Several decoration methods are available in the print-on-demand apparel industry, but the most popular is direct-to-garment (DTG) printing.
This wasn’t always the case. When DTG was first developed several decades ago, it was associated with low quality and imprecision. Thankfully, technological advancements have transformed DTG into the industry’s gold standard.
But what exactly is DTG printing? What are its alternatives, and why is it considered superior? Here’s everything you need to know before launching your customized apparel business.
Trivia
DTG's Origins
Direct-to-Garment Printing: Table of Content
What is Direct-to-Garment Printing?
Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing—sometimes called “direct-to-fabric printing”—involves spraying ink directly onto a garment, allowing it to soak into the fibers. Think of it as a process similar to printing on paper, except the surface is a T-shirt, sweatshirt, or fanny pack.
In contrast, screen printing uses a mesh stencil to push ink onto the fabric’s surface. Because the ink lays on top of the fabric rather than soaking in, the final product has a different texture and durability.
Direct-to-Garment Printing vs. Screen Printing
Setup Time
- DTG Printing: Requires almost no setup, making it ideal for both bulk orders and one-off prints.
- Screen Printing: Involves significant setup time to prepare the stencil, making it efficient only for large orders.
Quality and Detail
- DTG Printing: Superior for intricate, highly detailed designs. DTG printers can handle complex patterns and a broad palette of hues with ease.
- Screen Printing: Best for simple shapes and a limited color palette. Each color requires a separate screen, which is time-consuming and impractical for detailed, multicolored artwork.
Environmental Impact
- DTG Printing: More sustainable, as it enables print-on-demand, reducing waste. Every piece is printed as needed, preventing overproduction.
- Screen Printing: Often leads to excess inventory and potential waste, as it’s more cost-effective for large batches.
Bottom Line: DTG printing is the preferred method for print-on-demand sellers, offering speed, detail, and eco-friendly advantages.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) vs. Direct-to-Film (DTF)
How Gooten Ensures DTG Quality
The direct-to-garment technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years. And Gooten is at the forefront. We’ve developed print-on-demand policies to ensure the highest quality control standards, allowing our print-on-demand partners to choose DTG confidently.
We support our partners by providing ample information about how different designs will look when they come out of the DTG printing process.
Below, we’ve created a test digital image that features various design elements, which are then printed on black, white, and blended shirts so that you can understand how to create designs specifically for DTG shirts and other DTG clothing.
This digital image features multiple design elements:
- Photography (both full color and B&W)
- Vibrant color swatches
- Flesh tones
- Transparent images
To see how a design on your screen can look on various fabrics and colors, we printed the above method on 5 of our most popular custom T-shirts:
- Test 1: Bella + Canvas 3001, Black, 100% Cotton
- Test 2: Bella + Canvas 3001, White, 100% Cotton
- Test 3: Bella + Canvas 3413C, Heather Grey, TriBlend
- Test 4: Gildan 5000, Yellow Haze, 100% Cotton
- Test 5: Gildan 5000, Mint, 100% Cotton
Bella + Canvas 3001: Unleashing the Ultimate 100+ Color Chart
Bella + Canvas 3001
Bella + Canvas 3001
Bella + Canvas 3413C
Gildan 5000
Gildan 5000
Design Tips for DTG Clothing
1. Color Vibrancy Varies by Fabric
- On dark garments, like the black Bella + Canvas 3001, colors may appear muted. To enhance vibrancy, increase the saturation of your design.
- White garments, like Bella + Canvas 3001, retain color vibrancy more accurately, though achieving an exact screen match can still be challenging.
- On non-white or non-black fabrics, such as the Yellow Haze and Mint Gildan shirts, fabric color can affect the design. Be prepared to customize your design for different garment colors.
2. Avoid Transparent Images
- Transparent elements often yield unpredictable results. DTG printers struggle with partial opacities, so designs with transparency may appear faint or distorted. If you must use transparency, test thoroughly or consider using halftone gradients instead.
3. Be Careful with Neon Colors
- DTG printers work within the CMYK color space, which does not support neon hues. The printer will approximate neon colors, but they won’t be exact. For the best results, adjust your color palette accordingly.
Choose Gooten for Custom Apparel
Looking for the highest standards of quality and efficiency with your print-on-demand apparel? Choose the direct-to-garment printing method. And specifically, choose the Gooten approach.
We’d love to tell you more about our exacting standards for printing customized apparel with the DTG method and to give you our complete quality control guide. To start a conversation about print-on-demand methods, contact our team of eCommerce and DTG experts today!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2022 and has been updated for freshness and comprehensiveness.
