DTG vs Screen Printing: Which Method Works Best

Where print on demand products are concerned, two prominent printing methods stand out from the crowd: direct to garment printing (DTG) and screen printing. Both offer unique benefits depending on your printing needs, from small batch customized garments and accessories, to large bulk orders of apparel or other printable goods. 

Knowing the differences between DTG printing and screen printing will help you make the right decision for your merch store, Fourthwall print on demand shop, or printing business. Let’s look at how each of these two printing method works, compare their key differences, and learn how to decide which printing method is best suited for your specific needs.

What is DTG Printing and How Does It Work?

Direct to Garment printing, also called DTG printing, is a modern method of printing directly onto fabric using specialized inkjet printers, or DTG machines. The direct to garment printing process begins by loading the garment into a DTG machine, which sprays ink in layers onto the fabric. You can picture DTG printers applying ink directly to the shirt or other garment in a process similar to how your standard inkjet printers print onto paper; but when creating garments, the ink is absorbed by the fabric fibers, resulting in high resolution print quality.

The flexibility of DTG prints allows for printing complex, photorealistic designs on fabric and other materials without the need for stencils. This method is particularly good for custom apparel with vibrant, multicolored designs and detailed artwork.

What is Screen Printing and How Does It Work?

Screen printing is one of the oldest and most widely used printing techniques, and involves using a mesh screen as a stencil for transferring ink onto a garment. The screen printing process starts by creating a stencil (screen) for each color in the design; each screen is coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, and after exposure to light, the design hardens on the screen. The ink is then pushed through the screen using a squeegee, transferring the design onto the garment. 

As each different color in a screen printed design requires a separate screen, this makes the setup and printing processes more labor intensive than DTG. That makes the screen printing method better for larger orders with fewer colors.

Comparing DTG and Screen Printing

Design Complexity

DTG printing is the best choice for more elaborate designs with fine details, photorealistic imagery, or a wide range of colors. Since DTG printers use digital inkjet technology, there are no limitations how detailed the design can be, or on the number of colors you can use. Whether you're printing an intricate logo or a dramatic full color photo on your shirt, DTG printing can handle the complexity without compromising on print quality.

Screen printing, on the other hand, is better suited for simpler designs with fewer colors. Each color in a screen printed design requires a separate screen, which can be both time consuming and costly for designs with many colors. So screen printing proves much more effective for straightforward, bold designs; blocky text; or logos with just a few colors.

Color Vibrancy

Both DTG printing and screen printing can produce quite vibrant colors, but the results on fabric often differ. DTG prints are best for achieving rich, saturated tones due to the ink being absorbed directly into the fabric. This makes DTG printing ideal for designs with multiple shades of color, gradients, or photo quality imagery.

Screen printing also produces strong colors, especially for bold, single shade designs. But with screen printing, the ink sits on top of the fabric, giving it a dense look that’s best for simple designs. While screen printing may not achieve the same level of color variety as DTG printing, it does well producing bright, vivid colors for more straightforward, basic designs.

Quality

When it comes to print quality, DTG printing excels in producing sharp, detailed designs. Since DTG printers use inkjet technology that absorbs the ink into the fabric, they can print full color designs with lots of fine details, making them ideal for printing custom items with complex, colorful graphics or photorealistic images.  

Screen printing’s quality depends on using it with simple designs and fewer colors. The ink in screen printing sits on top of the fabric, giving the prints a textured feel. Screen printing can produce bold colors and is known for its durability, with designs that last through many washes without fading or cracking; but it doesn’t work well for complicated designs, so it’s best saved for shirts with logos or blocky images.

Durability 

Where screen printing really stands out is in its durability. The ink used in screen printing is results in long lasting designs on fabric that can withstand repeated washes. Screen printing is particularly effective for designs that need to endure over time, so it’s great for garments like aprons or sporting uniforms that will be worn and washed frequently.

DTG printing, while still reasonably durable, does tend to fade faster over time due to the ink being pressed into the fabric. Today’s DTG printers use high quality inks that offer much better durability compared to older models, but screen printing still outperforms it in terms of long-term washability.

Sustainability

In terms of sustainability, DTG printing is generally more eco-friendly. The ink used in DTG printing is water based and produces minimal waste, making it a better option for those wanting to be more environmentally conscious. Additionally, there is no need for stencils or screens with DTG, which reduces waste even more.

The way screen printing works creates more waste due to the necessary production of screens, and the use of chemicals in the printing process. There are some less impactful screen printing inks and techniques available to minimize the environmental impact of screen printing, but you’ll have to do some work to seek those out.

Costs

The cost of garment printing is a significant factor when choosing between DTG printing and screen printing. DTG printing has a lower initial investment, as there are no screens or stencils required; but the cost of ink is higher per print, making it more expensive for small batches. 

That said, DTG printing is ideal for businesses that handle low volume orders and custom apparel, where you don't want to incur additional costs associated with setup or minimum order requirements. DTG printing is also perfect for online ecommerce ventures like a Fourthwall merch store; it allows you to easily upload a large variety of designs for your customers without extra cost!

Screen printing does requires a higher initial investment due to the creation of stencils - that setup process can be time consuming and costly. But once the screens are made, the ink cost per print ends up being much lower. This makes screen printing more cost-effective for big orders with basic designs, as the cost per unit will decrease significantly as you print larger quantities.

Order Quantity

DTG printing is great for shops that mostly fulfill small to medium orders, as there’s no minimum order requirement. You can print as few as one garment at a time, making it ideal for custom apparel, limited edition designs, exclusive short-run merch drops, or personalized products. This flexibility allows you to offer a variety of designs without committing to large quantities.

Screen printing is more suited for large orders, due to the setup costs involved; the required creation of stencils and printing with screens makes it time consuming for small batches and unreasonable for single prints. Screen printing does become much more economical as the order volume increases, so it’s best for bulk production with simple prints that can be reproduced at scale.

Production Time

DTG printing is much faster with quick turnaround times for small orders, because there’s no need for screens or setup time. A DTG printer can begin printing almost immediately after loading the garment design, making it ideal for items like custom apparel, tote bags, and desk mats. If you’re fulfilling small orders or limited edition runs, DTG printing is the most efficient option.

Screen printing, however, involves a lengthy setup process. Each color in a design requires a separate screen, and those screens each need to be prepared and aligned before printing. This makes screen printing slower at first, especially for small orders - but faster for large orders once the screens are ready. As a result, screen printing is better suited for bulk production where your setup cost gets dispersed across many printed items.

DTG vs. Screen Printing: The Recap

Choosing between DTG printing and screen printing depends on your design complexity, preferred fabric types, business goals, order volume, and budget. If you’re focusing on custom apparel with fashion-forward, detailed designs and lower volume orders, DTG printing is likely your better choice, offering flexibility, those great high resolution prints, and quick turnaround times.

If you’re planning for most of your business to be bulk orders and simpler designs, then screen printing is likely more cost effective, since it offers durable, long lasting prints and is well suited for large production runs. Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned about these two printing methods:

Design Complexity

Direct to Garment: Ideal for intricate, multicolored designs

Screen Printing: Best for simpler designs with fewer colors

Color Vibrancy

Direct to Garment: Rich, vibrant colors for detailed, complex designs

Screen Printing: Bright colors when making bold, solid color prints

Quality

Direct to Garment: High resolution, near photo quality prints

Screen Printing: Great for bold, simple designs

Durability

Direct to Garment: Moderate durability, may fade over time depending on wear

Screen Printing: Very durable, long lasting prints

Sustainability

Direct to Garment: Minimal waste, as DTG uses water based inks

Screen Printing: Does generate more waste, but more eco-friendly options may be available

Costs

Direct to Garment: Lower cost initially, but adds up quickly with higher ink cost per print for small batches

Screen Printing: Higher setup costs, but lower ink cost for large batches

Order Quantity

Direct to Garment: Best for small to medium orders, no minimums

Screen Printing: Best for large orders with simple designs

Production Time (post setup)

Direct to Garment: Quite fast for small orders, little prep time needed

Screen Printing: Slower for small orders, faster for bulk orders

Achieve All of Your Printing Goals and More with Fourthwall!

Fourthwall offers content creators a wide range of print on demand products, with over 300 printable items to choose from! Whether you're looking to create custom apparel, home decor, drinkware, fitness gear, or accessories and collectibles, Fourthwall provides a wide range of production methods to suit your needs, including Direct to Garment printing, classic screen printing, and even more high quality techniques like all-over printing and embroidery. 

With Fourthwall’s user friendly design tools, you can easily import your own custom designs, and choose the best suited printing method for your line of merch, which you can sell directly from your own customized online store!

Beyond just providing printing services, Fourthwall offers a comprehensive platform for creators to welcome their customers and fans. With features like customizable homepages, a branded merch store, your own mobile app, social media syncing, and membership options, Fourthwall makes it easy to grow your brand and scale your business. 

Whether you’re just starting your print on demand business or you’re looking to expand, Fourthwall supports every step of your creative and business endeavors, from product creation to online success - join Fourthwall today!