DTF, embroidery, a hat bar and screen printing all run live at San Francisco events. Each one is best at a different moment, so the choice comes down to the room and what guests should leave with.
Live DTF printing
Full-color transfers pressed on the spot, with no screens and no color limit. It's the pick for detailed logos, gradients and names, the mixed runs a Moscone launch or a startup party tends to ask for. See live DTF printing.
Live hat bar
Guests pick a cap and press on a patch. It's a build-your-own station that packs into a small footprint, which helps at a pop-up on the Embarcadero or in a Union Square storefront. See the hat bar.
Live embroidery
Monograms and logos stitched on site. It's slower and it feels like a gift, so it suits VIP rooms, hospitality suites and alumni nights. See live embroidery.
Live screen printing
Real presses and real ink pulled in front of guests. For one bold design in one to three colors across hundreds of shirts, nothing moves a conference line faster. See live screen printing.
Rule of thumb: full color or names → DTF; a gift → embroidery or a hat bar; sheer volume → screen printing. A lot of San Francisco events pair one core station with one extra.
Still deciding? Read DTF or screen printing, or send your event details and we'll suggest a mix.
Planning notes
Before the truck leaves La Habra
Inside Moscone West, on a Chase Center suite night or in a tight corner at The Midway in Dogpatch, the method depends on the room as much as the art.
San Francisco is a long day up the I-5 from our shop, so the kit goes up by truck the day before: presses, heat presses, flash dryers, blanks, tables and signage, with the printers who run them. Plan on about 10x10 ft and two 120V/20A circuits per station. A two-press station does 100+ shirts an hour with a short design menu.