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Screen Printing vs DTG: Which Is Right for Your Order?

Two Ways to Put Ink on a Shirt

If you're ordering custom apparel, you'll run into two main printing methods: screen printing and DTG (direct-to-garment). Both put your design on fabric, but they work completely differently — and those differences matter for your order.

Here's the honest breakdown from people who actually run print shops.

Screen Printing: The Classic

Screen printing has been around since the 1960s (in the t-shirt world, at least). Here's how it works:

  • Your design is separated into individual colors
  • Each color gets its own mesh screen with a stencil
  • Ink is pushed through the screen onto the garment, one color at a time
  • The ink is heat-cured to make it permanent

    • When Screen Printing Wins

    Bulk orders (24+ pieces). Screen printing has setup costs (making the screens), but once they're made, each additional shirt is cheap and fast. The more you print, the lower your per-unit cost.

    Bold, vibrant colors. Screen printing ink sits on top of the fabric, which means colors pop. Especially on dark garments — a white print on a black tee looks crisp and bright.

    Durability. Screen printed designs last. We're talking hundreds of washes without significant fading. The ink is thick and bonds well with the fabric.

    Simple to moderate designs. Logos, text, illustrations with defined colors — screen printing handles these beautifully. Most custom shirt orders fall into this category.

    Cost at volume. For orders of 48, 100, 500+ pieces, screen printing is almost always more cost-effective per unit.

    Screen Printing Limitations

  • Setup cost. Each color requires a screen. A 4-color design means 4 screens, which adds to the upfront cost. This gets amortized over larger orders.
  • Color count. Each additional color adds cost. Photographic or gradient-heavy designs aren't ideal (though halftone techniques can simulate gradients).
  • Minimums. Most screen print shops have minimums (ours is 24 pieces) because the setup doesn't make economic sense for small runs.

    • DTG: The Digital Alternative

    Direct-to-garment printing is essentially an inkjet printer built for fabric. Your design file goes in, a full-color print comes out directly onto the garment.

    When DTG Wins

    Small quantities (1-23 pieces). No screens to set up means the cost per shirt is the same whether you print 1 or 10. Great for samples, prototypes, or small runs.

    Full-color, photographic designs. DTG can print millions of colors in a single pass. Photos, complex gradients, and detailed illustrations are no problem.

    Quick turnaround on small orders. No screen setup means faster production for small batches.

    DTG Limitations

  • Cost at scale. The per-unit cost doesn't drop much with volume. At 50+ pieces, screen printing is usually cheaper.
  • Durability. DTG prints can fade faster than screen printing, especially with frequent washing. The ink absorbs into the fabric rather than sitting on top.
  • Dark garments. DTG on dark shirts requires a white underbase layer, which can affect the feel (hand) of the print and add cost.
  • Speed at volume. Printing one shirt at a time is fine for 10 shirts. For 200? Screen printing's batch process is much faster.

    • The Decision Matrix

    Here's a simple way to decide:

    FactorScreen PrintingDTG
    Order size 24+✅ Best choice❌ Expensive
    Order size under 24❌ Minimums apply✅ Best choice
    1-3 ink colors✅ Most cost-effective✅ Works fine
    Full-color/photo⚠️ Limited✅ Best choice
    Dark garments✅ Vibrant colors⚠️ Needs white underbase
    Durability priority✅ Superior⚠️ Good, not great
    Budget priority (bulk)✅ Lowest per-unit❌ Higher per-unit

    Our Recommendation

    For most custom apparel orders — team shirts, corporate merch, event tees, group campaigns — screen printing is the way to go. The economics work better at scale, the prints last longer, and the quality is proven.

    We use screen printing as our primary method at My Swag Co (and at our production facility, Montana Shirt Co). It's what we've built our business on, and it's what we recommend for orders of 24 or more pieces.

    If you need a handful of shirts with a complex, full-color design, DTG is the right call. But for the bulk of custom apparel needs? Screen printing delivers better value, better durability, and better results.

    What About Other Methods?

    You might also hear about heat transfer, sublimation, or embroidery. Quick takes:

  • Heat transfer (vinyl): Good for names/numbers on jerseys, not great for detailed designs at scale.
  • Sublimation: Works only on polyester/light colors. Great for all-over prints on performance wear.
  • Embroidery: Premium feel for logos on polos, hats, and jackets. Different use case entirely.

    • Each method has its place. The key is matching the right method to your specific order.

    Ready to get started? Configure your order at My Swag Co — we'll help you figure out the best approach for your project.

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