DTG vs. Screen Printing: Choose the Right Apparel Printing Method for You

“I just want my t-shirts printed!”

You’ve probably heard this from someone starting their own t-shirt store. Perhaps you’ve even said it yourself.

The buzz you get from envisioning a design idea can wear off quickly once you’re faced with the more technical questions, the first one being—which apparel printing method should I choose?

There are quite a few custom apparel printing options out there, but the two most popular are direct-to-garment (also known as DTG printing) and screen printing. Choosing the right one for your online clothing brand can be the first building block that leads to satisfied customers, saves costs, and enables you to scale your business as it grows.

With so much at stake, it’s important to research your options and ask questions about the two printing techniques, such as:

• Will my design work with it?

• How cost-effective is it?

• How sustainable is it?

In this article, we’ll look into the differences between DTG and screen printing technology, the designs the two printing methods work best with, and how sustainable each of them is.

What is DTG printing?

Direct-to-garment printing (DTG) is a printing technique where a garment is pre-treated with a bonding agent, and then ink is jetted directly onto the garment. The ink then soaks into the fibers of the garment, locking into them through the bond the pre-treatment makes between the garment and the ink. The process is similar to printing on paper.

Once printed, the garment is carefully removed from the printer and placed onto a conveyor dryer to evaporate the pre-treatment and cure the ink, resulting in a durable, lasting print that feels smooth to the touch.

Source: Printful

The ability to print photorealistic images and fine details makes DTG printing ideal for complex designs that feature gradients or many different colors. Since the printing process is digital, there’s no need for extensive setup. This allows you to print items with minimal upfront investment when partnering with a print-on-demand provider, as products are only printed when orders come in.

What is screen printing?

Screen printing is a printing method that involves pushing ink through a mesh stencil onto fabric. Each color in the design requires a separate screen, meaning multiple screens are needed for multicolored designs. The ink layer is usually thicker than with DTG printing, giving screen-printed t-shirts and other garments a thick, tactile feel.

The screen printing setup process is time-consuming as a separate screen needs to be prepared for each color. Once the screens are created, the printing process is fast and efficient, making bulk orders more cost-effective.

Valuable read: What is Screen Printing: Your All-in-One Roadmap

Source: Unsplash

DTG vs screen printing: the differences

Choosing between DTG and screen printing comes down to key aspects like print quality, design complexity, and the ability to produce small or large quantities. Let’s examine how the two methods compare.

Print quality and durability

DTG prints offer exceptional clarity and detail, especially for complex designs with many colors or gradients. The ink bonds directly with the fabric, creating a soft feel and a lasting design that holds up after many washes.

Screen-printed garments are known for their durability due to the thicker layers of ink applied during the screen-printing process. This makes screen prints especially resistant to wear, frequent washing, and heavy use, making them a great choice for workwear, uniforms, or merchandise that needs to endure long-term use.

Print complexity

DTG printing excels at handling intricate designs. Compared to screen printing, where multi-color designs require setting up a separate screen for each color, a DTG printer produces the entire design at once, regardless of complexity.

Design complexity also doesn’t affect the product cost, making DTG printing ideal for businesses that need to offer a wide variety of designs.

Source: Printful

Learn more: DTG vs. DTF Printing: Which Method Is Better for Your Designs?

Screen printing works best for solid graphics without small details. Think basic typography, geometric designs, symbols, and shapes. That’s because making stencils for intricate designs is time-consuming, and it’s difficult to get the details right during the printing process.

Since each color is applied separately, screen printing is also mostly used for designs with few colors. Print providers often limit how many colors you can have in your design, and usually, no more than 9 are allowed. Additionally, the product cost will depend on your design’s color count.

Color vibrancy

Both DTG printing and screen printing produce vibrant colors, but they achieve it differently. During the screen printing process, the ink is applied in thick layers, which can make designs pop, especially on darker fabrics. This makes it particularly effective for designs that use just a few colors or rely on strong contrasts.

DTG printing also offers excellent color vibrancy. A wide range of colors can be applied during the DTG printing process, and the inks are absorbed into the fabric, resulting in smooth and natural-looking prints. It’s especially effective for photorealistic or detailed images, where maintaining color accuracy is critical.

DTG-printed hoodies at Printful. Source: Printful

Fabric suitability

DTG printing works best on 100% cotton fabrics and cotton blends. The ink absorbs into the fabric, creating soft, natural-feeling prints that hold up well over time. DTG prints work on both light and dark fabrics, thanks to a pre-treatment process applied to darker garments. This pre-treatment ensures color vibrancy by creating a white underbase, allowing designs to appear vivid on darker fabrics.

Screen printing, on the other hand, is highly versatile when it comes to fabric types. It works well on a wide range of textiles, including polyester, nylon, and other synthetic blends, making it a preferred choice for athletic wear or performance fabrics. Screen printing also works well on both light and dark fabrics without the need for pre-treatment, as the thicker ink layers allow for high-opacity prints, even on dark materials.

With screen printing, specific inks are used on different materials, which can cause the same graphic to appear differently depending on the material. DTG printing yields consistent results, regardless of the material.

Sustainability

Compared to traditional screen printing, DTG printing reduces the risk of overproduction and minimizes textile waste, as products are printed on demand with no order minimums.

Plus, many DTG printer manufacturers create advanced tech with sustainability in mind, as it’s often the driving force behind the printing technique. For example, Printful has partnered with Kornit, whose DTG printing machines produce almost zero wastewater and use less energy, lowering the carbon footprint.

Kornit digital printers use water-based vegan inks that the company itself formulates, tests, and produces in its own ink factories, maintaining the highest quality. The inks are non-hazardous, toxin-free, biodegradable, and contain no animal by-products.

Screen printing can contribute to more waste, as it’s typically used for bulk ordering. Any unsold inventory could potentially go to waste, contributing to textile overproduction, which is one of the main problems the sustainable fashion movement is tackling. 

Additionally, screen printing consumes more water and chemicals, particularly during the cleanup stage. Each screen used in printing needs to be washed and cleaned after use, requiring chemical solvents to remove the ink and clean the screens. This results in higher water consumption and chemical waste.

As a store owner, you should be aware of how your business affects the environment. That’s why it’s important to consider the sustainability of each printing method.

On-demand fulfillment

DTG printing is the clear choice for on-demand fulfillment. Since there’s a short setup time, businesses can print single items or small batches with minimal upfront costs. This makes DTG printing a perfect fit for an online store connected to a print-on-demand dropshipping provider like Printful, where each item is printed only when ordered.

Once your customer places an order for a single t-shirt on your store, Printful automatically receives the order, prints your design on the t-shirt, and sends it directly to your customer under your brand.

You can still order in bulk if that’s what your business requires. Many print providers, including Printful, offer bulk discounts for DTG orders.

Screen printing, on the other hand, typically involves higher setup costs and minimum order requirements, making it better suited for large, one-time orders rather than on-demand production. This makes it less flexible for businesses that don’t want to carry excess stock.

Considering screen printing in bulk for your company or party? Let us know and get a quote in 48 hours.

Upfront investment

The cost of screen printing depends on the number of items you order. For example, screen printing is often the cheapest option if you order in large quantities. That’s because screen printing stencils are made manually and take time to prepare. If you screen print many items using one stencil, you can get bulk discounts.  If you order just one product or a small batch, DTG printing is the more cost-effective solution.

Screen printing can be cost-effective for designs with simple graphics (ideally with only a couple of colors), but it requires an upfront investment. Most third-party print services have order minimums that can be anywhere from 5 to 100 items.

The final price of your screen printing bulk order is based on the number of colors in your designs and the screens needed to print it. So screen printing can be financially challenging if you’re just starting out or want to experiment with designs.

Ordering in bulk also means you’ll have to figure out where to store the printed garments if you don’t want piles of custom t-shirts lying around your home or office. This limits the number of designs you can offer on your store, because each design will have to be printed in bulk.

Source: Printful

DTG vs. screen printing: when to choose which?

Both techniques have their strengths depending on the type of design you want to produce. Understanding when to use each method will help you optimize your production process.

When to choose DTG printing

DTG printing is the better option for designs that feature photorealistic images, intricate details, or a wide color range. It’s also the right choice if you want to print small quantities or offer custom apparel on demand. For businesses with a broad range of designs or frequent design changes, DTG printing provides flexibility without the need for large upfront costs or storage space for excess inventory.

When to choose screen printing

Screen printing is ideal for simple, bold designs that rely on solid colors and don’t require intricate details. It’s the go-to option for bulk orders, where costs can be offset by larger production runs. If your design features basic graphics or typography and you need to print a large number of items quickly and cost-effectively, screen printing is likely the best fit.

Read also: Embroidery vs Screen Printing: Which Should You Go With?

If it’s still hard to decide which printing method is right for you, take a look at this comparison table:

As you can see, there’s more than money and time at stake when choosing the right printing technique for your business.

Choose your printing method wisely

Whether you want to create and scale your apparel business using DTG or screen printing is completely up to you and your needs. Before you make your final decision, consider:

• your brand image

• the complexity of your designs

• your product quantity needs

• your willingness to invest in the stock upfront

If you’re looking for an easy way to successfully grow your business, on-demand DTG printing is your best bet. With this printing method, it’s easy to introduce new designs to your store risk-free, and you don’t have to worry about keeping stock or shipping the items yourself.

Using DTG print providers gives you more time to experiment with your product offering and marketing. It also helps eliminate overproduction, thus minimizing waste.

What’s your experience with DTG and screen printing? Let me know in the comments below!

Read next:

• DTF vs. DTG Printing
• DTF vs. Sublimation Printing
• DTF vs. Screen Printing
• What’s the Best Method for Printing T-Shirts
• Sublimation vs. Screen Printing: Which Method Is Best for Your Business?