The best printing method is not the one with the longest list of advantages. It is the one that fits your artwork, garment, quantity and approval standard. DTG printing removes much of the screen-making work and handles changing, highly detailed artwork efficiently. Screen printing adds more preparation but can become the stronger production choice when the same design is repeated across a larger run.
Quick answer: Choose DTG when the order is small or variable, the artwork contains photographs, gradients or many colours, and the selected garment has been proven compatible. Choose screen printing when the design repeats at volume, controlled spot colours or speciality inks matter, and the setup can be spread across the run. There is no universal quantity at which one becomes cheaper: request both quotes against the same brief and approve a sample on the actual garment.
Table of Contents
- How the two printing methods work
- DTG printing vs screen printing at a glance
- Which method handles your artwork better?
- How garment fabric and colour change the result
- How quantity changes cost
- Print feel, durability and consistency
- Decision scenarios
- What to send a printer
- FAQ
How the Two Printing Methods Work
DTG sends a digital file directly to the garment
Direct-to-garment printing uses an inkjet system to place textile ink onto a garment held flat on a platen. A print operator prepares the artwork, loads and positions the garment, prints the image and cures the ink according to the equipment and ink system. Dark garments commonly need a white-ink underbase and pretreatment.
Brother describes DTG as jetting ink onto the substrate without the printer contacting the garment. Its guidance also notes that DTG works within the colour gamut of its particular ink set and that pretreatment is used when printing with white ink (Brother DTG). These details matter: “digital” does not mean every colour, fabric or placement will reproduce identically.
Screen printing builds a stencil system for each job
Screen printing pushes ink through a prepared mesh stencil onto the garment. Artwork must be separated into printable colour components, the screens made and registered, and the ink deposited in the planned sequence. Printing United Alliance explains that screen-print artwork is separated and each colour component is reproduced individually on the garment (Printing United Alliance).
That preparation is an investment. Once the press is set up, however, repeating the same design can become efficient. Screen printers can also select from different ink systems and techniques, subject to garment compatibility and the printer's capability.
DTG Printing vs Screen Printing at a Glance
| Decision factor | DTG printing | Screen printing | What the buyer should verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork | Strong fit for detailed raster art, gradients and many-colour images | Strong fit for spot colours and repeat graphics; complex images require skilled separations | Print-ready file, smallest detail and intended size |
| Setup | Digital preparation, garment loading and possible pretreatment | Colour separation, screen making and press registration | Setup charges and what happens on a reorder |
| Quantity | Often practical for one-offs, small runs and changing designs | Often efficient for repeated medium or large runs | Quote both methods; do not assume a fixed crossover |
| Personalisation | Each file can change between garments | Changing names or artwork disrupts a repeated run | Variable names, numbers, sizes and placements |
| Garment | Best results depend on fibre, surface, colour and pretreatment | Wider ink and technique choices, but each combination still needs testing | Exact blank style, colour and fabric composition |
| Colour control | Limited to the printer's ink gamut and colour-management workflow | Spot inks can be mixed; process work is also possible | Brand-colour target and acceptable tolerance |
| Print feel | Can feel light on suitable garments; dark-shirt underbases add deposit | Can range from soft to substantial depending on ink and deposit | Approved sample, not a generic method claim |
| Special effects | Usually limited to the installed ink and workflow | Can support speciality inks and effects when the shop offers them | Supplier capability and care implications |
Which Method Handles Your Artwork Better?
Start with how the image is built, not how many colours it appears to contain on screen.
DTG is a natural candidate for photographs, gradients and artwork with frequent colour changes. The digital file can change without remaking physical screens, allowing a label to test several designs or personalise garments.
Screen printing is a natural candidate for a bold logo, flat graphic or limited palette repeated across many pieces. It can also reproduce complex and photographic work through halftones and process separations, but that is a specialist production decision—not proof that every screen printer will accept the job. More separations can mean more screens, registration work and production variables.
Figure 1. Artwork structure changes which process is efficient; the approved physical result matters more than the method name.
For colour-critical branding, ask what the printer is matching. A screen printer may mix a spot ink to a target, while DTG reproduces within the device, ink, profile and garment combination. Brother explicitly notes that DTG operates within the gamut of its ink set. Provide a reference and agree what constitutes an acceptable visual match instead of expecting a monitor colour to transfer perfectly to cloth.
How Garment Fabric and Colour Change the Result
The same artwork can look different on two T-shirts because fabric is part of the printing system. Fibre content, knit construction, surface smoothness, dye, finishing treatment and garment colour can change ink behaviour and perceived colour.
Epson Australia's current guidance says its DTG ink adheres best to moderate-to-loose weaves with high cotton content. It can work on other natural, synthetic and blended fabrics, but Epson recommends print and wash-durability testing before production; very smooth or water- and dirt-repellent surfaces may be unsuitable (Epson Australia). This is manufacturer-specific guidance, but it illustrates why “DTG works on cotton” is not a complete specification.
Dark garments add another decision. White ink may be used beneath the colours so they remain visible, and the garment may require pretreatment. This can affect production time, surface feel and the way a colour renders. Screen printing on dark garments may also use an underbase, depending on the ink, artwork and desired result.
Do not approve a decoration method before approving the blank. Record the exact style code, supplier, colour, fibre composition and fabric weight. If those basics are unfamiliar, review the different types of fabric material before comparing printed samples.
How Quantity Changes Cost
DTG and screen printing have different cost curves. DTG avoids physical screen creation for each design, but every garment still requires handling, printing, ink and curing. Screen printing carries preparation costs before the first acceptable garment, then can spread those costs across repeated units.
This is why a single universal breakpoint—25, 50 or 100 shirts—is unreliable. The crossover changes with:
- number of screen colours and print positions;
- use of white ink or speciality ink;
- artwork separation and correction time;
- garment colour and fabric;
- print dimensions and ink coverage;
- total quantity by design, not only total garments;
- size and artwork personalisation;
- sample, spoilage and reorder policy.
FESPA's industry comparison reaches the same broad production logic: digital printing has little makeready and suits short or individual runs, while the screen-making and setup involved in screen printing favour medium-to-long repeated runs (FESPA).
Ask each supplier to quote the same garment, artwork size, print locations, quantity breakdown, packaging and delivery destination. Buyers should also confirm whether local tax, freight and other charges are included, rather than comparing headline unit prices from different scopes.
Print Feel, Durability and Consistency
Neither method has one fixed hand feel. A light DTG print on a suitable pale cotton jersey may feel different from a dark-garment print with pretreatment and a white underbase. A screen print can be thin and soft or deliberately heavy, depending on the ink, mesh, deposit and design coverage.
Durability is equally conditional. Ink chemistry, pretreatment, curing, fabric, stretch, abrasion, washing and drying all matter. A claim that “screen printing always lasts longer” or “DTG never cracks” hides too many variables to guide an order. Instead, define a care method and compare samples after the same wash process.
Consistency also has two meanings. DTG can repeat a stored file, but garment loading, pretreatment and device condition still need control. Screen printing can deliver stable repeat runs once the press is set, but registration, ink deposit and screen condition still need monitoring. In either process, keep an approved sample and record the garment, artwork version, placement and colour reference.
Figure 2. Approve the print on the actual garment and keep it as the reference for production and reorders.
Decision Scenarios
A small fashion drop with six detailed artworks
DTG is usually the first method to quote because designs change and colour counts are high. Confirm garment compatibility, especially for dark colours or blends.
A 300-piece event run with one two-colour front graphic
Screen printing is usually the first method to quote because the same simple design repeats. Ask whether the printer will retain screens or charge new setup on a reorder, and approve registration and colour before the main run.
A photo on a moisture-wicking polyester tee
Do not choose from the artwork alone. DTG compatibility is equipment-, ink- and garment-dependent, and polyester introduces dye and heat considerations. Ask the supplier to test the exact blank and compare another suitable method if the result is unstable.
What to Send a Printer
A useful quote brief should contain enough information for two suppliers—or two methods—to price the same job:
- garment brand, style code, colour, sizes and fibre composition;
- quantity per artwork, colour and size;
- artwork files plus the intended print dimensions;
- every print position and any seam, pocket or zip near it;
- required colour reference and acceptable variation;
- personalisation data and how it maps to garments;
- sample requirement and approval deadline;
- wash-test or care expectations;
- packaging, delivery postcode and required date;
- reorder expectations and whether setup is retained.
This specification-first approach also makes a custom tee shirt shop easier to compare. Ask each shop to explain why its proposed method fits the brief and to show the decision on the selected blank, not on an unrelated sample.
Common Selection Mistakes
- Choosing from quantity alone. A large multi-artwork order may behave like several small orders; count units per design and colourway.
- Treating all cotton or polyester garments as equivalent. Surface, finish and dye matter alongside the fibre label.
- Approving a digital mock-up as the colour standard. Screens emit light; shirts reflect it. Use a physical reference and tolerances.
- Comparing quotes with different inclusions. Check blanks, setup, screens, white ink, extra positions, samples, packing, freight and tax.
FAQ
Is DTG better quality than screen printing?
Not universally. DTG can reproduce detailed, multi-colour artwork efficiently, while screen printing can deliver controlled spot colours and different ink deposits. “Quality” should be defined through image detail, colour, hand feel, placement, wash performance and consistency on the selected garment. Approve samples against those criteria.
Which printing method is better for dark shirts?
Either can work. DTG commonly uses pretreatment and a white underbase on dark garments. Screen printing may also use an underbase. The result depends on the garment dye, fabric surface, ink system, artwork and curing. Ask for a sample on the exact dark colour you will order.
Is DTG always cheaper for small orders?
Often, but not always. DTG avoids physical screens, which can help with one-offs and changing artwork. However, garment choice, white ink, pretreatment, print size, personalisation and the supplier's workflow affect the quote. Compare complete prices for the same brief rather than relying on a generic quantity rule.
Can screen printing reproduce photographs?
Yes, through halftone or process-colour separations, but it requires suitable artwork preparation, screens, press capability and operator skill. DTG is generally the simpler process to quote for photographic detail in a small run. At higher quantities, ask an experienced printer to compare both production routes.
Conclusion
The practical answer to DTG printing vs screen printing is conditional. DTG fits changing or detailed artwork and flexible quantities when the garment is compatible. Screen printing fits repeated work when the setup earns its place and the design benefits from its ink and colour options. For buyers across Australia and other Southern Hemisphere English-speaking markets, the safest next step is simple: lock one complete order brief, request comparable quotes and approve the result on the actual garment before production. You can also browse the Ideals Clothing product range to see how garment categories and fabric choices change the printing brief.
Sources
- Brother DTG. “FAQs: How is DTG printing different than screen printing?” Accessed 10 September 2026. https://brotherdtg.com/why-dtg/faqs/
- Printing United Alliance. “Separations for Screen Printing.” Accessed 10 September 2026. https://www.printing.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/clement_win20app_artseparations.pdf?sfvrsn=fe7152e0_0
- Epson Australia. “UltraChrome DG Ink – Black 1.5L.” Accessed 10 September 2026. https://www.epson.com.au/products/ink-and-paper/13872/
- FESPA. “Screen Printing vs Digital Printing for Garment Decoration.” 17 January 2024. https://www.fespa.com/en/news-media/screen-printing-vs-digital-printing-for-garment-decoration