DTG vs. Screen Printing – an in-depth comparison
DTG and Screen printing are both excellent options for customizing apparel, each with its own pros and cons. But which one should you choose for your custom apparel business? What factors should you be looking for? Let’s take a look at the answers.
Screen printing is an apparel decoration method in which the designs are created on the garment by pushing the ink through a stencil. However, unlike most ink-based technologies, the ink doesn’t get absorbed by the fabric, but rather stays on the surface.
DTG Printing is an apparel customization method where the ink is directly applied to the fabric. The printing method of DTG is often compared with that of printing on paper using an inkjet printer. This technology gained a lot of popularity in recent years as it can faithfully recreate designs with a high level of detail and a plentitude of colors.
The cost of screen printing depends on the number of colors and screens that are needed. You will have to create a separate screen for each color resulting in a longer turnaround time and production cost.
In DTG, the cost is not influenced by the number of colors or complexity of the design. This makes it more cost-effective for printing small batches of custom t-shirts. However, keep in mind that larger orders will require significantly more time to complete.
Screen printing requires a setup time that offsets its production speed. Once the stencils are put in place, you can start producing custom shirts in bulk. But for the method to be feasible, you will need a minimum number of t-shirts that use the same design. However, the low setup cost and effort make DTG effective for as few as a single garment. `
Screen printing cannot fully capture the smaller details in the design when printing and works the best for solid designs with simple fonts, geometric shapes, and minimalist logos. On the other hand, DTG printing, capable of recreating designs with finer is the perfect choice for photorealistic images and intricate designs.
There is a lot more to compare between the two methods relating to factors like print quality, apparel and fabric options, print locations, and more. For a comprehensive comparison of these factors check out ShirtsBargain’s blog DTG vs. Screen Printing – an in-depth comparison.