Here’s how screen printing and DTF can work as a team in your shop.
THE CLASSIC METHOD WITH PROVEN RESULTS
Screen printing has long been the backbone of the garment decoration industry—and for good reason. There’s a lot to love about this method, especially for experienced printers who’ve spent years perfecting their craft. Here’s why screen printing is still a go-to for many jobs:
Efficiency for Large Runs
When it comes to high-quantity orders, screen printing is unbeatable. Once your screens are set up, the process is fast, reliable, and consistent. If a customer needs hundreds or even thousands of shirts, screen printing will get the job done cost-effectively and quickly.
Cost-Effective for Bulk Orders: For larger orders, the per-shirt cost of screen printing gets lower the more you print. Once those screens are burned, you can crank out hundreds of prints without having to redo any setups.
High Production Speed: Once the press is running, you can print hundreds of shirts per hour. This makes screen printing a perfect match for large events, corporate orders, or brand merchandise.
Durability and Longevity
Screen printing creates thick, durable prints that last a long time, especially with plastisol inks. Customers know they’re getting a quality product that can handle frequent washing without fading or cracking.
Ideal for Workwear and Sportswear: Screen printing’s durability makes it a perfect choice for work uniforms or sports team jerseys that need to withstand tough wear and tear.
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Ink Flexibility: Screen printers can experiment with a range of inks, from water-based to discharge and plastisol, each offering a unique texture and finish.
Artistry and Customization
There’s an art to screen printing that machines can’t replicate. Screen printers have the ability to manipulate textures, blend colors manually, and create unique looks that give designs depth and vibrancy.
Special Effects: With screen printing, you can offer specialty inks like glitter, puff, metallics, or glow-in-the-dark, which are harder to achieve with digital methods. These effects are often what set certain prints apart from the competition.
Layering Colors and Texture: The hands-on process allows you to layer inks in ways that create rich, bold designs with deep color saturation that many customers expect from their merchandise.
Perfect for Simpler Designs
Screen printing excels at printing bold, simple graphics with one or two colors. For logos, slogans, or brand identity prints, this method offers the sharpest lines and cleanest finishes—something hard to match in other printing methods.
Clear, Sharp Prints: Screen printing delivers crisp lines and solid fills for designs like logos and text that need to stand out. This makes it ideal for company branding or team apparel.
Control Over Ink and Feel
Screen printers have complete control over how the ink interacts with the fabric, from the thickness of the ink deposit to the overall hand feel. This level of control is hard to beat for experienced printers who know how to get the most out of their materials.
Tactile Quality: The feeling of ink on fabric—whether it’s a smooth water-based finish or the raised texture of plastisol—is something many customers expect. Screen printing lets you control the tactile experience, which adds to the premium feel of the product.
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THE FLEXIBLE TOOL FOR MODERN JOBS
While screen printing is the classic method, DTF (Direct-to-Film) technology opens up new opportunities without taking away from what screen printing does best. Here’s why DTF is the perfect complement:
Full-Color Prints Without the Setup Hassle
In traditional screen printing, producing a full-color design means setting up multiple screens—one for each color—and doing precise color separations. With Direct Film Transfers (DFT), you can skip those steps and print a full-color image directly onto a transfer sheet.
No Screen Setup: Direct Film Transfers lets you print multi-color designs with zero screen setup, making it perfect for short runs or one-off jobs.
Great for Complex Art: If a customer wants photographic detail or lots of gradients, DTF handles it with ease—no need for advanced separations or complex screen setups.
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A Time-Saver for Small Orders
Setting up a screen printing job for 20 shirts can take just as long as it does for 200 shirts. That’s where DTF shines—when a client needs a small batch of shirts with a complex design, Direct Film Transfers allows you to save time and materials.
Fast Turnaround: DTF is ideal for those last-minute or quick-turnaround projects where screen printing setup would be too time-consuming.
Lower Costs for Small Runs: Since there’s no need to make screens, DTF is more cost-effective for smaller quantities. You can offer customers affordable, full-color prints without the setup costs of traditional screen printing.
Works on Any Fabric
While screen printing can be tricky on certain fabrics like polyester (where dye migration is a problem), DTF handles these materials with ease. The transfer method ensures a smooth, clean print on fabrics that might be difficult for traditional inks.
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Polyester, Blends, and More: DTF works on a wide range of fabrics, from cotton and polyester blends to more delicate materials like nylon or spandex. This makes it perfect for sports jerseys, performance wear, and other garments where screen printing might struggle.
Versatility for Unique Projects
With DTF, you can take on projects that might otherwise be difficult or not cost-effective for screen printing. Need to print on hats, bags, or even footwear? DTF transfers are flexible enough to apply to a variety of surfaces.
Small, Detailed Prints: DTF excels at producing small, highly detailed designs like custom logos, tags, or sleeve prints. These would require additional setups in screen printing but are quick and easy with DTF.
A Tool to Expand Your Business
Adding DTF to your screen printing shop means you can say yes to more jobs. You don’t have to choose one method over the other—you can offer both to your customers and decide which tool is best based on the job at hand.
More Options for Customers: Whether a customer wants a classic, high-volume screen print or a quick-turn, full-color DTF print, you’re ready to deliver. This flexibility opens up more business opportunities and allows you to cater to a wider range of clients.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER
Screen printing and DTF aren’t in competition—they’re a team. When used together, they make your print shop more flexible and capable of handling any job that comes through the door. Here’s how they can complement each other:
High Volume, Simple Designs = Screen Printing: Large orders of 100+ shirts? Screen printing is faster and more cost-effective for jobs with a few colors and simple designs.
Small Runs, Complex Designs = DTF: Small orders or designs with lots of colors? DTF lets you handle those without the setup time, perfect for one-off jobs or short runs.
Difficult Fabrics or Special Requests? DTF Can Help: Got a customer who wants prints on tricky fabrics like polyester? Or maybe they need a custom logo on a sleeve or tote bag? DTF gives you a way to handle these requests without compromising quality.
Combine Both for Efficiency: Use screen printing for the large, solid color areas, and DTF for the more intricate, full-color elements. This saves time while keeping print quality high.
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A WINNING COMBINATION FOR SCREEN PRINTERS
For traditional screen printers, adding DTF to your arsenal isn’t about replacing what you do best—it’s about expanding your capabilities. Screen printing is still the best option for large, bold designs, while DTF helps with those tricky jobs that need full color, detail, or are smaller in quantity.
By combining both methods, you can offer customers more options, take on more varied projects, and grow your business. It’s all about having the right tool for the right job—whether it’s a high-volume screen print or a quick-turn, full-color DTF transfer.
At the end of the day, screen printing and DTF work better together. Screen printing is great for larger orders and bold designs, while DTF is perfect for colorful, detailed prints or smaller jobs. By using both, you’re ready for any project—big or small.
