Before you start your brand, it’s easy to feel confused about all the printing options available. Here are some tips for comparing heat transfer, screen printing, and DTG printing methods and how to choose the most cost-effective method. Before deciding between DTG, screen printing, or heat transfer techniques, keep the following in mind:
Screen printing vs DTG vs heat transfer
Screen printing:
We also call it silk screening. And it involves applying ink or paint to the shirt with a prepared screen. This method has been in use for a thousand years. In this process, each color in the design will need a different screen, which needs more costly. But if you make a larger quantity of shirts for your order, you will get a lower unit price. The media is transferred to the fabric, so the design will last much longer than of the heat transfer.
Advantages:
1. Colors are vibrant.2. High-quality image 3. Long printing effect
Disadvantages:
1. the setup cost is high compared to others. 2. It will need a minimum quantity order 3. Need additional cost because multiple colors require multiple screens
Heat transfer:
There are two primary methods for heat transfers. And the first one involves using a heat press to transfer your custom vinyl cut-out designs onto the shirt. And the other one uses special ink to print the designs onto transfer paper or film, which is then placed on the shirt and heat pressed to the fabric.
Advantages:
- Different garments in the same order can customize 2. Designs with complex colors are easy to execute 3. Complicated designs can be easily transferred
Disadvantages:
- The designs will fade over time. And the design will likely break after a few runs in the dryer 3. The results of this method do not last as long as screen printing or DTG (direct to garment).
Thus, if your business is small and requires multiple colors or custom coats, heat transfer may be an option for you.
Direct-to-garment (DTG) T-shirt printing:
DTG is a kind of inkjet technology and works as the way of an inkiet printer. This process allows images in printing in greater detail, and there is no limit to the number of colors you can see than screen printing.
DTG provides excellent results without heavy setup costs for those working with limited resources and the need for smaller quantities.
For low quantity, five color orders, the prepping, printing, and curing process for direct-to-garment take less time, just a few minutes. Especially compared to screen printing, the same working process will need to require hours. The advantages and disadvantages are as follows.
Advantages:
- Full-color detail printing 2. The finished product has a professional appearance 4. It smooths soft when touching. 5. And the print cost is not high
Disadvantages:
When compared to screen printing (for larger quantities) DTG inkjet printer is slow.
