DTG vs screen printing: which method fits your custom shirts

How screen printing works

Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh screen onto the fabric. Each color in the design needs its own screen, prepared by exposing a stencil of that color onto the mesh. The printer lines up the screens, then presses ink through each one in turn.

That setup is the key to the economics. Preparing and registering screens takes time and materials whether you print 20 shirts or 2,000. Once the press is running, though, each additional shirt costs very little. That is why screen printed quotes often drop sharply per shirt as quantity rises.

Screen printing lays down a thick, opaque layer of ink. Colors are bold and consistent, even on dark garments, and prints hold up well through many washes. It can also use specialty inks such as metallics, glow or puff that digital printing cannot match.

The tradeoff is detail and color count. Photographs and soft gradients must be converted into halftone dots, and every extra color adds another screen and more setup.

How DTG works

Direct to garment printing, usually shortened to DTG, works like an inkjet printer for fabric. The shirt is placed on a flat platen and specialized water based inks are sprayed directly into the fibers.

Because there are no screens, a DTG design can use unlimited colors, photographs and smooth gradients at no extra setup cost. A one off shirt costs roughly the same to set up as the hundredth, which makes DTG ideal for small runs, samples and print on demand stores.

On white and light shirts, DTG ink soaks into the fabric and feels soft. On dark shirts, the printer first applies a pretreatment and then a white underbase layer so colors stay bright. That extra layer can feel slightly heavier than a print on a light shirt.

DTG works best on cotton or high cotton blends, because the inks are designed to bond with natural fibers. Results on polyester are less predictable.

Side by side comparison

The order size figures are rough guides, not fixed rules. The real break point depends on how many colors your design has, which is where the next section comes in.

The order size rule, worked through

The decision usually comes down to how setup costs spread across your order. Here is how to think about it without needing anyone's price list.

Suppose a design has three colors. With screen printing, three screens must be made, which is a fixed cost. Spread across 12 shirts, that fixed cost adds a lot to each shirt. Spread across 200 shirts, it almost disappears. With DTG, there is no screen cost, so each shirt costs about the same whether you order 12 or 200.

That gives a simple rule:

• Few shirts, any number of colors: DTG.
• Many shirts, one to three colors: screen printing.
• Many shirts, a full color photo: get both quotes, because it depends on the size and garment color.
• One design printed on many different shirt colors: DTG often wins, since screen color choices may need adjusting per garment.

When you request quotes, give identical details to each option: quantity, number of colors, print size, number of print locations and garment color. Otherwise you are comparing different jobs.

Design choices that change the answer

The design itself can push you toward one method before quantity even enters the picture.

Flat logos in one or two solid colors are ideal for screen printing and look crisp at any size. Watercolor illustrations, photos and designs with fine gradients suit DTG. Very thin lines and tiny text can be a problem for both, so keep strokes and lettering comfortably thick at the final print size.

The number of print locations matters too. A front logo plus a sleeve print plus a back print means three setups in screen printing. With DTG each location adds print time rather than screens.

If you want to use screen printing for a multicolor logo, ask whether it can be simplified to two or three spot colors. Most strong logos survive that reduction well. Your brand kit should already list the core colors, which makes the conversation with the printer much faster. Before sending artwork, confirm resolution and color with the artwork check.

Fabric and garment choice

The shirt affects print quality as much as the method. A soft, tightly knit cotton shirt gives DTG a smooth surface and gives screen printing crisp edges. Loose, textured or heavily ribbed fabrics make both methods look rough.

For DTG, stick to cotton or blends that are mostly cotton. For performance fabrics used in sports teams or running events, screen printing with inks made for synthetics, or another method such as heat transfer, is usually more reliable. Dark polyester can bleed dye into light inks, so ask the printer how they handle it.

Order one sample shirt before a large run whenever possible. Wash it inside out on cold three or four times and check for cracking, fading and shrinkage.

Two real world examples

A neighborhood café wants 12 staff shirts with a full color illustrated logo on the front. The quantity is small and the art has many colors, so DTG is the obvious fit. If the café later wants 150 shirts to sell as merchandise, it is worth asking for a screen printed quote on a simplified two color version.

A charity run needs 300 shirts in one color, printed with a simple event logo on the front and sponsor names on the back. Two locations, one color each, large quantity: screen printing will almost certainly be more economical and more durable. Matching tote bags can reuse the same screen for the front logo.

For a wider look at branded merchandise beyond shirts, browse the promotional products range.

Get the free Small Business Print Planner

Apparel orders move slower than paper, so add them to the Small Business Print Planner with extra lead time. The quote sheet has columns for quantity, colors, locations and garment color so you can compare DTG and screen printing on equal terms. Download it from the print planner page.

Choosing a shirt printing method: checklist

• Count the colors in your design and the number of print locations.
• Decide the real quantity you need now, not a hopeful future number.
• Choose DTG for small runs, photos and many colors.
• Choose screen printing for larger runs of simple, solid color designs.
• Match the method to the fabric, especially for polyester and performance shirts.
• Request quotes with identical specifications for each method.
• Wash test a sample shirt before ordering the full run.