877-297-4123

Ask us about our specials. Call or Live chat and talk to a ColDesi Pro.

Main Menu
Menu

Why More Sign Shops Are Adding DTF Printing

Capturing More Customer Revenue Without Losing Focus

For years, many sign shops stayed in their lane.

  • Rigid panels
  • Banners
  • Vehicle graphics
  • Window film
  • Dimensional signage

Apparel belonged to someone else.

Screen printers handled shirts.
Embroidery shops handled polos.
Promotional distributors handled spirit wear.

But over the past several years, something has changed.

More businesses are adding DTF printing for sign shops directly to their production floor. Not because they want to become apparel companies, but because the economy is starting to make sense. The real question is not whether DTF works. It does. The question is whether it represents smart diversification or a distraction from core business.

Why Apparel Keeps Coming Up

Most sign shops already serve the same types of customers:
  • Local businesses
  • Schools
  • Contractors
  • Restaurants
  • Churches
  • Community organizations
Those same customers who order:
  • Exterior signage
  • Yard signs
  • Banners
  • Vehicle graphics
Often ask a simple question.
“Can you do shirts too?”

For years, many sign shops said no. They either referred the work out or lost that portion of the order entirely. Each time that happens, two things occur. Revenue leaves the building. And the customer begins building a relationship with another vendor. That second part matters. Once an order is split between multiple vendors, loyalty weakens.

DTF printing for sign shops changes this dynamic because it removes many of the traditional barriers that kept sign companies out of apparel production.

Why Not Screen Printing?

Historically, if a sign shop wanted to print shirts, the next step was screen printing. But screen printing requires:
  • Significant floor space
  • Screens and exposure equipment
  • Setup time
  • Minimum order quantities
  • Trained operators

For a business structured around signage production, that infrastructure can feel like a full business pivot.

DTF is different. It allows short-run, full-color apparel printing without screens, without long setup time, and without complicated pre-press processes.

Compact systems like the ColDesi 12H2 make it possible for sign shops to add apparel printing with minimal disruption to existing operations.

The goal is not to become a garment factory. It is to fulfill customer demand already walking through the door.

How Sign Shops Use DTF Printing

Most shops adopting DTF printing for sign shops are not chasing mass garment production. Instead, they use the technology to support their existing clients.

Common examples include:

  • A contractor ordering vehicle graphics also needing crew shirts.
  • A school ordering banners also needing spirit wear.
  • A restaurant ordering signage also needing staff uniforms.
  • An event organizer ordering signage also needing promotional shirts.

In each case, the apparel order is tied directly to a signage project. By offering both services, the sign shop captures the full order instead of splitting it between vendors. This approach strengthens client relationships while increasing revenue per customer.

Choosing the Right DTF Printer for a Sign Shop

When evaluating DTF printers for sign shops, the key factor is scale. Some shops simply want to support occasional apparel orders. Others discover apparel demand grows quickly.

Entry systems such as the ColDesi 12H2 are often used for:

  • Contractor shirts
  • School spirit wear
  • Small event apparel orders
  • Staff uniforms

These compact printers fit comfortably within many sign production environments.

For shops that decide apparel should become a larger revenue stream, production systems such as the ColDesi 24H5 and 24H5E offer higher throughput and continuous printing capability.

The equipment simply aligns with the shop’s strategy.

DTF Printing ROI for Sign Shops

One of the reasons DTF printing for sign shops is gaining attention is the return on investment potential.

Consider a simple example.

A contractor places an order for:

  • Vehicle graphics
  • Yard signs
  • 24 Crew shirts

If the shirts are produced in-house using DTF printing, the numbers might look like this. 

Example order:

24 shirts
$12 average profit per shirt

Total profit: $288

Multiply that across multiple clients each month, and apparel quickly becomes a meaningful additional revenue stream.

Even more importantly, the shop keeps the entire project in-house.

Revenue Stability for Sign Shops

Signage revenue often fluctuates.

Construction cycles slow.
Political signage surges and fades.
Seasonal signage comes in waves.

Apparel orders can help smooth those cycles.

Shirts for events.
Team apparel.
Staff uniforms.
Promotional merchandise.

These orders appear consistently across industries.

DTF printing allows sign shops to capture that demand without committing to large garment production operations.

Space Utilization and Shop Efficiency

Every square foot of production space should generate revenue. When shop owners evaluate unused floor space or underutilized labor hours, DTF printing for sign shops becomes attractive because:
  • it requires a manageable footprint
  • it integrates with digital print workflows
  • it avoids complex setup procedures
  • it scales gradually
A compact DTF system can convert idle capacity into profitable production.

Operational Compatibility

One reason DTF fits naturally into many sign shops is workflow compatibility. Design files originate in the same software used for signage. Color management processes feel familiar. Production remains digital and scalable.

Unlike embroidery or traditional screen printing, DTF printing aligns with the digital production mindset already common in modern sign shops.

That compatibility reduces friction during adoption.

Diversification or Distraction?

The answer depends on intent.

DTF becomes a distraction when:

  • it replaces core signage services
  • it shifts marketing focus away from signage
  • it competes directly with garment factories
DTF becomes diversification when:
  • it captures revenue tied to existing sign clients
  • it increases average order value
  • it stabilizes slower months
  • it strengthens customer relationships

The technology itself is neutral.

Strategy determines the outcome.

A Measured Expansion for Sign Shops

For many sign companies, adopting DTF printing for sign shops is less about entering a new industry and more about closing a service gap.

Compact systems like the ColDesi 12H2 allow shops to test apparel printing without major disruption.

Higher-capacity systems such as the 24H5 and 24H5E support businesses that decide apparel demand justifies scaling production.

The key is clarity.

If the goal is to keep customers in-house and increase revenue per relationship, DTF can be a strategic addition.

If the goal is to reinvent the business entirely, the decision requires deeper analysis.

For many shops, DTF sits in the middle ground.

Not a pivot.

An extension.

And in today’s competitive print market, controlled extensions often outperform dramatic shifts.

DTF Printing for Sign Shops

Can sign shops print for shirts using DTF?

Yes. DTF printing allows sign shops to produce full-color apparel transfers without screens or embroidery equipment.

Many shops use DTF printing to increase revenue per customer by offering apparel alongside signage orders.
Compact systems like the ColDesi 12H2 can fit into smaller production environments.
No. DTF printing works well for small to medium runs, which are common among local businesses and event organizers.

Explore ColDesi’s DTF printing solutions and take the step toward modernizing your business. Fill out the form below or call 877-793-3278 to learn more.