What is the difference between direct to garment printing and screen printing?

Screen printingapplies multiple layers of ink to the fabric, whereas direct-to-garmentprinting (DTG) uses a printer to spray the ink onto a garment. Mostimportantly, direct-to-garment printing (DTG) enables on-demand orderfulfillment without any upfront costs, in contrast to screen printing, whichrequires bulk orders. Both direct-to-garment printing (DTG) and screen printingput ink on the fabric of the t-shirt using different methods, but the mostimportant distinction between the two is how the ink is applied. Screenprinting is the traditional method, and it involves using a stencil to pressink into the material of the t-shirt while the stencil is in place.

 

Direct-to-garmentprinting is a more recent technique in which ink is printed directly ontofabric using a printer. Printing custom garments using direct-to-garment (DTG)and screen printing are two of the most common and popular printing methods.Screen printing deposits the ink on the fabric in a layer-by-layer fashion,whereas direct-to-garment printing (DTG) uses a specialized printer for fabricsthat works similarly to computer inkjet printing to spray the ink onto agarment. Screen printing is the most cost-effective method for printing dozensor even hundreds of shirts.

 

Printing a smallnumber of shirts with a DTG printer is the most cost-effective option. When adigital image design is printed on a garment, the process is referred to as DTGprinting, which is also known as direct-to-garment printing. DTG printersprovide a process that is more efficient than screen printing and have benefitssuch as savings in both time and money, efficient production, and the need foronly one operator per machine. There is not much of a difference in terms ofquality between direct-to-garment printing and screen printing.

 

Screen printing issuperior for large quantities of one-color runs, while direct-to-garmentprinting (DTG) is better suited for smaller batches with designs that are moreintricate and require more colors. A squeegee is used to press ink through theopenings in the stencil, which applies the ink directly to the surface that isbeing printed on. Screen printing produces prints of high quality, without adoubt; however, it can only reproduce certain colors and takes a significantamount of time and effort to complete. Certain t-shirt designs are bettersuited to this method than others, and screen printing offers the wearer ahigh-quality result that has always been popular with clothing designers.Certain t-shirt designs are more suited to this method than others.

 

The digital printingtechnique known as direct-to-garment printing is used to transfer ink anddesigns directly onto the fabric of the t-shirt that you are making. Direct togarment, or DTG, printers are similar to giant inkjet printers in that theyprint directly on textiles, fabrics, garments, and other types of textiles.After deciding the cut and style, of course, one of the most importantdecisions you need to make is which printing method you want to use. Screenprinting and DTG printing, also known as direct-to-garment printing, are two ofthe most common methods used to print custom designs on t-shirts.

 

We encourage everyonewho is thinking about switching to a new method of decorating, whether they arethinking about trying screen printing or purchasing a DTG printer, to focusless on the specific method of decorating that they use and more on whether ornot they print exactly what the customer wants. The labor-intensive process ofscreen printing is designed to quickly produce hundreds, if not thousands, ofprints in a short amount of time.

 

This method ofprinting ink on textiles, garments, and a variety of substrates has been aroundfor quite some time and has proven to be effective. Because the print producedby some inks and screen printing techniques (like discharge inks, for example)becomes an integral part of the fabric, it is completely imperceptible to thetouch. Screen printing shops can now accept orders that are smaller and morecomplicated thanks to DTG printing, which previously would not have beenpossible.

 

DTG prints canwithstand more than 50 washes while still retaining their quality and beingacceptable to your customers if the proper care instructions are followed.Those business owners who decide to print their shirts for their company wantto ensure that the shirts are of the highest possible quality, and the visualimpact of the designs is an important consideration in their choice of printingmethod. DTG printing is the way to go if you are interested in opening yourprint-on-demand eCommerce store, entering a new market, or scaling up yourexisting business.

 

T-shirts can havedesigns, logos, and lettering applied to them via DTG printing, which makes useof digital technology. After receiving approval from the customer, the designis then sent to specialized printing software that is stored on the computerthat is used for direct-to-garment printing (DTG). A digital printer that wasdesigned specifically for textiles is used to print designs onto blank t-shirtsby using ink that was developed specifically for use on fabrics.

 

The inks haveundergone extensive research and development to ensure that they are robust,long-lasting, and incredibly rich in color. The total amount of time necessaryto print one shirt can range anywhere from five to ten minutes, depending onthe degree of difficulty of the design and the number of colors that areemployed.

 

The method of printinga design onto a t-shirt by using a silk-screening process has been in use formany years. The t-shirt is printed with ink by pressing it through a stencilmade of woven mesh. Squeegees made of rubber or plastic are used to manuallypush and pull the ink over the stencil onto the t-shirt until the ink isabsorbed by the fabric.

 

Silk-screening isdistinctive in that every step of the process is carried out by hand. Thelongest amount of time is spent on the process of setting up the machine forprinting, as this requires first creating the stencil and then setting up theentire machine.

 

Because printing canonly be done in one color at a time, the number of colors that can be used isrestricted. When applying a subsequent color, the process will take longer(including the time needed for it to dry), which may result in a marginal pricehike due to the increased amount of manual labor required.

 

Small orders, such as20 shirts for your local kickball team or 15 shirts for your bachelor orbachelorette party, are best suited for DTG's printing capabilities. The speedwith which shirts can be printed using the DTG method results in a cost pershirt that is significantly lower than that of silk screening.

 

It is important tonote that just because t-shirts printed using DTG cost less than those printedusing silk screening does not mean that the quality of the DTG-printed shirtsis lower. At One Hour Tees, the DTG printers that we use have a very highresolution and are all up to date with the latest technology. This ensures thatevery detail of your design will be displayed in perfect clarity, and you willhave the option of selecting one color, or multiple colors, from among a widevariety of options.

 

The costs of silkscreen printing and direct-to-garment printing (DTG) can fluctuate. To begin,setting up for a silkscreen run is a time-consuming process; because of this,the minimum number of shirts you can order from us is 25. When it comes tosmaller shirt orders, DTG printing is the more cost-effective option. When youorder multiple shirts at once, you are eligible for a volume discount. Thegreater the number of copies you have printed, the more money you will save.

 

Bear in mind, too,that the process of silk screening will result in the ink on the shirt having avery slightly raised appearance. If you have a specific style or look in mindfor your project, this may work to your advantage. With direct-to-garment (DTG)printing, the color and design are on par with anything you'd find in ahigh-end department store; the only difference is that you won't have to pay anarm and a leg for it!