Screen Print vs DTG vs Vinyl: T-Shirt Printing Explained

When customers ask us to print a t-shirt, the first real question is how. Screen printing, direct-to-garment (DTG) and vinyl each have strengths, and choosing the wrong one is how you end up paying too much or getting a result that cracks after a few washes. Here's the plain-language guide.

Screen printing

Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil, one screen per colour. Set-up takes time, but once the screens are made, each shirt prints fast and cheap — which is why it's the king of bulk orders.

• Best for: larger quantities, bold designs with few colours, team and event shirts.
• Feel: durable, slightly raised, holds up to years of washing.
• Watch out: set-up cost makes small runs expensive per shirt.

Direct-to-garment (DTG)

A specialised printer sprays the design straight onto the fabric, like an inkjet for clothing. No screens, so there's no set-up cost and no limit on colours.

• Best for: small quantities, photo-realistic art, full-colour and gradient designs.
• Feel: soft, printed into the fabric.
• Watch out: works best on cotton; needs quality garments for vivid results.

Heat-transfer vinyl

A design is cut from coloured vinyl and heat-pressed onto the garment. It's the go-to for names and numbers, and for one-off personalised shirts.

• Best for: names, numbers, single shirts, simple bold shapes.
• Feel: smooth and slightly rubbery on the surface.
• Watch out: not ideal for highly detailed or multi-colour artwork.

Rule of thumb: many shirts with few colours, screen print. One detailed shirt, DTG. A name on the back, vinyl.

Still unsure?

Send us your design and quantity and we'll recommend the method that gives the best result for your budget — sometimes a mix is the answer, like screen-printed fronts with vinyl names on the back for a team. There's no single "best" method, only the best one for your job.