When is Direct to Garment Printing Better than Screen Printing?
Direct to garment t-shirt printing is one of the most popular ways to transfer an image to a garment, but another is known as screen printing. Both options offer their own selection of benefits, but when is a screening technique better than the direct alternative? This will typically depend on the required quality of the shirt, as well as the number of garments being printed and the turnaround time needed.
What does screen printing involve?
By using a plate or a palette, a shirt can be placed and positioned – where the plate can be pressed on top of it. The plate will transfer ink in a selection of colours to the garment, where it can dry and then be used as a regular shirt would be. This method is particularly beneficial when a fast turnaround is needed, or when a large volume of t-shirts are required in a matching style.
One drawback with screen printing is that the colours can be pretty limited, as the plate will often only be able to contain a set amount of hues.
When is direct to garment the better option?
Direct to garment printing can be better suited for smaller orders placed via a personalised printable t-shirt company. In these cases quality might be more of a priority than fast turnaround and when ordering just a few shirts for personal uses, the higher quality can certainly be achieved with direct to garment options.
If it is speed and moderate quality that you are after; especially when using a limited number of colours for a design, then screen printing can certainly be the better alternative. When quality is preferred, then the better option may be to go for the direct to garment technique, where tiny bursts of ink can be applied in specific detail.