1ClickPrint’s purpose-built entry level DTF Pro 2 printer and how to avoid DTF’s biggest hidden cost
DTF (direct-to-film) has changed the game for garment decorators, sign-makers and print businesses of every size. It delivers vibrant, durable prints on demand, across a wide range of fabrics, with a workflow that makes short runs genuinely profitable. And as DTF has grown, so has the promise that “anyone can do it” with a small desktop unit.
The darker side of DTF
“Unfortunately, the last year has shown us the darker side of that promise,” says manufacturer 1ClickPrint, which reports there has been “a wave of low-quality desktop printers that have been modified and marketed as DTF machines”, leaving many small businesses out of pocket, out of time, and in some cases, out of customers.
“We’ve had a lot of calls that start the same way,” says Jamie Turner of 1ClickPrint. “Someone’s bought a ‘DTF-ready’ desktop conversion because the price looked irresistible. Then the reality hits: inconsistent output, constant maintenance, and no meaningful support when it matters most.”
The core problem is simple, says Jamie: a desktop printer was never designed to run white ink reliably, feed film consistently, or operate for production hours. DTF isn’t just “printing on film” – it’s a system that depends on stable ink delivery, controlled temperatures, correct pressure, proper cleaning, repeatable colour profiles, and film handling that doesn’t wander.
“That’s why the issues we see are so predictable,” says Jamie.
White ink issues
White ink is the biggest culprit. “Conversions often struggle with sedimentation and inconsistent circulation, leading to blockages and dropouts that turn a premium print into a reject. Then come head strikes and banding from unstable media paths, poor alignment and mechanical tolerances that simply aren’t built for film. Many users report they can get a print that looks good… once… and then spend the next day trying to get the machine back to the same standard.”
Ink delivery and maintenance systems are another weak point, notes Jamie. Desktop platforms were designed around different ink behaviours, duty cycles and cleaning regimes. When they’re pushed to run heavier DTF inks, components like dampers can become the bottleneck. The result is frequent cleaning cycles, wasted ink, and the kind of downtime that destroys margins on small jobs.
1ClickPrint’s DTF systems are built to offer stable white ink performance, consistent output and a repeatable workflow
The DTF Pro 2 is a purpose-built, entry-level system that is backed up by proper training and tech support
Support and warranty
And then there’s the final sting: support. “Many of these conversions arrive with limited warranty protection, and a supply chain that can’t provide parts quickly,” Jamie reports. When a machine is down, the business is down. Orders don’t pause because your printer is having a bad week.
“When you’re running a small shop, your printer isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s your production line,” he says. “If you miss a deadline, you don’t just lose that order. You lose trust, and trust is the most expensive thing to win back.”
The DTF Pro 2
This is exactly the gap that 1ClickPrint designed the DTF Pro 2 to fill: a genuine entry-level route to in-house DTF that behaves like a production tool, not a hobby project. “It’s built as a DTF system from the start, with the fundamentals that conversion machines struggle to deliver: stable white performance, controlled and consistent output, and a workflow that’s designed to be repeatable day after day, not just on the day it’s unboxed.”
Just as importantly, the solution isn’t only the hardware. 1ClickPrint has always argued that the real difference between a printer purchase and a printer partnership is what happens after delivery.
“Things go wrong,” Jamie explains. “The question is how quickly you get back up and running, and how confident you feel taking on urgent work. That’s why we focus so heavily on proper set-up, training, and accessible tech support, because downtime costs far more than the difference between a cheap machine and a reliable one.”
The appeal of a purpose-built system is obvious: fewer surprises, fewer false economies, and a set-up that’s intended to support growth rather than absorb it. And for businesses considering their first in-house unit, the message is even simpler: DTF profitability comes from consistency. If you can’t produce reliably, you don’t have a printer, you have a problem.
1ClickPrint’s DTF Pro 2 is available at an Images exclusive price of £5,995 + VAT.
To learn more about 1ClickPrint’s DTF Pro 2 and the company’s wider DTF services, visit its dedicated DTF website.