Types of Printing in Print-on-Demand
Know about the several types of printing for online business
t-shirt printing qikink
Types of Printing in Print-on-Demand
Know about the several types of printing for online business
t-shirt printing qikink

DTG vs Screen Printing – Which Method Reigns Supreme for Your T-Shirt Business?

DTG vs Screen Printing

This post is about comparing T-shirt printing methods DTG vs Screen Printing.

It is a very common question nowadays when printing a t-shirt. When almost a decade or two ago, there was only a screen printing option to print on anything.

It’s the traditional and much-evolved model where tons of expert companies worldwide produce fantastic results with much-complicated designs or even photo prints.

Then came digital printing options on various things, from paper to fabric to different other things. Let’s discuss the direct garment and screen printing options for T-Shirts.

 

Screen Printing

 

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Screen Printing is the most famous and traditional printing method used for T-Shirt printing. Any solid color design can be separated into colors, and a screen is made for each color.

Each screen is placed on the garment with dyes on top and squeezes onto the fabric. This step is repeated for all the colors in the design.

For single-colour designs with more volume of prints to be done, this is the most efficient method of printing.

Screen printing works best in the bulk printing system, having stock and selling them totally, provided the number of colors in the design is limited.

 

Pros:

1. Cost-effective for bulk printing
2. Versatile methods like High Density, Flock, etc.
3. Many dyes options like Plastisol, Pigment, Non-PVC, Fluorescent, etc.

Cons:

1. Setup Cost is huge
2. Setup time is high
3. Needs simple designs
4. Needs high-volume orders

Decided On Your Print Type

Let’s order a sample with it

dropshipping product qikink

Direct to Garment (DTG) Printing

 

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Digital Printing – In this case, it’s direct-to-garment printing, enabling us to print any design onto the garment.

A high-resolution print file, usually 150 DPI and above, can be printed onto a T-shirt by feeding the shirt into the printer like paper printing.

This is an easy method for print-on-demand or short runs. Especially for printing photo prints or complex designs, direct-to-garment printing is an easy t-shirt printing method.

DTG Printing is a relatively new method of T-Shirt Printing. Technology is evolving, and so are the machines and market.

The big fashion houses are slowly adopting the direct-to-printing method, which will undoubtedly hold an indomitable position in the future.

Brands designing digital printing and adopting digital printing methods for their merch printing will be ahead when the market matures.

 

Pros:

1. Prints any design
2. No setup cost
3. No setup time
4. Print on Demand

Cons:

1. Relatively expensive
2. Few limitations

Conclusion for DTG vs Screen Printing

The printing strategy for any brand is to use the Pros of both printing methods.

DTG’s strengths are to be leveraged to launch new designs in the beginning to a new audience.

Screen printing options are required to scale the operations with high-volume production and dispatch with good margins.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re looking to print a garment, there are two main methods: DTG printing and screen printing. DTG printing is a great option for print-on-demand or short runs of complex designs. On the other hand, screen printing is best for bulk printing of simple designs.

DTG printing has no setup cost or time, making it ideal for launching new designs to an audience. Meanwhile, screen printing is required for high-volume production and dispatch with good margins.

When it comes to high-volume production of simple designs, screen printing is the way to go. It is more cost-effective in bulk printing. However, for complex designs or print-on-demand, DTG is the better option.

The cost considerations between DTG and screen printing depend on the volume of prints and the complexity of the design. Screen printing is more cost-effective for bulk printing, while DTG is better for print-on-demand or short runs.

The quality and durability of prints differ between DTG and screen printing. DTG produces high-quality prints with a softer feel, while screen printing produces vibrant prints that last longer. Keep in mind that the durability of prints also depends on the fabric and care instructions.

Sivaraman S

With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.

About the author

With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.
With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.

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