screen printing is still the tried and true method for custom t-shirts. It’s the process your largest companies turn to for their brand apparel. Companies like Harley Davidson, Nike, Microsoft, Apple, and the list goes on. If they are ordering bulk order t-shirts they method they choose is screen printing.

Screen Printing

Pros:

Cost effective for large batches.
Volume discounts.

Cons:
Not cost effective for multiple colors.
Can only print simple images and designs.

Heat Transfer

Pros:
You can “print” each shirt on demand.

Cons:
Lower quality and less durable than direct-to-garment and screen printing.
Large upfront investment into a heat press machine (Few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars).
Do-it-yourself approach means additional time input from yourself.

Direct-To-Garment (DTG)

Pros:
Unlimited color options.
High detail accuracy in printed design.
Great for small orders or one-offs.
No set-up costs.

Cons:
Not cost effective for large production runs.
Generally no volume discounts.

It’s true certain designs and certain looks can only be achieved with processes other than screen printing. Thought for 90% of the shirt designs out there and the shirt requirements, screen printing will be the best method for your custom t-shirts. It’s the reason why the largest sellers of custom t-shirts still call on print shops for their shirts. There is no better cost effective method when you’re looking to produce 10,000-150,000 shirts at a time.

You get the longevity, a great texture compared to vinyl or transfers, and the lowest cost possible. Things like gradients work great with screen printing, detail is super high, and it’s by far the most cost efficient.

And there are no limitations. Screen printing can be printed on any time of material and any color. Dye Sublimation is mainly used on white or light colored garments. So there are major limitations right there when half the shirts colors won’t work with a particular method.