A printed transfer that bonds to hard surfaces — glass, metal, plastic, wood, painted surfaces — with no heat and no press. You position it, burnish it down by hand, and peel the carrier film off.

Can I use UV DTF on fabric?

No. UV DTF is for hard surfaces only. For t-shirts, hoodies and anything else made of fabric you want regular DTF transfers, which are heat-pressed.

Do I need a heat press for UV DTF?

No, and that is the main practical advantage. Application is entirely by hand — clean the surface, position, burnish, peel. No equipment at all.

How much does UV DTF cost?

The same rate as regular DTF transfers: $0.0249 per square inch of printed area. There is no premium for UV DTF and no premium for full-colour artwork.

What is double-sided UV DTF?

A transfer printed so the design reads correctly from both sides of a clear surface — glass, acrylic, a clear tumbler, a storefront window. A single-sided transfer viewed from behind reads backwards; a double-sided one does not.

Is UV DTF dishwasher safe?

We recommend hand washing. Applied properly to a clean, dry surface the bond is durable and water-resistant, but dishwasher cycles combine high heat, harsh detergent and prolonged saturation, and we would rather tell you to hand wash than have you find out otherwise on a batch of customer tumblers.

How long do UV DTF transfers last?

On a properly prepared surface, indefinitely under normal indoor use — they do not peel off the way a vinyl sticker eventually does. Surface preparation is the deciding factor: any residue, oil or dust under the transfer will show up as a failure later.

UV DTF

UV DTF Transfers — Full-Colour Graphics for Hard Surfaces

UV DTF sticks permanently to glass, metal, plastic and wood with no heat and no press — you burnish it on by hand. It prints at the same $0.0249 per square inch as our fabric transfers, in single or double-sided, with no minimum order.

Order UV DTF transfers →UV DTF stickers

No heat press needed
Single or double-sided
Same price as regular DTF
No minimums

The difference

UV DTF vs regular DTF.

They share a name and almost nothing else. The question that decides which one you need is simply: is the thing you are decorating made of fabric?

Comparison of regular DTF and UV DTF transfers
	Regular DTF	UV DTF
Goes on	Fabric — cotton, poly, blends, fleece	Hard surfaces — glass, metal, plastic, wood
Applied with	A heat press	Your hands
Equipment needed	Heat press, silicone sheet	None
Finish	Soft, matte after the second press	Glossy, slightly raised, feels printed-on
Removable?	No	No — it is meant to be permanent
Price	$0.0249 / sq in	$0.0249 / sq in — the same

No press needed

UV DTF — hard surfaces

Tumblers, bottles, glass, jars, candles.
Metal signage, tool boxes, hard hats.
Plastic containers, phone cases, bins.
Sealed or painted wood.
Applied by hand — clean, position, burnish, peel.

Heat press

Regular DTF — fabric

Cotton, poly-cotton blends, 100% polyester.
Performance wear, fleece, hoodies.
Canvas and tote bags.
Hats, with a cap press.
Will not survive a wash cycle if you use UV DTF here.

One question settles it: is the thing you are decorating made of fabric?

If you are decorating a t-shirt, you want regular DTF transfers. If you are decorating a tumbler, you are in the right place.

Surfaces

What UV DTF sticks to.

Tumblers and drinkware

Stainless steel, powder-coated and acrylic tumblers, water bottles and travel mugs. The single most common UV DTF application by a wide margin.

Glass, jars and candles

Candle jars, mason jars, bottles and glassware. Clear glass is where double-sided printing earns its keep.

Metal

Signage, tool boxes, equipment panels, hard hats and lunch boxes. Clean the surface properly — metal is often oilier than it looks.

Plastic

Phone cases, storage containers, bins, coolers and packaging. Textured plastic holds the transfer less well than smooth.

Wood and painted surfaces

Sealed or painted wood takes UV DTF well. Raw, porous or unsealed wood does not — the surface needs to be smooth and non-absorbent.

Not fabric

Worth stating plainly: UV DTF does not go on fabric, and it will not survive a wash cycle if you try. Use regular DTF transfers for anything you wear.

Single or double-sided

Which one you need.

Single-sided is the default and is right for any opaque surface — a steel tumbler, a painted sign, a phone case. The design is seen from the front only.

Double-sided is for clear surfaces where the graphic will be viewed from both directions: a glass jar you can see through, a clear acrylic tumbler, a storefront window read from inside and outside. On a single-sided transfer applied to glass, anyone looking from the other side sees the design reversed. Double-sided solves that.

How to apply UV DTF.

No heat, no press, no equipment. The step that decides whether it lasts is the first one — almost every failure traces back to a surface that was not properly cleaned.

1
Clean and dry the surface
Isopropyl alcohol, then let it dry completely. This is not a formality — nearly every UV DTF failure traces back to residue, oil or dust trapped under the transfer.
2
Position it before it touches
Get the placement right first. Once the adhesive contacts the surface it is committed, and lifting it to reposition usually distorts the graphic.
3
Burnish firmly from the centre out
Use a squeegee, a plastic card or your thumb. Work from the middle outwards so air is pushed to the edges rather than trapped in the middle.
4
Peel the carrier slowly
Pull back at a shallow angle, slowly. If any part of the design starts to lift with the carrier, lay it back down, burnish that spot again, and carry on.
5
Let it cure before use
Give it a day before washing or heavy handling. The bond keeps strengthening after application.

Pricing

Same rate as fabric transfers.

$0.0249 per square inch of printed area, exactly as with our regular DTF transfers. There is no UV surcharge, no minimum order, and no extra charge for double-sided. Full-colour artwork costs the same as a one-colour design.

Ordering several designs at once? The same packing logic as fabric gang sheets applies — pack them onto one sheet and you pay for far less empty film. See full pricing →

FAQ

UV DTF questions

What is UV DTF?: A printed transfer that bonds to hard surfaces — glass, metal, plastic, wood, painted surfaces — with no heat and no press. You position it, burnish it down by hand, and peel the carrier film off.
Can I use UV DTF on fabric?: No. UV DTF is for hard surfaces only. For t-shirts, hoodies and anything else made of fabric you want regular DTF transfers, which are heat-pressed.
Do I need a heat press for UV DTF?: No, and that is the main practical advantage. Application is entirely by hand — clean the surface, position, burnish, peel. No equipment at all.
How much does UV DTF cost?: The same rate as regular DTF transfers: $0.0249 per square inch of printed area. There is no premium for UV DTF and no premium for full-colour artwork.
What is double-sided UV DTF?: A transfer printed so the design reads correctly from both sides of a clear surface — glass, acrylic, a clear tumbler, a storefront window. A single-sided transfer viewed from behind reads backwards; a double-sided one does not.
Is UV DTF dishwasher safe?: We recommend hand washing. Applied properly to a clean, dry surface the bond is durable and water-resistant, but dishwasher cycles combine high heat, harsh detergent and prolonged saturation, and we would rather tell you to hand wash than have you find out otherwise on a batch of customer tumblers.
How long do UV DTF transfers last?: On a properly prepared surface, indefinitely under normal indoor use — they do not peel off the way a vinyl sticker eventually does. Surface preparation is the deciding factor: any residue, oil or dust under the transfer will show up as a failure later.

Explore

Also available

Custom UV DTF stickers

Waterproof, scratch-resistant and permanent. No minimum order.

Double-sided UV DTF

For glass and clear surfaces where the design has to read correctly from both sides.

Fabric DTF transfers

The heat-pressed version, for t-shirts, hoodies and everything else you wear.

Pricing

The per-square-inch rate, worked examples and add-ons.

Upload your design and see the price.

UV DTF orders follow the same schedule as everything else — placed before 2 PM ET on a business day, printed that afternoon, shipped the next morning.

Order UV DTF →Double-sided UV DTF

No heat press needed · No minimums · Same rate as fabric DTF