DTF vs DTG vs screen printing — which one should you choose?
Three methods print most of the world's custom t-shirts and hoodies, and each is the right answer to a different question. We run all three on the same floor in Lahore, so this is not a sales pitch for one of them — it is the decision we make on every quote, written down.
- 50
- Piece minimum, mixed sizes
- 7–10
- Days at our fastest
- Lahore
- Our own factory, one roof
- 97
- Countries we ship to
The one-paragraph answer
Screen printing for simple artwork in quantity — one to four colours, 150 pieces or more, on almost any fabric. DTG for detailed full-colour artwork on light cotton in small runs. DTF for everything in between: full colour, any fabric, dark garments, small to medium runs, several designs in one order. If the artwork is a photograph on a black polyester jersey, none of the three — that is sublimation on white polyester, or DTF.
The three methods side by side
| Screen printing | DTG | DTF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Ink pushed through a stencil screen, one per colour | Inkjet printed into the fabric | Printed on film, heat-transferred |
| Fabrics | Cotton, poly, blends | 100% cotton | Almost any |
| Colour limit | One screen per colour | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Photographic detail | Halftone only | Excellent | Excellent |
| Dark garments | Excellent | Good, pre-treated | Excellent |
| Hand-feel | Soft to firm, ink on surface | Softest, ink in fibre | Thin smooth film |
| Setup cost | Per colour, ~$30 each | None | None |
| Cheapest at | 150+ pieces, simple art | 1–50 pieces, light cotton | 50–200 pieces, any art |
| Durability | Life of garment | Life of garment on cotton | 50+ washes |
| Special effects | Puff, metallic, discharge, glow | None | None |
Cost by quantity — where each method wins
At 50 pieces with a one-colour logo: screen print around $0.90 per piece plus $30 setup ($1.50 per piece all-in), DTF $1.30, DTG $1.50. Roughly level, and the choice comes down to fabric and finish.
At 50 pieces with full-colour artwork: screen print needs five or six screens — $150–180 of setup on 50 pieces, $3–4 per piece. DTF $1.30–3.40 by size, no setup. DTG $1.50–4.10, no setup. Digital wins clearly.
At 300 pieces with a two-colour logo: screen print $1.20 per piece plus $60 setup — under $1.40 all-in. DTF around $1.10 by then. Close; screen print is softer and more durable, so it wins.
At 500 pieces with full-colour artwork on black cotton: screen print needs halftone separations and six screens — possible, expensive, and the result is a compromise. DTF around $2.40 for a full front. Hybrid printing — screened white underbase plus DTG — around $2 with a softer finish. Hybrid or DTF.
Decision rules we use on every quote
Count the colours. One to four, and the run is over 150: screen print. More than four, or a photograph, or a gradient: digital.
Check the fabric. 100% cotton, light colour, small run: DTG. Anything with polyester in it: DTF or sublimation. Dark cotton in quantity: DTF, or hybrid above 100.
Count the designs. One design on 200 pieces: screen print. Ten designs on 20 pieces each: DTF, because each screen-print design would need its own setup.
Ask what the garment is for. Workwear washed daily, sports kit, uniforms: screen print or sublimation. A premium streetwear tee where the softest finish matters: DTG on cotton or discharge screen print. An event tee worn twice: DTF, and save the money.
The mistakes we see most
Choosing DTG for a polyester garment because the artwork is detailed. The print looks fine for a week and washes out. DTF was the answer.
Screen printing a photograph on 50 pieces. Six screens of setup for a halftone that never looks as good as a $3 DTF transfer.
DTF for a 500-piece one-colour workwear order. It works, but the buyer paid more than screen print would have cost and got a less durable print.
Ordering full-colour DTG on black for 300 pieces. Each garment pre-treated and underbased individually — slow, costly, variable. Hybrid or DTF would have been faster, cheaper and more consistent.
Why we run all three in Lahore
Because the right method changes with every order, and a factory with only one method recommends that one. Our screen-print line, DTG heads and DTF press sit within a few metres of each other, with embroidery and sublimation alongside. Every quote is priced against the alternatives, and we tell you when the cheaper method is the right one.
Minimum 50 pieces across sizes on any method. As fast as 7–10 days on stock garments. Printed in Lahore, shipped across Pakistan and worldwide.
Common questions
- Which printing method is the cheapest?
- It depends on quantity and colours. Screen print above about 150 pieces with simple artwork; DTF or DTG below that or with full-colour artwork. The calculator prices each for your order.
- Which method is the most durable?
- Screen print with plastisol ink, and DTG on cotton — both last the life of the garment. DTF lasts 50-plus washes with care. Sublimation on polyester never fades.
- Which is best for photographs?
- DTG on light cotton, DTF on anything else, hybrid on dark cotton above 100 pieces. Not screen print.
- Which is best for dark t-shirts?
- Screen print for simple artwork; DTF for full colour; hybrid for full colour above 100 pieces. DTG works on dark cotton but costs more.
- Which is best for polyester?
- DTF for logos and placements; sublimation for all-over prints and team kits. Not DTG.
- Which has the softest feel?
- DTG on cotton, then discharge or water-based screen print, then plastisol screen print, then DTF.
- Can I combine methods on one garment?
- Yes — an embroidered chest logo with a DTF back print, or a screen-printed front with DTF sleeve prints. Each placement is priced on its own method.
- Which method should a new brand start with?
- DTF or DTG for a first 50-piece run with full-colour artwork; screen print if the design is one or two colours and you can see reordering. We recommend on the quote.
Where this applies
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Let the calculator decide
Enter your garment, artwork placement and quantity and compare the methods side by side — or send the artwork and we will recommend one within a working day.
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