The xTool Apparel Printer Plus needs four core consumables to produce finished DTF transfers: DTF ink, PET transfer film, adhesive powder and printhead-care fluid. Understanding what each supply does—and keeping enough inventory on hand—helps prevent a $5,000+ printer from sitting idle because one inexpensive consumable ran out.
What supplies do you need for the xTool Apparel Printer Plus?
For normal production, you need CMYK + white DTF ink, compatible PET transfer film, hot-melt DTF adhesive powder and a heat press. The printer also uses moisturizing liquid and cleaning products for printhead care. If you're using the OS1 Automatic Shaker Oven, the powder becomes part of the automated print-to-bake workflow.
Creates the color image and opaque white underbase needed for light and dark apparel.
Receives the printed design before powdering, curing and heat transfer.
Creates the heat-activated adhesive layer that bonds the finished transfer to fabric.
Moisturizing and cleaning products help protect the printhead and ink system.
What Supplies Come With the xTool Apparel Printer Plus?
xTool includes enough starter material with the printer to set up the ink system, run initial jobs and become familiar with the workflow before you need to reorder full production quantities.
Planning tip: starter materials are exactly that—starter materials. If the printer is going into paid production immediately, order backup ink, film and powder with the equipment so your first reorder doesn't become unexpected downtime.
Which Ink Does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus Use?
+ WHITE
xTool DTF Apparel Printer Ink
The Apparel Printer Plus uses pigment-based DTF ink in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black and White. Color ink creates the visible artwork while white ink provides the opaque base layer that lets colors remain vivid on dark garments.
xTool specifically calibrates the printer's firmware and Epson printhead waveforms around its official ink properties. Ink viscosity, surface tension and pigment stability all affect how droplets leave the printhead.
Don't treat DTF ink as a generic refill. xTool warns that incompatible or substandard ink can reduce print quality, increase clogging risk and potentially damage the printhead.
Why Does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus Use So Much White Ink?
White ink has a different job than CMYK.
When you print a transfer for a black, navy, red or other colored garment, the printer first needs an opaque white foundation beneath the color artwork. Without that underbase, the garment color would show through and reduce the vibrancy of the design.
White ink also contains titanium-dioxide pigment, which is heavier than color pigments and naturally settles when stationary.
That's why the Apparel Printer Plus includes:
- automatic white-ink stirring;
- white-ink circulation;
- HydraFlow™ white-ink management;
- automatic cleaning; and
- Auto Wet Capping.
Keep the printer powered during normal operation so those circulation systems can continue working.
Before refilling: xTool recommends thoroughly shaking ink bottles before pouring them into the printer—especially white ink—and leaving space at the top of the tank rather than overfilling it.
What DTF Film Does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus Use?
DTF FILM
xTool Apparel Printer Film Rolls
The printer uses coated PET transfer film designed to receive DTF pigment ink and then move through the powdering, curing and heat-transfer process.
GPI's current xTool production roll measures approximately 15.35 inches × 328 feet (100 meters). It is a hot-peel film, which means production does not require waiting for the transfer to cool completely before peeling.
For the xTool film, current recommended heat-press guidance is approximately 150–160°C for roughly 5–10 seconds, with peeling after a short 5–10 second wait. Always use the current material-specific settings for your garment and film rather than assuming one temperature fits every substrate.
Film Loading Matters
Film quality alone cannot compensate for incorrect loading. xTool recommends keeping the roll taut and aligning the film precisely with the printer's alignment mark.
The roll must also feed into the printer in the correct orientation. Poor alignment or buckling can create feed issues and, in severe cases, allow the film to contact the printhead.
What Powder Does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus Use?
POWDER
xTool DTF Adhesive Powder
DTF powder is the heat-activated adhesive that ultimately bonds the printed ink layer to the garment. xTool uses a mid-fine TPU-based adhesive powder designed to produce a flexible, softer finished transfer.
Powder is applied while the printed ink is still wet. It adheres to the inked portion of the film and then melts during curing, forming the adhesive layer that bonds the design during heat pressing.
When paired with the OS1 Automatic Shaker Oven, the process is automated:
Without the OS1, you need to apply the adhesive powder manually and cure the printed transfer using separate compatible equipment before heat pressing.
What Are Moisturizing Liquid and Cleaning Fluid Used For?
These are not production inks. They support the maintenance side of the DTF system.
Moisturizing Liquid
Moisturizing liquid helps keep the printhead environment hydrated and is used in printhead-care procedures such as wet capping and soaking.
The Plus relies more heavily on this type of automated printhead protection than the original generation.
Shop xTool 500ml Apparel Printer Moisturizing Liquid →
Cleaning Fluid
Cleaning solution is used when ink residue needs to be removed from designated parts of the printer or during more involved printhead-care procedures.
It should be used according to xTool's maintenance instructions rather than substituted for moisturizing liquid or added to ink.
For the broader care process, see our xTool Apparel Printer Plus Maintenance Guide .
Can You Use Third-Party Ink, Film or Powder in the xTool Apparel Printer Plus?
This is one of the most common questions from buyers trying to estimate ongoing supply costs.
Third-Party Ink
We would not recommend it.
xTool explicitly recommends its official DTF ink because the Epson I1600 printhead waveform and printer firmware are calibrated around its ink properties.
Changing ink chemistry can affect viscosity, droplet formation, color output and clogging behavior.
Third-Party Film
xTool's current support guidance says other PET films may work, but it strongly recommends official xTool film because that film has been tested for the printer and its workflow.
With third-party film, xTool does not guarantee print quality or feeding performance.
Third-Party Powder
Different DTF powders vary in particle size, melt behavior, flexibility and cure requirements. The xTool powder is specifically designed around the OS1 workflow, so it is the lowest-risk choice when you're using the automated shaker oven.
Saving a few dollars on incompatible consumables can become expensive if it creates printhead, feeding or curing problems. For a production shop, consistency is usually more valuable than chasing the lowest per-bottle or per-roll price.
How Much Ink Does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus Use?
There is no reliable “one bottle equals X shirts” number because ink consumption changes dramatically with:
- design dimensions;
- color coverage;
- white-underbase coverage;
- number of print passes;
- print resolution;
- maintenance frequency; and
- how often the printer operates.
xTool does provide one useful baseline for standby consumption.
Automatic-maintenance ink usage: xTool estimates that if automatic cleaning runs roughly every three days, standby maintenance consumes about 30ml of white ink and about 30ml of total CMYK ink per month—even if no production jobs are printed.
Actual production use is added on top of that amount.
This matters when calculating your cost per transfer: some ink is a normal machine-maintenance expense rather than ink directly visible in a sold design.
How Long Does a 500ml Ink Bottle Last?
It depends on your specific artwork and production settings. Large full-front designs with heavy white underbases will consume ink much faster than small logos or left-chest prints.
xTool recommends using the software's ink-cost estimation tools when estimating jobs rather than relying on a generic shirts-per-bottle figure.
How Much Film and Powder Will Your Shop Use?
Like ink, film and powder consumption are tied directly to production volume.
Film is easier to plan because each job physically consumes a known length of the roll. Efficient nesting becomes important: fitting several designs into the available print width can reduce film waste and improve cost per transfer.
Powder consumption is influenced by printed area and the efficiency of the powder-recycling system. The OS1 automatically circulates and reuses loose powder within the system instead of treating every excess particle as waste.
What xTool DTF Supplies Should a Small Print Shop Keep in Stock?
The goal is not to build a warehouse of supplies. It's to avoid having one low-cost consumable shut down a high-value production system.
New or Low-Volume Shop
- 1 backup bottle of white ink
- 1 backup bottle of each frequently used CMYK color
- 1 full 100m film roll
- 1 spare 1kg powder bag
- 1 moisturizing-liquid bottle
- 1 cleaning kit
Production Shop
- Multiple white-ink bottles
- Backup full CMYK set
- Multiple film rolls
- Multiple powder bags
- Maintenance and cleaning kits
- Spare cutter and maintenance consumables
How Should xTool DTF Ink, Film and Powder Be Stored?
Ink Storage
Keep sealed ink bottles away from direct sunlight and temperature extremes. GPI's current xTool ink guidance lists approximately 59–86°F (15–30°C) for storage and a 12-month unopened shelf life when stored properly.
Seal partially used bottles tightly and shake the ink thoroughly before refilling the printer.
Film Storage
Store transfer film in a cool, dry location and protect the roll from crushing, bending and scratches.
Humidity matters because PET film uses a specialized printable coating. Keep unused rolls packaged until needed rather than leaving them exposed to a humid production room.
Powder Storage
Keep DTF powder sealed and dry. Moisture can cause hot-melt powder to clump, which makes even application and automatic powder circulation more difficult.
Simple rule: ink wants stable temperature, film wants protection from moisture and damage, and powder wants to stay dry and free-flowing.
Where Should You Buy xTool Apparel Printer Plus Supplies?
For businesses running the printer as production equipment, the best supply source is one that can support the machine after the initial sale—not just ship a bottle of ink.
GPI carries the core xTool DTF production and care items in one collection:
- xTool CMYK + white DTF ink;
- xTool 100m transfer film;
- xTool 1kg adhesive powder;
- moisturizing liquid;
- cleaning kits;
- maintenance kits;
- cutter kits; and
- replacement accessories.
Browse all xTool DTF supplies at GPI Supplies →
If you're still evaluating the printer itself, see our xTool Apparel Printer Plus Review or our complete xTool Apparel Printer Plus cost guide .
xTool Apparel Printer Plus Ink, Film & Powder FAQ
What ink does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus use?
Can I use third-party ink in the xTool Apparel Printer Plus?
What DTF film does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus use?
Can I use another brand of DTF film?
What powder does the xTool Apparel Printer Plus use?
Do I need DTF powder if I have the OS1 Shaker Oven?
How much white ink does the xTool Apparel Printer use while idle?
How many shirts can I print with one 500ml bottle of ink?
What is moisturizing liquid used for?
What supplies should I order with a new Apparel Printer Plus?
Keep Your xTool DTF Production Stocked
Shop genuine xTool ink, film, powder and care products for the Apparel Printer Plus from one production-supply source.
