DTG vs Screen Printing vs DTF: Which T-Shirt Print Is Best?

DTG vs screen printing comes down to quantity and artwork. Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is best for a single shirt or a detailed, many-coloured design. Screen printing is best for bulk orders of simple designs. Direct-to-film (DTF), the newer option, sits between them and works on the widest range of fabrics. Here's how each method works and how they compare.

What is DTG printing?

Direct-to-garment printing works like an inkjet printer for fabric. The shirt is usually pre-treated, laid flat on a platen, and water-based ink is sprayed directly into the fibres. The print is then heat-cured to set it.

Good at: photographic detail, gradients, many colours, one-off shirts with no setup cost. Less good at: the brightest colours on dark shirts (it needs a white underbase, which adds stiffness), and synthetic fabrics. It works best on cotton. Feel: soft. The ink sits in the fabric, so you barely feel it on light shirts.

What is screen printing?

Screen printing pushes thick ink through a mesh screen, one screen per colour. Each colour needs its own screen to be made and lined up, which is the setup cost.

Good at: bold, flat colours, vivid prints on dark shirts, durability, and low cost per shirt at volume. Less good at: small orders (setup cost is spread over few shirts), photographic detail and gradients, and designs with many colours. Feel: a slightly raised, thicker layer, depending on the ink.

What is DTF printing?

Direct-to-film prints the design onto a special film, coats it with an adhesive powder, then heat-presses it onto the shirt.

Good at: detailed full-colour designs, bright colours on dark shirts, and a wide range of fabrics including cotton, polyester and blends. No per-design setup, so single shirts are practical. Less good at: breathability over large print areas, since the transfer forms a continuous layer. Feel: a thin, flexible layer on top of the fabric, smoother than a screen print, less invisible than DTG on a light shirt.

DTG vs screen printing vs DTF compared

Which printing method is most durable?

Screen printing has the longest track record: thick, cured plastisol ink survives a lot of washes. DTG and DTF last well too when the shirt is washed with a little care. Most print damage comes from heat and friction in the laundry, not the method. Our guide on how to wash graphic tees covers the routine that keeps any print sharp.

Which should you choose?

For 1 shirt or a gift

DTG or DTF. No setup costs, so a single shirt is affordable, and detailed artwork prints well. This is why print-on-demand shops, including ours, use them. You can read more about that model in what print on demand means.

Our Nature is Our Upgrade tee is a good example of why: the illustration packs a futuristic city, waterfalls, trees, wind turbines and solar panels into one scene. That many colours and fine lines would need many screens, but DTG or DTF prints it in one pass. Depending on the press, it's printed with DTF or DTG.

For a team, club or event

Screen printing, if you're ordering dozens of shirts with a simple 1 to 3 colour design. The per-shirt price drops as the quantity rises. For small clubs, DTF is a strong alternative. See our pickleball team shirt ideas for design tips.

For performance or polyester shirts

DTF or screen printing. DTG is designed for cotton.

How to tell which method was used

• Run your hand over it. Can barely feel it on a light shirt? Likely DTG. Thick and raised? Likely screen print. Smooth, slightly glossy layer with a defined edge? Likely DTF.
• Look at gradients. Smooth photo-like shading points to DTG or DTF.
• Look inside the shirt. DTG ink can be slightly visible through the fabric; transfers and plastisol sit on top.

FAQ

Is DTG better than screen printing?

Neither is better overall. DTG is better for single shirts and detailed, colourful designs. Screen printing is better and cheaper for large orders of simple designs.

What's the difference between DTG and DTF?

DTG sprays ink directly into the shirt's fibres, giving a soft feel on cotton. DTF prints onto film that's heat-pressed onto the shirt, which works on more fabrics and gives bright colours on dark shirts.

Does DTG printing wash out?

Not with normal care. Wash inside out in cold water and avoid high-heat drying, and a DTG print lasts well. Hot washes and hot dryers are what fade it early.

Which printing method is cheapest?

For 1 or a few shirts, DTG or DTF, because there's no setup. For large orders of simple designs, screen printing has the lowest cost per shirt.

Browse all our designs, each printed when you order it.