T-Shirt Printing: DTG vs Screen

Custom t-shirts are a staple for businesses, events, teams, nonprofits, and promotional giveaways. But the printing method you choose affects the look, feel, durability, and cost of your shirts. The three main methods are direct-to-garment (DTG), screen printing, and heat transfer, and each has clear advantages depending on your order size, design complexity, and budget.

Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing works like an inkjet printer for fabric. The shirt is loaded into a specialized printer that applies water-based inks directly onto the garment. DTG excels at full-color designs with gradients, photographs, and fine details. There are no setup costs, so it is the most cost-effective method for small orders of 1 to 50 shirts. The print feels soft and becomes part of the fabric rather than sitting on top of it. At PostNet Denver, we use DTG for most custom t-shirt orders because it offers the best combination of quality and flexibility.

Screen printing is the traditional method where ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto the shirt. Each color requires a separate screen, so setup costs are higher. However, once the screens are made, the per-shirt cost drops significantly at higher quantities. Screen printing is the best choice for orders of 100 or more shirts with simple designs using one to four colors. The ink sits on top of the fabric and creates a slightly raised, opaque layer that is extremely durable and vibrant.

Heat transfer uses a design printed on special paper that is then pressed onto the shirt with heat and pressure. Modern heat transfer can produce photographic quality results at low quantities. It is popular for individual custom shirts, jerseys with names and numbers, and one-off promotional items. The trade-off is durability. Heat transfers can crack or peel after repeated washing, making them less suitable for shirts that will see heavy use.

When ordering custom t-shirts, consider the garment quality too. A cheap t-shirt makes even a great print look bad. We recommend brands like Bella+Canvas, Next Level, and Gildan Softstyle for a comfortable, retail-quality feel. Dark-colored shirts cost more to print because they require a white base layer under the design. PostNet Denver offers custom t-shirts starting at $35 for a single DTG-printed shirt, with volume discounts available. Bring us your design or logo and we will recommend the best printing method for your project.