Printing Methods Compared: Screen, DTG and Heat Transfer
The same design can be put on a shirt in very different ways. Each method suits different quantities, colours and fabrics.
When you order printed shirts, the method matters as much as the artwork. It decides what the print feels like, how many colours you can use, how it survives washing and how the cost behaves as the order grows. Here are the three methods most small orders use.
Screen printing
Screen printing is a technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a surface, except in areas made impermeable by a blocking stencil. Each colour usually needs its own screen, so there is setup work before the first shirt is printed. Once the screens are ready, each additional shirt is quick to print.
- Good for: larger runs, bold designs with a limited number of solid colours, durable prints.
- Less good for: very small orders, photographic images and designs with many colours.
Direct-to-garment (DTG)
Direct-to-garment printing applies ink to textiles using specialised inkjet technology. Because there are no screens, it handles full-colour images and one-off shirts easily, which is why many print-on-demand services rely on it.
- Good for: small runs, detailed or photographic artwork, testing a design.
- Less good for: some synthetic fabrics, and situations where a very bright print on a dark shirt is essential. Results vary by printer and garment, so ask for a sample.
Heat transfer and vinyl
Heat transfer covers several methods in which a design is printed or cut on a carrier and then pressed onto the shirt with heat. Heat transfer vinyl is a specialty vinyl used on fabrics to make designs, cut and pressed onto the garment. It is common for names and numbers on team shirts.
- Good for: personalisation, simple shapes and text, small quantities.
- Less good for: large solid areas, which can feel stiff, and complex multicolour designs.
Questions to ask a print shop
- Which method do you recommend for this design, this fabric and this quantity, and why?
- Is there a setup fee, and does it change with the number of colours?
- Can I see a printed sample on the same blank before the full run?
- What care instructions should I pass on to buyers?
- What happens if part of the order arrives misprinted?
Matching method to order
As a rough guide, small and colourful favours DTG, large and simple favours screen printing, and names or numbers favour heat transfer. The only reliable answer for your design is a sample.
Petra Sandoval · revised 2026-11-09