Choosing Between DTG T Shirt Printing and Screen Printing

When it comes to printing on garments such as t-shirts and hoodies, the quality of print is crucial. Whether it’s for professional work uniforms or business personalisation, the print must be top-level in order to look good and make your brand or organisation stand out. This is especially true for industries such as e-commerce where customers are more reliant on high-quality print than ever before.


Whether you’re printing one-offs for your customers or a larger batch of custom prints for your team, dtg t shirt printing is a great option. DTG (direct-to-garment) printing uses special digital printers to spray water-based inks directly on shirts from digital files, minimizing set-up time and enabling production in any quantity. It also allows for higher-resolution, visually sharper designs than screen printing.


DTG is also a much more cost-effective method of printing shirts than screen printing. Since there’s no setup required, you can print a single t-shirt or even a full run of fully customized apparel with minimal effort and at an affordable price.


Screen printing requires a significant amount of time to create stencils and screens for each color in a design. As a result, it’s often reserved for larger print runs and isn’t the best choice for smaller orders. Using this technique can be more costly than DTG printing, and it’s often best used for designs with a limited number of colors.


Both methods are great for printing t-shirts, but there are some differences between them that you need to be aware of before making your decision. Screen printing produces a more vibrant, durable design and can be used to print a wider range of colors than DTG. However, screen printing can be slower and more expensive than DTG printing.


The fabric that you use for your t-shirts is as important as the printing process itself. The fabric must be of high-quality and sourced from a trusted supplier in order to achieve the best results possible. Regardless of the printing method you choose, it’s a good idea to talk with the printer about the material and print size that you’re interested in so they can give you a quote for the total cost.


Getting the most out of your dtg t shirt printing involves being willing to learn from your mistakes and take the time to get things right. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep a job journal and write notes at the end of each job. This will help you to avoid future problems and develop a “recipe” for each type of garment you print.


DTG can be used to print on any t-shirt fabric, including cotton and polyester blends. However, a t-shirt’s cotton content should be at least 80% in order to achieve the best results. This is particularly important for shirts that will be worn by people who need to work in hot environments or on active jobs, as high-quality cotton can keep them cool and comfortable.