Screen Printing vs DTF (and DTG) for Company T-Shirts

For company T-shirts, screen printing usually works out best when you need 100 or more pieces of the same design in one to three solid colours. It is cheaper per shirt at volume, feels soft and stands up well to washing. DTF (direct-to-film) is the better pick for small runs, full-colour or gradient logos, mixed garment types and personalised names. DTG (direct-to-garment) fits small, detailed, full-colour jobs on 100% cotton, but it is a weak choice for polyester performance shirts.

Below: how each method works, what changes at 25, 100 and 500 pieces, and how colour count, UAE heat and washing affect the choice.

Quick answer: which method for which order

Your order	Usually the best fit	Why
25 shirts, 1–2 colour logo	Screen printing or DTF	Screen setup is spread over few shirts. Compare both quotes
25 shirts, full-colour or gradient logo	DTF (or DTG on cotton)	No screens, so colour count doesn't change the setup cost
100 shirts, 1–3 colours	Screen printing	Setup is now spread thinly, and the print is soft and durable
100 shirts, 4+ colours or photo detail	DTF, or get both quotes	This is the crossover zone, so let the quotes decide
500 shirts, any spot-colour logo	Screen printing	Lowest cost per piece, and every shirt comes out the same
Any quantity with individual names or numbers	DTF (or vinyl heat transfer) for the names	Each piece can differ at no extra setup
Polyester performance tees	DTF or screen printing with suitable inks	DTG ink struggles to bond to polyester

Treat this as a rule of thumb, not a price list. The real break-even depends on colour count, print positions, garment colour and your supplier's minimums.

How each method works, in plain terms

Screen printing

A mesh screen is coated with light-sensitive emulsion and exposed to the artwork. This leaves open areas that ink can pass through. Ink is then pulled through the screen onto the shirt with a squeegee. Each colour needs its own screen, and the colours are dried between layers. Screens cost time and money, but after that each extra shirt is fast and cheap.

On dark garments, light colours are often printed over a white base layer so they stay bright. That base layer can add another screen, so ask whether it is included in the colour count you have been quoted.

DTF (direct-to-film)

The design is printed in reverse onto a PET film: first the colour layers (CMYK), then a layer of white ink behind them. While the ink is still tacky, a fine thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hot-melt adhesive powder is applied and cured. The transfer is then heat-pressed onto the garment, typically at around 160–170 °C for 10–15 seconds, and the film is peeled away.

DTF needs no screens, and colour count makes no difference to setup, so it suits short runs and orders that mix T-shirts, polos and hoodies.

DTG (direct-to-garment)

DTG works like an inkjet printer for fabric. Water-based CMYK ink is sprayed straight onto the garment, with white ink underneath on dark colours. It works best on natural fibres such as cotton. The print area usually needs a pre-treatment liquid, and the ink must be heat-cured after printing. The ink soaks into the fibres, so DTG feels the most natural of the digital methods. On polyester, adhesion is a known weak point; sportswear has traditionally been printed by sublimation instead.

Side-by-side comparison

Factor	Screen printing	DTF	DTG
Setup	One screen per colour, per print position	Minimal	Minimal
Cost per piece at 25	Higher, because setup is shared by few shirts	Usually low to moderate	Moderate
Cost per piece at 500	Usually lowest	Stays roughly flat	Stays roughly flat
Colour count	Each colour adds cost	Unlimited at no extra setup	Unlimited at no extra setup
Gradients and photos	Possible with halftones, but harder	Excellent	Excellent on cotton
Brand colour matching	Inks mixed to a target colour	Built from CMYK, so check a sample	Built from CMYK, so check a sample
Feel	Thin, flexible ink layer (depends on ink type)	A film on top of the fabric, more noticeable on large solid areas	Soft, soaks into the fabric
Fabrics	Cotton, polyester, blends, fleece (ink must suit the fabric)	Cotton, polyester, blends, fleece	Best on cotton. Polyester is difficult
Personalised names	Not practical	Easy	Easy
Wash durability	Excellent when properly cured	Good to very good with correct care	Good on cotton, weaker on polyester

What changes at 25, 100 and 500 pieces

25 pieces: setup cost decides

At 25 shirts, the cost of making screens is spread across very few garments. A four-colour logo printed on the front means four screens. At 25 pieces, each shirt carries a 20 times bigger share of that setup cost than it would at 500. This is why many print shops set screen-printing minimums somewhere between 24 and 72 pieces per design.

For a simple one-colour logo, screen printing can still compete at 25, so ask for both prices. For several colours, a gradient or a photo, DTF is usually cheaper and quicker to start.

100 pieces: the crossover zone

At around 100 pieces, screen printing starts to pay back its setup, especially for one- to three-colour designs printed in one position. Beyond that, the answer depends on the details:

• Two print positions (for example, a chest logo and a large back print) double the screens, which pushes the break-even point higher.
• Dark shirts may add a white base screen.
• Mixed garments (say, 60 T-shirts, 25 polos and 15 hoodies) can favour DTF. The same transfer works across all of them, and each garment type doesn't need its own press setup.

At this quantity, ask for both methods quoted on the same artwork.

500 pieces: screen printing usually wins

At 500 identical shirts, screen printing is normally the lowest cost per piece and gives very consistent results, which matters when the same staff T-shirt is reordered for years. DTF becomes a supporting method: a small full-colour sleeve badge, individual names, or a top-up run of missed sizes.

Colour count and design: the deciding detail

The more colours in your logo, the stronger the case for DTF, until the quantity is high enough to absorb the extra screens.

• One to three flat colours (most corporate logos): screen printing is the default at 100+ pieces.
• Four or more colours, gradients, drop shadows or photos: DTF or DTG handle these without extra setup. Screen printing can reproduce gradients with halftone dots, but it takes more skill and more screens.
• Exact brand colours: screen printers mix each ink to a target colour. That makes screen printing the safer route when a brand colour must match a reference closely. DTF and DTG build colour from CMYK, so some shades (bright oranges, certain blues, metallics) can shift. Ask for a printed sample if your brand guidelines are strict.
• Fine text and thin lines: every method has a minimum line thickness. Supply vector files (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG) for screen printing and high-resolution transparent-background files for DTF and DTG.

Feel and comfort in UAE heat

A shirt worn at an outdoor event in Dubai in September faces very different conditions from one worn in an air-conditioned office.

• DTF puts a layer of film on top of the fabric. On a chest logo this is barely noticeable. On a large, solid back print it becomes a patch that does not breathe like the fabric around it, and it can feel warm and stiff in summer. If you want DTF for a big design, ask whether solid areas can be broken up or knocked out, so the fabric shows through.
• DTG soaks into cotton and gives the softest feel, which suits breathable cotton tees for indoor or evening events.
• Screen printing feel depends on the ink: heavy layers are noticeable, thinner or water-based inks feel softer. For a large outdoor-event print on cotton, a well-made screen print is usually the most comfortable option.
• Fabric weight matters as much as the print. A 160–180 GSM cotton tee is cooler outdoors than a 220+ GSM heavyweight, whatever the print. For outdoor staff, a polyester performance tee with a small chest print is often more practical.

Wash durability: what really determines it

All three methods can last the life of the shirt if the print is applied and cured correctly. Industry sources warn against assuming screen printing is automatically the most durable. Longevity depends on the ink, the garment, the curing process and how the shirt is washed. In practice:

• Screen printing is the long-standing benchmark for staff shirts washed weekly for years.
• DTF prints are elastic and resist cracking, but very hot washes can cause small cracks. Transfer suppliers advise waiting at least 24 hours before the first wash. Do not iron directly on a DTF print. Iron the shirt inside out.
• DTG holds up well on cotton. On polyester, even when the print looks fine at first, wash fastness is generally weaker than on cotton.

For any print: wash inside out in cool to warm water, avoid bleach and skip the hot tumble dryer. If your uniforms go through a commercial laundry at high temperatures, such as hotel or kitchen staff uniforms, tell your supplier before ordering and ask for a wash test. Embroidery may simply be the better choice; our guide to embroidery vs printing for your logo covers that decision.

Fabric and garment: when a method rules itself out

• 100% cotton T-shirts: all three methods work; quantity and colour count decide.
• Polyester performance and dri-fit tees: DTF and screen printing (with inks made for polyester) are the realistic options. DTG is generally not recommended. Ask for a test print on the actual garment, because some coloured polyesters cause ink adhesion or colour-bleed problems. Avoid garments with antimicrobial or water-repellent finishes for DTG.
• Hoodies and fleece: screen printing and DTF both work well.
• Polos: polos are commonly embroidered. Where a print is wanted, DTF suits small chest logos on piqué fabric.
• Caps: most often embroidered. DTF transfers are an option for full-colour designs on some cap styles.

Can you combine methods? Often, yes

Many of the best-value orders use more than one method: a screen-printed front logo on 300 shirts with DTF names on the back, or screen-printed T-shirts plus DTF on 40 matching hoodies. A supplier that offers both methods, as MISHAREN does through its printing partners, can quote each part of the order with the method that suits it. You can see the options on our custom printing page.

Checklist: what to send for an accurate quote

1. Quantity per design, split by garment type and colour, and roughly by size.
2. Artwork: vector logo if you have one, plus brand colour references.
3. Print positions and sizes, such as left chest at about 8–10 cm wide or full back at about 25–30 cm.
4. Garment: cotton or polyester, GSM range, and colours. Our custom T-shirts page lists common options.
5. Use and washing: daily uniform, one-day event, gift, commercial laundry.
6. Personalisation: names, numbers or department labels.
7. Deadline and delivery emirate, allowing time to approve a printed sample before bulk production.
8. Ask for a like-for-like quote for screen printing and DTF if your quantity is between 50 and 200 pieces.

Get a quotation

If you know your quantity, garment and logo, MISHAREN can recommend the right print method and quote it, with delivery across all seven emirates. Send your artwork and order details through our contact page and we will reply with options to compare.