DTG vs Screen Printing: Best for Small Batches
Ordering just 12 custom t-shirts? Screen printing adds a set-up fee per colour before a single shirt runs through the press, and that fee alone can push the per-unit cost above £13.
What DTG printing actually is
DTG stands for direct-to-garment. A modified inkjet press sprays water-based ink onto fabric one shirt at a time. No screens to build, no minimum colour count, no set-up charge. Most UK DTG shops ship within 24 to 48 hours of receiving artwork.
The constraint worth knowing: DTG works best on 100% cotton or high-cotton blends. Polyester fibres repel the ink. A Gildan Heavy Cotton 5000 T-Shirt in white or light grey is the go-to blank at DTG shops across the UK, because the pale base keeps colours vivid without an underbase layer adding cost.
Print quality has moved a long way since 2019. Modern Kornit Atlas MAX machines hold photographic detail at 600 dpi. Full-colour illustrations, gradients, and photographs all come out cleanly. Earlier DTG machines struggled at that level of detail. The current generation does not.
What screen printing actually is
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil stretched over a frame. Each colour in your design needs its own screen. Set-up typically runs between £20 and £45 per colour per order. A four-colour logo can add £80 to £160 in set-up before the press runs a single shirt.
Once the screens exist, the cost per shirt drops steeply. At 48 shirts with a two-colour print, screen printing often lands at £5 to £7 each. At 12 shirts, that same job can cost £15 to £18 per shirt once set-up is divided across the run.
The ink sits on top of the weave rather than soaking in, giving a raised, tactile finish. Many streetwear labels specifically request plastisol ink for that thick, satin feel. It is a design choice, not a limitation.
The cost crossover point
The table below shows approximate UK trade prices for 2026 on a single-colour chest print on a standard t-shirt, including set-up, excluding VAT:
| Quantity | DTG per shirt | Screen print per shirt |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | £9.50 | £22.00 |
| 12 | £8.00 | £13.50 |
| 24 | £7.00 | £9.00 |
| 48 | £6.50 | £6.00 |
| 100 | £6.00 | £4.50 |
The crossover sits at roughly 30 to 40 shirts for a one-colour print. Add a second colour and screen printing needs closer to 60 units to beat DTG on total cost.
Which method fits which project
Choose DTG when your order is under 30 shirts, your design uses more than three colours or includes a photograph, or each shirt carries a different name or number. No minimum order requirement is a genuine advantage for prototyping.
Choose screen printing when you are ordering 50 or more shirts, the artwork is bold and uses three or fewer flat colours, you want that thick raised ink texture, or you are laying heavy white ink on a dark garment. The result is more durable and, at scale, noticeably cheaper.
For a streetwear brand launching its first drop, the practical move is 20 to 30 DTG units to test the design. Wear them, photograph them, get real feedback. Then commit to a screen-printed run of 100 or more once you know the design holds up. This avoids owning 80 shirts built around a colourway nobody ends up wanting.
The same logic carries over to hoodies. A Fruit of the Loom Classic Hooded Sweatshirt is a reliable blank accepted at most UK DTG and screen-print shops. Always confirm with your printer before ordering: some DTG platens cannot feed a heavy-weight fleece. For a slightly heavier street aesthetic, the Gildan 18500 Heavy Blend Hoodie is a popular choice and widely stocked by UK blank wholesalers.
Artwork requirements
Screen printing requires vector artwork, typically an.AI or.EPS file with colours mapped to Pantone references. DTG accepts high-resolution PNG or TIFF files at 300 dpi, sized at the actual print dimensions. A 30 cm chest print needs a file at least 3,543 pixels wide to print sharply.
Specify your Pantone numbers when briefing a screen printer. A printer who interprets "navy" without a reference number sometimes returns a finished shirt where the blue reads as black. Pantone 2767 C and Pantone 2945 C are both navy, and they look different on fabric.
Dark garments: the underbase issue
DTG on a dark garment requires a white ink underbase. The press lays white first, then your colours sit on top. This adds roughly £1 to £2 per shirt and can soften fine-line detail at the edges. For a shirt with a thin script font on a black background, screen printing usually delivers a crisper result.
If you need 15 units on a black hoodie, DTG with underbase is your only realistic choice. At 50 or more units, screen printing's thicker ink coverage wins on both sharpness and price per shirt.
All-over prints: different rules
DTG pricing is based on ink volume, so a large all-over graphic costs more than a small chest logo. Screen printing is priced by colour count, not area. A bold two-colour all-over design can be cheaper to screen print than to DTG, even at 20 shirts, once the extra ink cost is factored in. Get both quotes before deciding.
For runs where every shirt is personalised with a unique name or number, DTG is the only practical option. Screen printing cannot change the printed content between shirts without building a new screen for each variation.
FAQ
What is the minimum order for screen printing in the UK?
Most UK screen printers set a minimum of 10 to 25 shirts per design. Below that threshold, the set-up cost makes the per-unit price unworkable for most buyers. Some specialist shops accept smaller runs but apply a small-order surcharge.
How long does DTG printing last before it fades?
A properly cured DTG print on 100% cotton typically survives 50 to 80 washes before noticeable fading begins. Washing inside-out in cold water and air-drying extends the lifespan significantly. Screen printing on the same blank will usually outlast DTG by 20 to 30 washes.
Can DTG print white ink on a dark shirt?
Yes, using a white underbase layer. The machine lays white first, then applies your colours on top. This adds cost and can reduce sharpness at the edge of the design. For very precise white detail on dark fabric, screen printing produces a cleaner result.
Is screen printing better quality than DTG?
For bold, flat-colour designs, screen printing is widely considered the higher-quality method: the ink is thicker, more opaque, and more durable over time. For photographic or multi-colour gradient artwork, DTG matches or exceeds screen printing on fine detail. Quality depends on the design type, not just the method.
What file format do I need for a custom t-shirt order?
DTG shops accept PNG or TIFF files at 300 dpi, sized to actual print dimensions. Screen printers require vector files, usually.AI,.EPS, or PDF, with colours assigned to Pantone references. If you only have a low-resolution JPEG, ask about a file conversion service before you place the order.