Direct to Garment T-Shirt Printing - What You Need to Know
While screen printing is one of the most common ways to design your own shirt, direct to garment (DTG) t-shirt printing is also a great way to create a custom t-shirt with unique designs. Now, many of you may not be familiar with DTG, which is actually surprising because of how widely used this technique is when it comes to t-shirt designs.
To help get you up to speed, we’ve prepared a quick run-through of everything you need to know about direct to garment t-shirt printing:
How Does Direct to Garment Printing Work
As the name suggests, DTG is a process that allows you to print graphics straight onto textiles and garments. It does this by utilizing inkjet technology to print whatever you like on a shirt or a piece of fabric. The process is similar to a normal printer but with shirts instead of paper and requires the use of specialized DTG printing machines.
How Is It Different from Screen Printing
So, how is DTG printing different from screen printing and other methods of printing? Well, in screen printing, the design is applied to a t-shirt by pushing ink through a screen. Think of it as a stencil for t-shirts. Now, the difference doesn’t lie in the quality of the printing. Indeed, screen printing can produce vibrant and long-lasting designs on t-shirts.
However, the most evident difference between screen printing and DTG is the amount of setup time required. Unlike screen printing, DTG requires zero set-up time. As long as you have the design for the shirt ready, you can have a custom t-shirt in a matter of seconds. Despite the speed, the shirts will still maintain a high level of quality and are as long-lasting as screen-printed t-shirts!
When to Use DTG Over Screen Printing
Now, it’s important to note that DTG printing is a little more expensive than screen printing. If you’re looking to print a bunch of custom t-shirts in bulk, screen printing might be the more practical option.
On the other hand, DTG printing is the go-to choice for designs that incorporate a lot of different colors. This is because going the DTG route can be significantly cheaper if the design you’re trying to print uses a slew of different colors, and not to mention that screen printing might not even be able to handle multi-color designs. DTG printing is also great for when you want to transfer a photo to a t-shirt.
Lastly, DTG printing is a particularly popular choice for print-on-demand services. In fact, Bauers Boutique offers custom orders, where we allow our customers to design a custom t-shirt. All you have to do is send us your designs, and we’ll handle the rest. This is a great option if you want to own a unique piece that no one else will have!
Conclusion
At this point, you now know that DTG t-shirt printing is a game-changer when it comes to custom apparel. This piece of technology has opened up a slew of different possibilities and has made designing clothing more accessible than it has ever been. Based on the benefits mentioned above, you now have several options to choose from!
If you’re looking to design your own shirt in Rochester, NY, we here at Bauers Boutique are here to help. We can collaborate on a design to make your ideas a reality. If you’re interested, we also offer our own line of screen printed and DTG printed custom shirts. For more information on our products, visit our website today!