. – The Embroidery eXperts Since 1996