Trying to choose between DTG and screen printing? Tell us what you want to print, what it’s going on and how many you need. Neither method has a minimum here. A dozen cotton tees and a few hundred performance shirts give us different things to work with, and we’ll explain the choice when we quote.
Start with the shirt you want
Our DTG service uses 100% cotton apparel. DTG means direct to garment: the printer puts ink straight onto the piece. It can be a good fit for a short run of cotton tees with an illustration or photo.
Screen printing gives us more fabric options, including performance apparel and blends. We supply the blanks for both methods, so send us the style you like or tell us the fit and weight you’re after.
If you want a polyester blend, that rules out our DTG service, but it doesn’t automatically settle the method. We might recommend screen printing or DTF once we’ve seen the artwork and count.
What does the quantity do to the price?
Screen printing needs a screen for each ink color. Making and lining up those screens takes work before the first shirt is printed. Spread that setup across a larger run and the cost per shirt usually comes down.
DTG doesn’t need screens, but there’s still artwork preparation, garment setup and curing. A busy design doesn’t add screens the way it would on a screen-printed job, though coverage and printing time still matter.
There isn’t one count where every order switches methods. If you’re deciding between two quantities, send both. We’ll price the design on the actual garment instead of asking you to choose from a rule of thumb.
What about photos and lots of colors?
We screen print up to 12 ink colors. On a dark garment, a white underbase counts as one of those colors. A few solid colors are a straightforward starting point, while a photograph or gradient takes more preparation.
DTG can print full-color artwork without a separate screen for each color. That’s useful for detailed illustrations and photos, but the file still needs enough detail at the size you want. A small image that looks sharp on your phone may look soft across the front of a shirt.
Send the best original you have and tell us the print size. We’ll check the fine lines and small lettering before production. If you have Pantone references, include them too; we can discuss how closely the chosen method can match them.
Will you feel the print?
You might. DTG isn’t automatically a print you can’t feel. A dark shirt often needs a white ink base, and a large solid design puts more ink on the garment than a small logo. The shirt and coverage both affect the result.
Screen printing varies too. Plastisol can have a more noticeable surface feel, while water-based ink can give a softer finish on suitable garments. Tell us if feel matters to you while we’re choosing the blank, not after the order’s been printed.
Where do you want it printed?
A front design, back print and sleeve detail are separate parts of the job. Each extra location adds work and cost, so show us the whole piece you have in mind.
We offer screen prints up to 24 × 32 inches where the garment and placement allow. Inside-neck prints are an option on suitable pieces too. For DTG, send the placement and dimensions and we’ll check what fits. Seams, pockets and the shape of the garment can limit either method.
The comparison at a glance
| What matters | DTG | Screen printing |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | No screens; artwork and garment preparation still needed | A screen for each ink color |
| Fabric at Infynite | 100% cotton apparel | Cotton, blends and suitable performance fabrics |
| Colors | Full-color artwork without separate screens | Up to 12 ink colors, including any white underbase |
| Feel | Varies with the garment, coverage and white ink | Varies with the ink, coverage and garment |
| Minimum | No minimum | No minimum |
| A common starting point | Short cotton runs with detailed artwork | Longer runs with a few solid colors |
How we’d look at a few orders
A dozen cotton tees with detailed artwork? We’d look at DTG. Five hundred shirts with a one-color logo? We’d start with screen printing. Those are useful starting points, and the garment and placements still get checked before we quote.
A small run of hoodies with full-color photo artwork might make sense for DTF instead. Hoodies aren’t automatically one type of fabric, so we’d want to know the blank before choosing. Our DTF vs screen printing post covers that comparison.
If you’re mixing garments, we can discuss more than one method in the order. Different inks and fabrics won’t necessarily reproduce the same artwork identically. Tell us if matching the pieces closely is a priority.
Taking care of the finished piece
Wash printed garments cold and inside out, skip fabric softener, and hang dry or use low heat if the garment and print instructions allow it. Check the temperature instead of assuming the gentlest cycle is the coolest.
How long a print lasts depends on the materials, application, wear and care. If a design starts wearing unusually early, contact the shop with a photo. Our print care guide goes into washing and troubleshooting in more detail.
Send us what you have
A PNG or Adobe Illustrator file is a good starting point. Leave the background transparent where the garment should show through. Soft edges or partly transparent areas may need adjustments for the method we’re using; we’ll explain what needs changing. Artwork help is available, and design fees may apply.
Include your rough count, the garment idea, placements and deadline. You don’t need everything settled to get in touch. Standard turnaround is two weeks after approval, with rush availability depending on the schedule. Pick up at our Chatsworth shop or have the order shipped nationwide.
See our DTG printing and screen printing pages for ordering details. You can tell us which method you had in mind, but you don’t have to pick it before asking for a quote.
A few questions we get
I only need a dozen shirts. Is screen printing out?
No. There’s no minimum. The screen setup is spread across fewer pieces, so we’ll compare the cost with another suitable method.
My shirts are a poly blend. Can they go DTG?
Our DTG service uses 100% cotton. Send the exact blank you’re interested in and we’ll look at screen printing or DTF for the job.
Which method is faster?
Tell us the date you need the order. Press speed alone won’t tell you when it’ll be ready; the artwork, blanks and production schedule matter too. We’ll confirm the timing with your quote.