DTF vs Screen Printing: Which Is Right for You?

Trying to decide between DTF printing and screen printing for your next batch of custom tees? You’re not alone – it’s the question we get asked most at our Ashmore and Surfers Paradise stores. Both methods can produce great-looking shirts, but they’re built for different jobs, and picking the wrong one can mean paying too much or ending up with a print that doesn’t hold up.

Short answer: screen printing is usually the better value for larger runs of simple designs on cotton garments, while DTF (direct-to-film) printing is the better choice for small runs, photo-realistic designs, gradients, or tricky fabrics like polyester and activewear. Below we break down exactly why, so you can walk into your order knowing which one suits your job.

What Is Screen Printing?

Screen printing is the traditional method of pushing ink through a fine mesh stencil (a “screen”) directly onto the garment, one colour at a time. Each colour in your design needs its own screen, which is why the setup takes a little longer for the first run – but once the screens are made, printing dozens or hundreds of identical shirts is fast and the cost per shirt drops significantly.

It’s the go-to method for club and team wear, workwear, event shirts and anything with bold, solid-colour logos or text, because the ink sits into the fabric and holds up to years of washing.

What Is DTF (Direct-to-Film) Printing?

DTF printing works differently. Your design is printed onto a special film using a digital printer, dusted with an adhesive powder, then heat-pressed onto the garment. Because it’s a digital process, there’s no extra setup cost for extra colours – a full-colour photo print costs the same to set up as a single-colour logo.

That makes DTF the better fit for small orders, one-off gifts, designs with gradients or photographic detail, and fabrics that don’t take screen printing well, like polyester, nylon and some performance/activewear blends.

DTF vs Screen Printing: The Key Differences

Factor	Screen Printing	DTF Printing
Best order size	Medium to large runs	Small runs & one-offs
Cost per shirt at volume	Drops fast as quantity increases	Stays fairly consistent per unit
Colour & detail	Best for solid colours & simple graphics	Handles full colour, gradients & photo detail
Fabric types	Best on cotton & cotton blends	Works on cotton, polyester, blends & activewear
Feel on garment	Soft, sits into the fabric	Slightly more of a printed layer, still flexible
Durability	Excellent long-term wash durability	Very good, holds up well to regular washing

Is DTF Printing Good Quality?

Yes – when it’s done properly with a quality film, powder and heat press, DTF prints are vibrant, detailed and durable enough for everyday wear. The finish is slightly different to screen printing (a touch more of a printed feel rather than sitting flush into the fabric), but for full-colour designs, photos and small batches it’s genuinely one of the best options available right now, not a “budget” compromise.

When Screen Printing Wins

Choose screen printing when you’re ordering a larger quantity (think sports teams, staff uniforms, school cohorts or event merchandise), your design uses a small number of solid colours, and you’re printing mostly on cotton or cotton-blend garments. The more you order, the more the setup cost is spread across each shirt, so screen printing becomes the more affordable option per unit.

When DTF Wins

Choose DTF when you need a small quantity (even a single shirt), your design has lots of colours, gradients or photographic detail, or you’re printing onto polyester, activewear or a fabric blend that doesn’t hold screen printing ink well. It’s also the better option when you want to test a new design before committing to a bigger screen-printed run.

Can You Mix Both on the Same Order?

Yes. It’s common for a team or event order to use screen printing for the main logo across all shirts, then DTF for a handful of individualised names, numbers or one-off variations. Because we do all our decoration in-house across both our Ashmore and Surfers Paradise stores, we can combine methods on the same order without outsourcing any part of the job.

Our Recommendation

If you’re still not sure which method suits your design, send it through and our team will tell you honestly which option will look best and cost less – there’s no set minimum order either way, and most jobs are turned around in 7 to 10 business days. We’d rather point you to the right method than upsell you on the wrong one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DTF or screen printing cheaper?

For small orders, DTF is usually cheaper because there’s no setup cost for extra colours. For larger orders (generally 20+ shirts of the same design), screen printing usually works out cheaper per shirt because the setup cost is spread across more garments.

Does DTF printing crack or peel?

A quality DTF print, correctly cured, shouldn’t crack or peel under normal washing and wear. As with any printed garment, following the care instructions (cold wash, avoid high heat on the print, wash inside out) will help it last longer.

Can DTF be used on dark or coloured shirts?

Yes, that’s one of DTF’s advantages. Unlike some digital printing methods, DTF prints white ink as part of the transfer, so full-colour designs stay bright and accurate on black, navy or any coloured garment.

Is screen printing better for team uniforms?

Generally yes, if you’re ordering a consistent design across a decent-sized team or squad. The cost per shirt drops as the quantity goes up, and the print holds up well to a full season of wear and washing.

Can I get a sample before committing to a bulk order?

Yes. Because there’s no set minimum order, you can get a single DTF sample printed first to check the design and fit before committing to a larger screen-printed run.