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November 4, 2025
Learn which printing method delivers the best results for your custom t-shirt project and budget.
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Summary:
Screen printing uses a mesh stencil to transfer ink onto fabric. Think of it like a sophisticated stencil system where each color in your design requires a separate screen.
The process starts with creating screens for each color in your design. Ink gets pushed through the mesh onto the garment using a squeegee, with each color applied separately. After printing, garments go through a curing process to set the ink permanently.
The ink layer is usually thicker than other methods, giving screen-printed shirts a thick, tactile feel. This creates that classic “printed shirt” texture you can feel when you run your hand over the design.
Screen printing becomes most cost-effective for larger batches of shirts. The setup process takes time since you need to create screens for each color, but once those screens are ready, you can print shirts quickly and efficiently.
Screen printing becomes more cost-effective as order size increases, making it the preferred choice for bulk orders. If you’re ordering company uniforms for your entire team or branded workwear for a large event, screen printing typically offers better per-unit pricing.
This method works best for simpler, stylized designs with graphics or text in a handful of colors. Bold logos, company names, and designs with solid color areas produce excellent results. The thick ink application makes designs pop, especially on darker fabrics, and works particularly well for designs that use just a few colors or rely on strong contrasts.
Screen printing works well across different fabric types, including cotton, polyester, blends, and synthetic materials. This versatility makes it ideal for company uniforms where you might need different fabric types for different roles or seasons. Screen printing offers excellent durability, with prints lasting for years without fading, making it perfect for workwear that gets heavy use and frequent washing.
The main drawback? High setup time and cost make it less economical for small orders, and it has limited color complexity and gradient capabilities. Each additional color increases both setup time and cost.
Screen printing requires upfront setup costs but offers lower cost per shirt in bulk, ranging from $1-$3 per unit for large orders. The economics work in your favor when you’re ordering dozens or hundreds of shirts with the same design.
Setup costs come from creating screens for each color in your design. A simple one-color logo might have minimal setup, but a design with four or five colors requires multiple screens, increasing initial expenses. The screen printing setup process is time-consuming as a separate screen needs to be prepared for each color, but once screens are created, the printing process is fast and efficient.
Many screen printing shops set minimum orders around 12-24 pieces to make the setup worthwhile. This works great for businesses needing bulk t-shirts for employee uniforms, promotional events, or branded workwear programs. The more shirts you order with the same design, the lower your per-piece cost becomes.
For Long Island businesses planning uniform programs or large promotional campaigns, screen printing often delivers the best value. Screen printing produces long-lasting, vibrant prints with strong durability, making it ideal for items like embroidered polos that employees will wear regularly and wash frequently.
However, if you need just a few shirts or want to test different designs, the setup costs can make screen printing expensive. That’s where DTG printing offers a different approach.
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Direct-to-garment printing involves pre-treating the garment with a bonding agent, then jetting ink directly onto the garment where it soaks into the fibers and locks in through the bond. DTG uses specialized inkjet technology to print full-color, high-quality designs directly onto fabric, similar to how your regular inkjet printer works on paper.
The inks used in DTG printing are water-based and absorbed by the fabric’s fibers, resulting in a soft feel and vibrant colors with a smooth, natural finish. Unlike screen printing’s thick ink layer, DTG creates prints that feel integrated into the fabric itself.
Since the printing process is digital, there’s no need for extensive setup, allowing you to print items with minimal upfront investment. This makes DTG perfect for on-demand printing where products are only printed when ordered.
DTG printing excels at photorealistic images, gradients, and intricate details, making it ideal for complex designs that feature many different colors. Unlike screen printing which requires creating stencils for each color layer, DTG allows for detailed and complex designs with a full spectrum of colors without needing multiple screens.
DTG’s primary strength lies in rendering many colors without incurring additional setup costs for each hue, making it the preferred choice for designs requiring rich palettes, intricate shading, and color gradients. If your business logo includes photo elements, detailed artwork, or subtle color transitions, DTG delivers results that screen printing simply can’t match.
DTG printing is exceptionally well-suited for small to medium-sized orders, with efficiency that shines when dealing with low-volume production or one-off prints. This makes it economical for small businesses testing new designs, creating personalized employee gifts, or producing limited-run promotional items.
DTG has no setup costs, making it perfect for small-batch or one-off orders. You can order exactly the quantity you need without worrying about minimum requirements or setup fees eating into your budget.
The trade-offs? DTG has slower production speeds compared to screen printing and higher costs for bulk orders. DTG works best on 100% cotton fabrics and cotton blends, with limited effectiveness on synthetic fabrics like polyester. Dark-colored garments require pretreatment, adding to the process.
DTG prints use inks that absorb into the fabric, and for everyday items, this method is durable with proper care, typically withstanding over 50 washes. However, DTG prints may start to fade after a dozen washes due to the water-based inks and their less adhesive nature.
DTG creates a soft feel on the fabric as the ink is absorbed directly into the material. This gives custom t-shirts a more natural feel compared to screen printing’s thicker ink layer. Many people prefer this softer texture, especially for casual wear or shirts that will be worn close to the skin.
DTG is environmentally friendly, using water-based inks. DTG printing reduces the risk of overproduction and minimizes textile waste since it supports on-demand printing with no order minimums, resulting in less excess inventory.
For Long Island businesses, DTG works well when you need custom t-shirts for specific events, personalized employee recognition, or testing new branded apparel before committing to larger quantities. DTG printing costs $5-$10 per shirt depending on design complexity, making it less cost-effective for bulk orders.
The key is matching your specific needs to the right method. If you’re creating company uniforms that need to withstand daily wear and frequent washing, screen printing’s durability advantage becomes important. For promotional shirts or special event apparel, DTG’s design flexibility might be worth the trade-off in longevity.
The key differences between DTG and screen printing come down to setup time, durability, cost efficiency, and design complexity. Your specific situation determines which method delivers better results.
Choose screen printing when you need bulk t-shirts or company uniforms, have simple designs with solid colors, want maximum durability for workwear, or need printing on various fabric types. Choose DTG for small orders, complex designs with many colors or photo elements, quick turnaround without setup delays, or when testing new designs before larger commitments.
For Long Island and Manhattan businesses looking for reliable custom apparel solutions, we offer both screen printing and DTG capabilities, helping you choose the right method for each project without the guesswork.
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