Three techniques dominate textile customization. None is best in every case: the right choice depends on how many pieces you make, how many colors the design has and how fine it is. Here is how they compare.
Screen printing
Ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto the garment, one screen per color. Once the screens are made, each extra print is fast and cheap, and the result is very durable.
The catch is the setup. Every color needs its own screen, so a full-color design or a small run carries a lot of preparation for few pieces. Screen printing shines on large runs of the same design with a few solid colors.
Flex (heat transfer vinyl)
The design is cut from sheets of colored vinyl with a plotter. The excess is removed by hand (weeding), then the vinyl is heat pressed.
Flex is ideal for names, numbers and simple shapes in one or two colors. It gets slow with fine details, because every small gap has to be weeded, and each color is a separate layer. Gradients and photos are not possible.
DTF (direct to film)
The design is printed in full color on a film, with a white underbase, then coated with an adhesive powder. You press it onto the garment like a transfer.
DTF has no setup per design or per color, no weeding, and handles gradients and fine details down to 0.3 mm. It works on cotton, polyester and blends. Because many different designs fit on one sheet, it suits small and medium runs, and mixed orders from several clients.
Side by side
| Screen printing | Flex | DTF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup per design | Screens for each color | None, but cutting and weeding | None |
| Colors | Limited by the number of screens | One color per layer | Full color, gradients |
| Fine details | Good | Hard to weed | Down to 0.3 mm |
| Best run size | Large runs of the same design | One-offs, names and numbers | From 1 piece to medium runs |
| Several designs at once | One setup each | One cut each | Many designs on one sheet |
| Work at the press | Printing, then cleaning screens | Cutting, weeding, pressing | Pressing only |
Which one should you choose?
- 15 T-shirts with a full-color logo: DTF. No screens to make, and every color prints in one pass.
- Several hundred shirts with a one-color logo: screen printing will usually be the cheapest per piece.
- Names and numbers on a team kit: flex works well for single colors. Choose DTF if the names are multicolor or have a fine outline.
- Many small orders for different clients: DTF. Group all the designs on one gang sheet and order by the meter.
Many print shops combine techniques: screen printing for big runs, DTF for small runs, full-color designs and samples. With DTF by the meter, you can outsource that part without buying a printer.
Try DTF on your next small run. Upload your gang sheet or build one online. From €12.90 per meter excl. VAT, no minimum. Not sure how to set up the file? Read how to prepare a gang sheet file.
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