{"id":30702,"date":"2026-06-18T08:38:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T08:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/?p=30702"},"modified":"2026-06-18T08:40:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T08:40:39","slug":"direct-to-film-printing-new-develiopments-jsuh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/direct-to-film-printing-new-develiopments-jsuh\/","title":{"rendered":"Direct to Film Printing in 2026: What\u2019s New and What\u2019s Next"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With almost half of 2026 behind us, one thing is clear: direct to film printing (DTF)\u00a0 deserves extra attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DTF printing has become one of the most talked-about technologies in garment decoration. It\u2019s flexible, accessible, and attractive to businesses that want to produce custom apparel <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/dtfilm-vs-screen-printing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">without the setup time of traditional screen printing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But 2026 is also showing the other side of the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The market is getting crowded. Many machines look similar. More suppliers are chasing the same growth. And for print businesses that want to scale, buying a low-cost DTF printer is no longer enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The real question is changing from \u201cCan we print?\u201d to \u201cCan we build a profitable, repeatable, and scalable production operation?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Key Takeaways<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DTF printing is still growing, but the market is becoming more crowded and harder to differentiate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automation, workflow software, and color control are becoming more important than machine price.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small operators and industrial decorators need very different production strategies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kornit\u2019s platform approach supports the move toward connected, scalable digital production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why DTF Printing Feels Different in 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what changed over the last five months? Some changes are subtle but very telling.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>DTF Is Still a Growth Market<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/glossary\/direct-to-film-printing-definition\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Direct to film printing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is popular because of the low entry barrier and consumable costs. Due to that, more and more suppliers and vendors enter the market, and some bring questionable quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, DTFilm has the potential to support detailed designs and a wide range of garment types.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That makes it useful for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Custom apparel shops<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promotional product businesses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/kornit-solutions-for-print-on-demand-businesses\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Print-on-demand companies\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small brands<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Larger decorators adding flexible capacity<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/kornit-digital-at-fespa-2026-jsuh\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FESPA 2026<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, major print technology suppliers continued to highlight DTF, textile, workflow, and color tools as part of the production conversation. Epson, for example, presented Direct-to-Film systems alongside workflow and color tools for professional production.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>But Easy Entry Creates a New Problem<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The low cost of entry is one of DTF\u2019s biggest strengths.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also one of its biggest challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a small operator printing a few dozen pieces a week, DTF can be a great enabler. The investment is lower. The learning curve is shorter. The path to market is faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But for industrial decorators, the game is different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a business needs to produce hundreds or thousands of garments a day, the machine price is only one part of the story. Labor, software, color, uptime, consistency, and finishing all become just as important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is where many print operations start to feel the gap between printing products and running production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30727\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/new-developments-in-dtf2.png\" alt=\"t-shirt with a dtf print 2\" width=\"1366\" height=\"812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/new-developments-in-dtf2.png 1366w, https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/new-developments-in-dtf2-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/new-developments-in-dtf2-1024x609.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>What\u2019s New in DTF Printing in 2026?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, can changes in DTF printing accommodate what industrial-size companies are looking for?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Automation Is Becoming a Must-Have<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A shop running one or two printers can often manage manual steps. A larger operation cannot rely on constant handoffs, checks, and fixes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every extra manual step creates the risk of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More labor costs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More delays<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More production errors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More waste<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More quality variation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This matters because DTF has many moving parts. There is printing, powder or adhesive handling, curing, transfer storage, heat pressing, quality control, and order management.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At scale, these steps need to work together. Otherwise, the printer may be fast, but the workflow around it becomes slow.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Workflow Software Is Now the Real Battleground<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many print businesses, the biggest bottleneck is not the printer. It is the workflow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Orders come from different systems. Files need to be prepared. Colors need to be managed. Jobs need to move through production. Operators need clear instructions. Managers need visibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without strong software, volume becomes messy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is why workflow is becoming central to the DTF conversation in 2026. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ir.kornit.com\/news-releases\/news-release-details\/kornit-digital-acquires-printfactory-accelerate-industrys\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kornit\u2019s acquisition of PrintFactory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is directly connected to this shift. PrintFactory provides cloud-based workflow, RIP, color management, and automation solutions for professional print production, with more than 10,000 users globally.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For industrial decorators, this is critical.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good workflow software helps connect the parts of production that often sit apart: order intake, file preparation, color management, printing, finishing, and fulfillment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In simple terms, workflow software helps answer a basic question:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Can the business produce more without adding chaos?<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Color Consistency Is Becoming a Bigger Test<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hobbyist may accept a print that is \u201cclose enough.\u201d A global brand will not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Industrial customers expect repeatable color across jobs, garments, machines, and locations. If the same logo looks different from one order to the next, consistency is ruined.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is why color management is becoming more important in DTF production. It is also why software, calibration, ink control, and repeatable processes matter so much.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Industry coverage has also pointed to software improvements around white ink, lower curing temperatures, durability, stretch, and softer hand-feel as part of the continuing innovation in DTF and garment decoration.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. DTF Is Moving Toward More Industrial Thinking<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A major shift in 2026 is the move from machine-by-machine thinking to system thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the early DTF wave, many businesses focused on access. Could they enter the market? Could they print custom designs? Could they offer short runs?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, more businesses are asking bigger questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many operators do we need per shift?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many touches does each order require?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can we reduce reprints?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can our color stay consistent?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can our workflow handle growth?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can we profit at scale?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are not small questions. They decide whether a print shop grows or gets stuck.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cluster of low-cost machines may look attractive at first. But if each printer requires too much manual attention, the labor cost can erase the savings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For industrial production, the better question is not only <\/span><b>\u201cWhat does the printer cost?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is <\/span><b>\u201cWhat does the full production model cost?\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>Sustainability Is Becoming More Practical<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sustainability in DTF printing tends to revolve around inks, films, powders, and chemistry. These are important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in 2026, sustainability is also becoming more operational.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A more sustainable production model should reduce:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failed prints<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overproduction<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unnecessary inventory<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excessive manual handling<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy-heavy rework<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waste from poor color matching<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means sustainability is closely tied to efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a print business gets more orders right the first time, it saves materials and labor. This is not just better for the environment. It is better for margins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Where Kornit Fits in the DTF Conversation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kornit\u2019s position in this conversation is far beyond chasing the cheapest entry point. It\u2019s about helping print businesses move toward a more automated and scalable production model.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That matters because the DTF market is becoming crowded. When many suppliers offer similar hardware, differentiation has to come from somewhere else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For industrial players, the difference may come from the full architecture of production: automation, software, color, quality, durability, service, and business model.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>A Platform Approach to Digital Production<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kornit\u2019s broader direction supports this shift. The latest addition, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/printer\/kornit-atlas-matrix-printer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kornit Atlas MATRIX<\/span><\/a>,<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a unified, media-agnostic workflow for cotton, polyester, and blends. It\u2019s powered by MAX and Karbon Technology. The latter enables fully digital, migration-free direct printing on dyed polyester and performance fabrics, combined with advanced Direct-to-Film capabilities, all powered by DigiBlocker\u2122 &#8211; Kornit\u2019s proprietary digital ink blocker.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This kind of approach reflects where the industry is heading.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The future of garment decoration will not be built only around isolated machines. It will depend on connected production systems that can manage demand, print quality, workflow, and fulfillment more intelligently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is especially important as DTF, DTG, screen printing, and other methods continue to exist side by side.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Should Print Businesses Ask Before Investing in DTF in 2026?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before buying or expanding DTF capacity, businesses should ask:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many manual steps are required from the file to the finished garment?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many operators are needed to support real daily volume?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can the workflow handle more orders without slowing down?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How consistent is color across jobs and repeat orders?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What happens when production needs to scale quickly?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much waste comes from errors, reprints, or poor file preparation?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the system support the type of customers the business wants to serve?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These questions help separate a low-cost setup from a scalable production model.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Final Thoughts: DTF Is Growing Up<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The technology is accessible. The market is growing. The demand for custom, on-demand apparel is strong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the next phase can\u2019t be won by hardware alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will be won by businesses that understand the full production picture: labor, automation, workflow, color, quality, sustainability, and growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For small operators, DTF can still be a great way to enter the market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For industrial decorators, the challenge is bigger. They need systems that help them grow without adding friction at every step.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That is where Kornit\u2019s focus on connected and scalable digital production becomes especially relevant. In a crowded DTF market, the real advantage is not just being able to print.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is being able to produce smarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more about Kornit\u2019s systems? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/#contact\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s talk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With almost half of 2026 behind us, one thing is clear: direct to film printing (DTF)\u00a0 deserves extra attention.\u00a0 DTF printing has become one of the most talked-about technologies in garment decoration. It\u2019s flexible, accessible, and attractive to businesses that want to produce custom apparel without the setup time of traditional screen printing. But 2026 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[276],"tags":[305,196],"class_list":["post-30702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-insights","tag-dtfilm","tag-technology"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Angora Media","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30702"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30731,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30702\/revisions\/30731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kornit.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}