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If you would like to DIY a custom baseball jersey and don't know where to start, you're in the right place. In this guide, I will walk you through designing your logo, player name, and number, and using DTF (Direct to Film) printing to transfer your design to the jersey.
DTF printing is a popular method used for custom apparel. In fact, many of the T-shirts and hoodies you own might already feature DTF prints. The process starts by printing your design onto a special film. Then, using a heat press, the design is transferred from the film onto the baseball jersey.
DTF printing comes with a lot of advantages. The prints are vibrant, highly detailed, and incredibly accurate. There’s no need to create screens or plates. It perfect for small-batch and multi-style production. It’s a great fit for today’s fashion trends where people want more personalized clothing.
Before we get started, here’s a quick checklist of everything you’ll need to make it happen:
Blank baseball jerseys (100% polyester is best for vibrant results)
Your DTF design (designed and saved as a mirror image)
DTF transfer film & hot melt powder
A heat press & heat press pillow
Scissors or tweezers (for handling fine details)
Parchment paper or Teflon sheet (to protect your jersey during pressing)
I always start by designing the artwork. If you know how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, or CorelDRAW, that’s even better—those are definitely your best options. They're powerful tools that give you full control over every detail of your design.
But if you have no experience with the tools above. You can check my other article how to custom baseball jersey in Photoshop. For beginners, I will recommend Kittl.com. It’s super beginner-friendly and perfect for making custom text logos. They’ve got a ton of great fonts. And it has built-in text warp tools like wave, arch, and circle. That’s essential when you’re creating a clean, curved team logo or player name. You can design right in your browser, and it’s free. You can even export transparent PNG files without paying a dime.
You might be wondering—what about Canva? If you have a Canva Premium account, it works fine for basic stuff. But their text effects are super limited compared to Kittl. And the free version of Canva won’t let you export with a transparent background. It is a dealbreaker for printing.
So yeah, if you’re new to this, start with Kittl. It’s hands-down one of the easiest ways to get a clean, printable design.
This is exactly how I use Kittl to design my baseball jersey logo.
I start by heading to the Kittl homepage and clicking “New Project.” Then I set up my canvas:
Size: 14 x 14 inches
Units: Inches
DPI: 300 (this is important for print quality)
This gives me a high-resolution canvas that works great for printing on jerseys.
Next, I click on the “Headline” tool to add the main text—this could be your team name, city, or any custom message.
I like to keep it bold and simple here—something that’ll really pop on the front or back of the jersey.
My top pick for a baseball-style jersey is Milkstone 02. It has a bold, retro-sporty feel—perfect for giving your design that authentic team vibe.
To apply it:
Just click the text box
Search for Milkstone 02 in the font dropdown
Boom, instant baseball swagger
To give it that curved or dynamic look (like traditional arch logos), I go to the “Transformation” panel and choose a text wrap style like:
Arch – classic chest curve
Wave – gives it movement
Circle – great for round logos
Play with the sliders until it looks just right. Kittl makes this super easy even if you’ve never done graphic design before.
Once I’m happy with how it looks, I click “Download” and choose. Now I’ve got a clean, print-ready design that I can drop straight into my DTF workflow.
If you're just starting with DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing, the easiest way is to outsource your film prints to a professional service. DTF requires a special printer, DTF inks, software, and curing equipment, which can be overwhelming for beginners.
However, if you're ready to print in-house, here's a basic setup that's commonly recommended for small-scale operations:
Printer: Epson L1800 or L18058
Inks: DTF CMYK + white ink (shake white ink before use)
Film: A3/A4 cut-sheet DTF film (avoid roll film)
Hot Melt Powder
Curing Oven
Software: ACRORIP V11 ($450 from DTGPro)
Connect the white ink circulation pump and filter. Make sure ink lines are clear.
Add white ink—shake well before pouring to mix any sediment.
Add CMYK inks (skip LC & LM). Refill if levels fall below the warning line.
Start the circulation pump for a few seconds until the lines are full of white ink.
Disconnect the pump and switch the power to the ink stirrer (this keeps white ink moving during printing).
Load the DTF film (printable/shiny side up—check packaging instructions).
Initialize the printer (may take 7+ minutes for first-time use).
Open your design in ACRORIP, mirror the image, and print.
After printing, apply hot melt powder evenly on the white ink side. Shake off the excess.
Pro tip: make sure the powder covers all the printed areas evenly—this step helps the design stick properly later.
Now comes the curing part. You can use a DTF oven if you have one, but if not, a heat press works fine too. I usually hover the heat press just above the film (not fully pressing down) at around 170°C (340°F) for 20–30 seconds. until the powder melts and the design looks a bit raised and powdery.
If you're outsourcing your DTF film printing to a third-party vendor, you usually don’t need to worry about applying the powder or curing the film yourself. The film will already come pre-powdered and cured—ready to use. All you need to do is cut out your design and go straight to the heat press for transfer.
Since baseball jerseys have buttons down the front, you can’t lay them flat like a T-shirt. Start by unbuttoning the jersey completely so you can work with both sides separately.
If your design spans both sides of the chest (like a team name or wordmark), split your artwork into two mirrored halves. Print and cure both parts separately.
Lay the jersey flat and position each half of the design on the left and right chest areas. Use a ruler or T-square to make sure they’re even and centered. Once you’re happy with the placement, use heat-resistant tape to hold the transfers in place.
Place a heat press pillow underneath the jersey when pressing—especially under the button area. This helps create even pressure and protects the buttons from cracking under heat.
Press the left side first with the cured film on top (design side facing down). Set your heat press to 160°C (320°F) for 15 seconds at medium pressure.
Repeat for the right side.
Check whether your DTF film is cold peel or hot peel (usually indicated on the packaging):
If cold peel: Let it cool completely before removing the film.
If hot peel: Carefully peel it off right after pressing.
After peeling off the film, cover the design with a sheet of parchment paper or a Teflon sheet, and do a second press for 5 seconds. This locks the design in and improves wash durability.
Use high-quality blank jerseys. Cheap fabrics don’t hold the print well. I usually go with 100% polyester for brighter, longer-lasting results.
Use white underbase ink for multi-color or dark-colored jerseys.
Test before big batches. I always do one sample before pressing 20+ pieces—it’s a time (and money) saver.
DTF is perfect if you’re doing:
Small team orders – even one-offs are cost-effective
Side hustle stuff – like Etsy or team merch drops
Creative DIYs – personalized gifts, tournament gear, or cool one-of-a-kind fits
Compared to embroidery or sublimation, DTF is faster, more flexible, and works well on pretty much any jersey color.
DTF is hands-down one of my favorite ways to customize a blank baseball jersey. It’s beginner-friendly, looks professional, and doesn’t require crazy expensive equipment to get started. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked—I know I was!
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