DTG vs Screen Printing: Which Custom Tee Method Wins?
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Most people pick the wrong print method and pay 30-40% more than necessary. The break-even point is a single number, and almost nobody knows it.
Two methods dominate custom t-shirt production in the UK: direct-to-garment (DTG) and screen printing. Each has a specific quantity where it pulls ahead. Getting the choice wrong means paying excess setup costs on a small run, or using a slower and pricier process when volume would slash the unit price considerably.
What is DTG Printing?
A DTG machine works like a large-format inkjet printer for fabric. The garment sits flat on a platen, the print head sprays water-based ink directly into the fibres, and a heat press cures the result. The Epson F3070 and Brother GTX Pro are the two machines you will encounter in most UK print shops.
Setup is minimal. Print one shirt or print ten shirts: the cost per unit stays roughly flat. For a full-colour photographic design on a single tee, DTG typically runs £12-18 per unit. The Gildan Softstyle 64000 is the most widely used DTG blank in UK print shops, largely because its 153 g/m ring-spun cotton gives water-based inks a consistent surface to bond to.
DTG handles photographs, gradients, and hundreds of colours without any cost penalty for complexity. That is its main structural advantage over screen printing for intricate artwork.
What is Screen Printing?
Screen printing uses a mesh screen and a squeegee to push ink through a stencil onto fabric. Each colour in the design requires its own screen. Burning the screens, mixing inks, and aligning the press takes 30-60 minutes per job, no matter how many shirts are in the run.
That setup cost is fixed. Once you pass roughly 24 units, the cost per shirt drops steeply. A four-colour chest print that costs £22 per shirt for 12 units will often fall to £8-10 per shirt at 100 units. At 250 units the savings are very large.
Screen-printed plastisol inks sit on top of the fabric rather than bonding into the fibres. The result is more opaque colour, sharper edges on block shapes, and a slight texture that many buyers associate with quality streetwear. Bold vector logos print with particular clarity.
The Cost Break-Even Point
At 24 units, screen printing and DTG are roughly equal in total cost for a simple two-colour design. Below that number, DTG is cheaper. Above it, screen printing wins by a widening margin.
| Order size | Recommended method | Approx. unit price (2 colours) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-12 units | DTG | £14-20 |
| 13-24 units | DTG or screen print | £12-18 |
| 25-100 units | Screen printing | £8-14 |
| 100+ units | Screen printing | £5-10 |
If you are testing a streetwear design before a production run, start with DTG on 6-12 blanks. When the design proves it sells, switch to screen printing for the next 50-100 unit batch. Many small brands source blank hoodies on Amazon UK during the testing phase to control costs. The Fruit of the Loom Classic Hooded Sweatshirt is a budget-friendly 280 g/m blank that takes both DTG and screen printing reliably.
Colour Count Changes Everything
DTG prints every colour in a design at the same price. Screen printing adds a screen for each colour, which means an additional cost per colour. Adding a white under-base (required on dark garments) counts as a separate screen and a separate cost.
A five-colour design on black fabric may need six screens. That pushes the screen printing break-even point up to 50 or 60 units before it beats DTG on total cost. The more colours in your design, the longer DTG stays competitive on price.
For streetwear with photographic or gradient artwork, DTG is frequently the right call even at moderate quantities. For bold logo-style graphics with two or three spot colours, screen printing at 30+ units is almost always cheaper.
Durability and Fabric Compatibility
Screen-printed plastisol ink, when cured correctly at around 160 degrees Celsius, can outlast the garment itself. DTG prints require more care. That said, modern DTG formulations on 100% ring-spun cotton hold well after 50+ washes if the garment is turned inside out, washed at 30 degrees, and line dried. The Stanley/Stella Creator Unisex Organic Tee is a widely used DTG blank for brands that want a softer hand feel combined with good print longevity.
Fabric composition matters significantly for DTG. The process bonds best to 100% cotton. Polyester-cotton blends (50/50) can cause colour shifting in the print, a problem called dye migration, where polyester fibres release dye during curing and discolour the ink. Screen printing tolerates a wider range of compositions, including performance fabrics and blended fleece.
Turnaround Time
DTG jobs with no screens to prepare often dispatch within 2-3 working days. Screen printing typically takes 5-10 working days. Jobs requiring custom Pantone colour matching or specialty inks can add a few days beyond that.
If a customer needs a single custom shirt for an event this Friday, DTG is the only viable path. For a brand planning a seasonal drop four weeks out, the longer screen printing lead time is not a problem.
Choosing for Your Streetwear Brand
Small test runs of 1-12 units: DTG, without exception. Medium runs of 25-100 units: screen printing for simple vector designs, DTG for complex or photographic artwork. Runs above 100 units: screen printing in almost every case.
If the brand aesthetic relies on clean block graphics with two or three solid colours, screen printing at volume is the financially correct call. If the artwork uses photographic textures, washed effects, or five-plus-colour gradients, DTG preserves that detail in a way screen printing cannot match.
FAQ
Can you screen print on hoodies?
Yes. Hoodies are among the most common items for screen printing in the UK. The chest, back, and sleeve are standard print locations. Printing directly over seams or on the hood itself is avoided because uneven surfaces affect ink adhesion and cure quality.
Is DTG printing washable?
DTG prints are washable, but they need proper care to last. Wash inside-out in cold water at 30 degrees maximum, avoid the tumble dryer, and do not iron directly on the print. On 100% cotton garments, a well-cured DTG print typically holds for 40-60 washes with correct care.
What is the minimum order for screen printing?
Most UK screen printers set a minimum of 12 units per design per colourway. Some shops accept lower minimums but charge a screen setup fee of £15-25 per colour on top of the unit price, which often makes smaller runs more expensive than DTG at that quantity.
What file format does DTG printing need?
A PNG file with a transparent background at a minimum of 300 DPI at the intended print size. Avoid JPEG files: compression artifacts print as visible noise and a JPEG's white background prints as a solid white rectangle around the design.
Can DTG and screen printing be mixed in one order?
Generally not. The two methods require entirely separate production setups and run through different machines, so they are processed as two distinct jobs. A few large print-on-demand platforms offer both under one order, but the jobs still run independently on separate production routes.
Related Products
The UK's most popular DTG blank. 153 g/m ring-spun cotton, available in 65 colours.
280 g/m blank hoodie for test runs and screen print projects at a low unit cost.
155 g/m GOTS-certified organic cotton with excellent DTG print retention.