Which One Is Best for T-Shirt Printing– DTG, Screen Printing or Heat Transfer?

DTG Custom T-Shirts Printing 

Are you thinking about ordering custom printed t-shirts for your company? Or, are you looking for a custom printed t-shirt to gift your friend or loved one? There are several options when it comes to printing t-shirts on custom basis. So, to help you know which printing technique is better for you, we are going to discuss different t-shirt printing techniques and their pros and cons. 

DTG Printing

DTG is an acronym for Direct to Garment. DTG Custom T-shirts Printing uses inkjet technology and works just like inkjet printer. A specialized water-based ink is used for printing purpose which is directly absorbed by the fibers of the material. 

With this technique, images can be printed in greater detail than screen printing and there is no limit to the number and amount of colors you can use. For people who need t-shirts in smaller quantities, DTG printing offers amazing results without any heavy setup costs. 

Moreover, for low quantity five-color orders, it takes minutes for prepping, printing, and curing process. On the other hand, for the same job, screen printing takes hours. 

Pros:

• Facilitates full-color printing with sharp details
• Provides impeccable finish and fine appearance to the t-shirt
• Preserves the soft texture of the garment
• Easy production of one-off or single shirts
• Low cost per printed unit
• Best for low quantity orders

Cons:

• For large quantity orders, it is slow as compared to screen printing. 

Screen Printing

It works like a stencil. This technique involves the application of ink or paint to the shirt with a prepared screen. Sometimes also called silk screening, this method has been in use for thousands of years. Each color in the design requires a different screen that increases the initial cost. However, as the quantity of t-shirts increases, the price decreases per unit. 

Since in this technique, the media is transferred to and permeates into the fabric, printed design lasts much longer than that of heat transfer technique. 

Pros:

• Vibrant colors
• Imparts high quality image
• Design lasts longer 
• Cost-effective for large orders

Cons:

• Setup cost is high. 
• Involves the limitation of minimum quantity order.
• Initial cost is high as multiple screens are used for multiple colors.
• Expensive for small quantity orders

Heat Transfer

There are two methods of heat transfer. While the first method involves the usage of a heat press to transfer custom vinyl cut-out designs onto the t-shirts, the second one uses specialized ink to print the design onto the transfer paper which is then placed on the t-shirts and heat pressed to the fabric. 

Pros:

·         Customization is available for different shirts in the same order

·         Easy to print design with multiple colors

·         Easy to transfer complicated designs also

·         Cost-effective for small quantity orders

Cons:

• The design doesn’t last longer.
• The design most likely cracks over time after several washes and runs in the dryer.
• Results are not as durable as DTG or screen printing.
• Cannot use heat-sensitive fabrics.
• The design may develop wrinkles or warped appearance if there is shrinkage after washing and drying.

Therefore, if you need to order t-shirts in small quantities, DTG custom t-shirts printing is the best option for you as heat transferred designs don’t last long and may get ruined over time. In case you have a large order for t-shirt printing, it would be suitable to choose screen printing.