DTF for Sportswear: What Matters
Customized prints on sports textiles are very popular — whether for professional teams, amateur sports, or personalized fitness outfits. Heat transfers, especially DTF, have established themselves as a reliable, flexible, and durable solution in this field. They allow logos, player names, numbers, and other designs to be applied with vibrant colors and excellent durability. At the same time, the functionality and performance of the sportswear remain fully intact.
The Material: Polyester & Co.
Sportswear is almost always made from polyester or polyester blends. This material is lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying — ideal properties for athletic activities. However, these same properties make printing challenging: polyester is sensitive to heat and reacts quickly to excessive temperatures.
Heat Sensitivity
Excessive heat can cause polyester to discolor or even become damaged. While cotton can withstand high temperatures well, polyester requires careful handling. The situation becomes even more critical if the fabric contains elastane, which is even more sensitive.
Color Migration
Another common problem is color migration. At high temperatures, dyes in the fabric can sublimate (turn into gas) and move into the transfer, leading to unwanted color shifts or staining. Bright colors such as vibrant red, deep burgundy, bright orange, or pink are particularly at risk, but dark shirts can also release their color.
Stretch & Freedom of Movement
Sports textiles need to adapt to body movements while remaining permanently elastic. This applies not only to the fabric itself but also to the applied design. A transfer that isn’t flexible enough can tear or crack. Therefore, it is essential to choose a transfer solution that accommodates stretching and recovery.
The Solution: Innovative DTF Transfers for Sports Textiles
To refine polyester and other performance fabrics safely and with high quality, it is recommended to use specially developed transfers with low application temperatures and high elasticity.
An example of this is our DHT TEX DTF transfers. These transfers combine brilliant color results with technical performance and are perfectly tailored to the needs of sports textiles.
What makes our DTF transfers special?
- Low application temperature
Our transfers can be applied perfectly at just 120°C. This prevents heat damage and significantly reduces the risk of color migration.
- Maximum flexibility
Thanks to their high stretchability, the transfers adapt perfectly to the fabric and remain dimensionally stable even under heavy use.
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Brilliant, detailed prints
Whether sponsor logos, club emblems, or personalized designs: the color representation is razor-sharp and vibrant, with no color or design limitations.
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Lightweight & breathable with an athletic effect
The "Athletic" print setting creates many small holes, making the print ultra breathable.
- Excellent wash resistance
At a washing temperature of 40°C, the jersey stays intact — without peeling, cracking, or fading.
Conclusion
Anyone looking to professionally customize sportswear should definitely rely on transfer solutions that can handle the demands of polyester and stretch materials. DIGITRAN DTF transfers are perfectly suited for this — whether for team kits, fitness brands, or personalized training apparel.
Why take off with DIGITRAN? Because quality and experience go hand in hand.
In an era where DTF printing technology is redefining the textile industry, we are ready to help you unlock the full potential of this technology. We've been part of this journey since 2019 — both as a printing company and as a partner for machines and consumables. Thanks to this combination, we know all the components and specifics of DTF printing inside and out, so you don’t have to learn them the hard way.
Join us on this exciting journey, where every print becomes an impressive work of art. We bring your ideas to life, tailored to your needs — let’s redefine the printing era together!
Contact Us
for a non-binding and personal consultation on the subject of digital transfer printing.
Click the button to get in touch with us directly and receive personal advice. This way, your products can start benefiting from this unique, clean, and digital printing technology as quickly as possible.
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