Big shops may boast faster turnaround times and larger capacities, but small print shops have a decisive advantage: in-house direct-to-film (DTF) printing.
By producing transfers on demand, small shops can profitably run one-offs and short batches, launch always-open online stores, and deliver same-day turnaround that rivals the big players. We break down how in-house DTF helps you cut outsourcing costs and unlock new revenue streams.
Why Small Shops Struggle Against Large Competitors
Most often, bigger print shops keep their DTF printers, screen-printing presses, and other decorating equipment running over several shifts so they can consistently hit tight timelines. When a small shop outsources DTF transfers, the team will wait two to five business days before they can even press the job, eliminating any rush potential and event-driven orders.
A larger shop can also split jobs across multiple printers and presses, lessening downtime. Smaller shops often have a single DTF printer (or none) and fewer heat presses, so a single bottleneck or jam can push the entire schedule.
Finally, bigger shops can offer print-on-demand (POD) goods and online stores with same- or next-day production and direct shipping to the end-buyer. Even if a small shop has an online store platform, the team misses opportunities without an in-house, on-demand production setup.
All of these competitive disadvantages for a smaller print shop are amplified by outsourcing and setup-heavy processes, the very things that in-house DTF eliminates.
How In-House Changes the DTF Game
An in-house DTF setup can help smaller shops in a number of ways, including:
1. You can make short runs and one-offs profitable: With DTF, you don’t need screens, emulsions, or color setups. You just set up your artwork and RIP, print the transfer, and press it onto the t-shirt. That means orders of one to 50 pieces with custom names or numbers stop being time-wasters and start making a healthy margin.
2. You can guarantee same- or next-day turnaround: Instead of waiting up to five business days for your DTF transfers to arrive (plus shipping), you can print in the morning and ship out that same afternoon. With blanks on hand or delivered regularly, you can deliver “we need it tomorrow” jobs without panic.
3. Always-open webstores are actually manageable. With DTF, you can print gang sheets of a school’s or team’s top sizes and logos ahead of time and then press on demand as your orders come in. Batch pressing once per day (or per shift) keeps your labor efficient while still providing customers with the “order today, ships tomorrow” experience.
4. You keep the vendor markup and the freight. Every outsourced sheet includes someone else’s margin plus shipping. In-house DTF erases both, so more of each order stays with you. You also stop “padding” orders just to hit price breaks.
Additionally, if your vendor or shipment is delayed, you’re at a disadvantage. With an in-house misprint, you can simply reprint and press again, and still meet the deadline.
That’s where in-house DTF comes in, and it changes everything.
Unlock New Opportunities and Revenue Streams
When you add an in-house DTF printer system, you can start targeting new revenue right away, since there’s so much available for the taking, including:
1. Always-on fundraising and spiritwear stores for schools and nonprofits: You can fulfill orders in bulk to the school or ship to home, with automatic payouts so organizations see steady donations without pre-buying inventory.
2. Teamwear with variable data: For clients with roster changes, last-minute call-ups, and coach reorders, DTF makes it easy, and you can make a profit on personalization.
Spotlight on schools, clubs, and teams: These customers require always-open stores, frequent micro-orders by size, name, and number, and strict game/event deadlines. They’re looking for free webstore setup, no or low minimums, two-day turns or weekly batch fulfillment, bundles, personalization, profit-share tracking, and bulk/individual delivery.
Spotlight on nonprofits and community organizations: These clients want a low upfront risk, transparent fundraising margins, and quick turns for pop-up events. They’re looking for no-fee webstores, profit-share dashboards, volunteer shirts in mixed sizes, and on 24- to 48-hour turn timelines.
3. Evergreen stores for businesses: Keep approved logos on file and print staff uniforms to orders. You can add auto-reorder prompts (QR code cards or monthly emails) to lock in repeat business.
4. Corporate B2B kits: For onboarding, events, or sales meetings, you can sell bundled kits and charge project management or rush fees for tight timelines.
Spotlight on corporate buyers: These clients want a print shop that can quickly deliver small batches for new hires or events, as well as maintain an always-open company store, for apparel and accessories with variable data like names and departments. They can be very lucrative with diverse requests, like welcome kits, conference capsules, reorder portals, rush tiers, and PO-friendly invoicing.
Limited drops & events: Whether it’s a 48-hour flash sale, a concert, or a wedding, you print only what sells, so there’s no wasted inventory or missed deadlines.
Spotlight on creators and boutiques: Influencers, micro-brands, and local specialty retailers thrive on short, low-risk runs. They require rapid design testing, quick restocks when a post goes viral, or frequent small reorders tailored to neighborhoods and seasons. They pick small shops with DTF because you can profitably handle one-to-50-piece drops and keep color-accurate reprints on tap. What wins them over are preorder windows, monthly capsule drops, gang-sheet pricing, and extras like stickers, private-label tagging, or packaging upsells that lift average order value.
Contract DTF for other shops: Sell gang sheets and rush transfers to neighboring decorators who don’t own DTF printers.
How DTF Safeguards Your Margins
Beyond new revenue streams, in-house DTF also protects your margins in measurable ways.
For example:
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You’ll eliminate vendor markups. An outsourced preprinted DTF transfer can run between $2 and $10, depending on the size and complexity. If you print transfers in-house, you’re looking at spending between 50 cents and $1.50 per transfer. At 300 prints/month, at $5 per outsourced print versus $1.50 for in-house, you’re already saving $1,050 that would have gone to your vendor.
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You’ll slash setup/overhead vs. screen printing. With no screens, emulsions, reclaim, or lengthy setups, you spend less time and effort on decorating jobs.
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You can monetize your on-demand speed with rush pricing. Your same-day/next-day capability justifies higher or rush fees that big shops already charge. You capture last-minute orders at healthy margins instead of turning them away or waiting on a supplier’s up-to-five-day window.
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You can print exactly what sells, so you cut waste and shipping drag. On-demand DTF means no over-ordering to hit price breaks, no stale transfer inventory, and fewer write-offs. You also eliminate inbound shipping costs and delays, split shipments, and the time-consuming “where is my order?” inquiries.
What Products Make the Most Sense for In-House DTF?
Beyond new customer types and revenue streams, the real magic of in-house DTF shows up in the kinds of products you can profitably decorate, from everyday apparel to niche add-ons.
1. Core apparel (tees, hoodies, polos, fleece)
You’ll get orders of 12 to 50 pieces in mixed sizes and colors, with frequent reorders.
Why DTF wins: These transfers work on cotton, polyester, and blends, and you can easily gang sheet transfers for multiple placements that you process the same day you get the orders. With multiple placements on each garment, you can charge more per shirt.
2. Personalization (names, numbers, small-batch customs)
Most often, teams, schools, clubs, and camps need multiple orders over the season or yearly for corporations or when new hires get onboarded.
Why DTF wins: Your RIP handles the variable data automatically, so you can print names and numbers directly without the extra step of vinyl cutting or weeding.
3. Seasonal and event capsules (holidays, reunions, festivals, fundraisers)
This is for clients who have short sales windows with firm pop-up store open/close dates and unpredictable quantities.
Why DTF wins: You can pre-sell online, print only what’s ordered, eliminate leftover inventory, and batch production by event date.
4. Accessories and promo gear (totes, aprons, hats, bandanas)
These are great, small add-on runs that repeat frequently.
Why DTF wins: Small imprints gang efficiently on sheets, deliver consistent color across mixed materials, and make reorders fast, plus you can boost margins with simple upsells like “add a tote or hat for $X.”
5. Webstore staples and reorders (always-on SKUs)
You’ll see one to five units ordered drip-style all month, plus spikes.
Why DTF wins: These transfers let you fulfill true print-on-demand with batching, no dead stock, and consistent color across reprints. You can also lift profits with strategies like minimum shipping thresholds, auto-batch days, and subscriber discounts for monthly top-ups.
6. Home décor soft goods (pillows, throws, flags, banners)
You’ll see small themed sets for boutiques, Airbnb hosts, and schools.
Why DTF wins: DTF delivers vibrant graphics on cotton/poly textiles and makes one-off personalization (like names or addresses) easy. You can increase sales with room/event bundles (such as a “wedding set”) and seasonal refresh packs for spring or fall designs.
7. Footwear (canvas uppers, heat-tolerant straps)
You’ll see micro-drops and niche merch runs.
Why DTF wins: These transfers allow precise placement without screens, making short custom runs feasible. With the right setup (testing adhesion/heat per substrate, using jigs, and pressing longer at lower temps), you can charge premium prices for one-off pairs or matched merch sets like “t-shirt and shoes.”
8. Pet products (bandanas, tees, leash wraps, beds with removable covers)
You’ll see frequent reorders for personalized names and sizes.
Why DTF wins: DTF offers clean personalization without weeding and consistent color across fabrics and sizes. You can boost revenue with “pet pack” bundles (human tee and pet bandana) and seasonal drops in holiday or team colors.
What to Watch While You’re Getting Started
Always work with a known vendor like Arcus Printers before buying a DTF system, and consider these aspects of bringing a setup in-house:
✅ Upfront and hidden costs: Budget $5,000 to $20,000 for a printer setup, with a printer, heat press, powder shaker, dryer/curing unit, and air filtration. You’ll need to set aside time for setup and calibration.
✅ Consumables and supply chain: Ink and film will be ongoing supply costs, and pricing varies by brand and color.
✅ Maintenance and uptime: Be ready to commit to daily and weekly cleaning, nozzle checks, and printhead care. Otherwise, you’re signing up for clogs, banding, reprints, and repairs.
✅ Skills and workflow: Your staff will need to learn RIP software, color management, as well as film, powder, and press temperatures and dwell times. You should also build press profiles for common fabrics, document the steps, and then train for variable data and gang-sheet efficiency.
✅ Demand and ROI reality: You’ll need steady orders or always-open webstores to give you an ROI from your initial investment.
✅ Space, power, and environment: Make sure you have the footprint for your full printer setup as well as power needs (often 110 to 120V or 220 to 240V on dedicated circuits). Maintain 68° to 77°F and 40% to 60% RH for stable output and fewer clogs.
How to Market Your DTF Capabilities
Here are some quick tips to start making money from DTF as soon as you’re up and running.
1. Offer always-open webstores: From day one, offer current and new clients online stores with no minimums and on-demand DTF. That way, end-customers can reorder a single shirt or a full set any time without waiting for batch windows.
2. Make speed your headline: Advertise same-day or next-day on small runs, publish a simple rush-fee table, and set clear pickup or local delivery windows.
3. Lead with personalization at scale: Let clients know that you can customize names, numbers, and variable data templates, so schools, teams, and companies can submit a roster and get perfectly labeled gear fast.
4. Sell bundles and programs: Market that you can fulfill welcome kits, event packs, and fundraiser bundles, highlighting that you handle kitting in-house for one shipment and one invoice.
5. Prove quality with quick demo reels and micro case studies: Show your press settings, how you peel a transfer, and the results after a 10-wash test, so buyers see real-world durability. You can also feature clients talking about the DTF transfer apparel and accessories you created.
The Bottom Line on DTF Growth
If you’re ready to bring DTF production in-house, Arcus makes it simple.
One DTF printer setup to consider is the Pioneer 17 2-Head DTF Printer, an all-in-one solution designed for decorators who need industrial-level performance in a compact footprint. Powered by the EPSON i3200 printhead and built to handle up to 17" film, it delivers faster output, larger prints, and sharper detail with every run. The integrated powder-retaining system, 1-liter ink tanks, and all-in-one shaker/dryer keep production moving with fewer stops.
With its durable, space-saving design that fits through standard doorways, the Pioneer 17 2-Head is production-ready from day one, giving small shops the high-performance output they need without compromise.
Arcus gives you a clear growth path. Learn more at Arcusprinters.com.
