{"id":6588,"date":"2025-04-02T22:23:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T02:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/?p=6588"},"modified":"2025-04-02T22:23:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T02:23:30","slug":"screen-printing-showdown-how-it-stacks-up-against-dtg-and-dtf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/screen-printing-showdown-how-it-stacks-up-against-dtg-and-dtf\/","title":{"rendered":"Screen Printing Showdown: How It Stacks Up Against DTG and DTF"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#screen-printing-showdown-how-it-stacks-up-against-dtg-and-dtf\">Screen Printing Showdown: How It Stacks Up Against DTG and DTF<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#introduction\">Introduction<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-is-screen-printing-\">What is Screen Printing?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-is-direct-to-garment-dtg-\">What is Direct-to-Garment (DTG)?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-is-direct-to-film-dtf-\">What is Direct-to-Film (DTF)?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#screen-printing-vs-dtg-vs-dtf-the-big-showdown\">Screen Printing vs DTG vs DTF: The Big Showdown<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#real-life-examples\">Real-Life Examples<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#answers-to-common-questions\">Answers to Common Questions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-choose-simple-checklist\">How to Choose: Simple Checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#final-thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"screen-printing-showdown-how-it-stacks-up-against-dtg-and-dtf\">Screen Printing Showdown: How It Stacks Up Against DTG and DTF<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Meta Description with a focus on transfer techniques.<\/strong>: Not sure how to print shirts? Learn if&nbsp;<strong>screen printing<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>DTG<\/strong>, or&nbsp;<strong>DTF<\/strong>&nbsp;is best for you. We compare cost, durability, and more, including the type of emulsion used!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introduction\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Picking the right way to print shirts can save time and money!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>People want to know:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which method is\u00a0<strong>cheapest<\/strong>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which lasts the\u00a0<strong>longest<\/strong>?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which works on\u00a0<strong>different fabrics<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quick answer<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Screen printing<\/strong>\u00a0= Best for big orders with high-quality plastisol ink.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DTG<\/strong>\u00a0= Best for photos on light shirts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DTF<\/strong>\u00a0= Best for polyester or mixed fabrics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-screen-printing-\">What is Screen Printing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Screen printing uses screens to put ink on shirts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How it works<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A screen with a design holds ink.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ink is pushed through the mesh screen onto the shirt using a squeegee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Good things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Very strong<\/strong>\u00a0(lasts 50+ washes).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cheap for big orders<\/strong>\u00a0(like 100+ shirts).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bad things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Expensive setup<\/strong>\u00a0($100-$500) for the transfer process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hard to do gradients<\/strong>\u00a0(like sunsets).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best for<\/strong>: Big orders of cotton shirts with simple designs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"455\" height=\"307\" src=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0051e1fe0bf3e65a249fa4e43b51a66.png\" alt=\"plastisol inks\" class=\"wp-image-6591\" title=\"plastisol inks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0051e1fe0bf3e65a249fa4e43b51a66.png 455w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0051e1fe0bf3e65a249fa4e43b51a66-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0051e1fe0bf3e65a249fa4e43b51a66-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 455px) 100vw, 455px\" \/><figcaption>plastisol inks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-direct-to-garment-dtg-\">What is Direct-to-Garment (DTG)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DTG prints like an office printer but on shirts!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How it works<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A printer sprays ink directly on the shirt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Good things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>No setup cost<\/strong>\u00a0($0).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Great for photos<\/strong>\u00a0(like faces or art).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bad things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Costs more per shirt when using plastisol ink.<\/strong>\u00a0($8-$15 each).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Not good on dark shirts<\/strong>\u00a0(ink fades).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best for<\/strong>: Small orders (1-20 shirts) with detailed art.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-direct-to-film-dtf-\">What is Direct-to-Film (DTF)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DTF uses sticky film and a press to add designs to shirts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How it works<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Print design on film.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stick film to shirt with heat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Good things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Works on any fabric with a mesh screen.<\/strong>\u00a0(cotton, polyester).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bright colors<\/strong>\u00a0(no fading).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bad things<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Feels stiff<\/strong>\u00a0after washing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Moderate cost<\/strong>\u00a0($4-$8 per shirt) when using a squeegee method.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best for<\/strong>: Medium orders (20-100 shirts) on mixed fabrics using a transfer method.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"screen-printing-vs-dtg-vs-dtf-the-big-showdown\">Screen Printing vs DTG vs DTF: The Big Showdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Category<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Screen Printing<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>DTG<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>DTF<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Cost for 50 shirts<\/strong><\/td><td>$1.50-$3 each<\/td><td>$8-$15 each<\/td><td>$4-$8 each<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Durability<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>50+ washes<\/strong>&nbsp;(best)<\/td><td>20-30 washes<\/td><td>30-40 washes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Speed<\/strong><\/td><td>100 shirts\/hour (fast for bulk)<\/td><td>20 shirts\/hour (slow)<\/td><td>50 shirts\/hour (medium)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Fabric<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Cotton only<\/strong><\/td><td>Pre-treated cotton<\/td><td><strong>Any fabric!<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Designs<\/strong><\/td><td>Simple shapes, text, and emulsion techniques.<\/td><td><strong>Photos, art<\/strong><\/td><td>Bright colors, no fine details<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key facts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Screen printing<\/strong>\u00a0is cheapest for big orders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DTG<\/strong>\u00a0is best for photos on light shirts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DTF<\/strong>\u00a0works on polyester and cotton.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"286\" src=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2101f9dff23f4af675d487967f2c322.png\" alt=\"screen printing\" class=\"wp-image-6592\" title=\"plastisol inks\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2101f9dff23f4af675d487967f2c322.png 400w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2101f9dff23f4af675d487967f2c322-300x215.png 300w, https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2101f9dff23f4af675d487967f2c322-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption>plastisol inks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"real-life-examples\">Real-Life Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Case Study 1<\/strong>: 500 Cotton Shirts for a School Event<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Winner<\/strong>: Screen printing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why<\/strong>: Saved 80% vs. DTG.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Case Study 2<\/strong>: 10 Hoodies with a Sunset Design<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Winner<\/strong>: DTG.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why<\/strong>: Printed gradients perfectly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Case Study 3<\/strong>: 50 Polyester Hats for a Soccer Team<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Winner<\/strong>: DTF.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why<\/strong>: Stuck to polyester better than screen printing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"answers-to-common-questions\">Answers to Common Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Which method lasts the longest?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Screen printing<\/strong>\u00a0>\u00a0<strong>DTF<\/strong>\u00a0>\u00a0<strong>DTG<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Can DTF replace screen printing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Yes, we can press designs onto various materials.<\/strong>, for mixed fabrics or medium orders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Is DTG eco-friendly?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Yes<\/strong>, uses water-based inks (less waste) and plastisol for durability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-choose-simple-checklist\">How to Choose: Simple Checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How many shirts?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Big order (>50) \u2192\u00a0<strong>Screen printing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Small order (&lt;20) \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTG<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medium order (20-100) \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTF<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What fabric?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cotton \u2192\u00a0<strong>Screen printing<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>DTG<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Polyester \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTF<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What design options do you supply?<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Simple \u2192\u00a0<strong>Screen printing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complex \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTG<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>DTF<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Screen printing<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>DTG<\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong>DTF<\/strong>&nbsp;all have pros and cons. Use this guide to pick the best one for your project!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Remember<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Big cotton orders \u2192\u00a0<strong>Screen printing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Photo prints \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTG<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Polyester\/mixed fabrics \u2192\u00a0<strong>DTF<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Screen Printing Showdown: How It Stacks Up Against DTG and DTF Meta Description with a focus on transfer techniques.: Not sure how to print shirts? Learn if&nbsp;screen printing,&nbsp;DTG, or&nbsp;DTF&nbsp;is best for you. We compare cost, durability, and more, including the type of emulsion used! Introduction Picking the right way to print shirts can save time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[100],"class_list":["post-6588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-screen-printing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6588"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6593,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6588\/revisions\/6593"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plastisol-inks.com\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}