Apparel
Screen printing vs DTF vs embroidery: how to pick
The right decoration for the right job. Cost, durability, garment range, and order size compared.
Three decoration methods cover 95% of custom apparel. Picking the wrong one is the most common mistake in apparel quoting. Here’s how to choose.
Screen printing wins on volume and simple art
Best for: 50+ shirts, 1–4 color designs, cotton garments. Lowest per-shirt cost at scale. Excellent durability - 50+ wash cycles. Soft hand on water-based prints. Worst for: small runs (setup cost), photo-realistic art, complex gradients.
DTF wins on color count, small runs, and any garment
Best for: under 50 shirts, full-color photo art, mixed garment types (cotton, poly, tri-blend, nylon, performance). No setup cost - same per-shirt price for 1 or 100. Good durability (40+ washes on quality transfer). Worst for: very high volume (slower per shirt than screen), bargain pricing at scale.
Embroidery wins on perceived value and hats
Best for: caps, polos, jackets, structured corporate apparel. Higher perceived value. Excellent durability - outlasts the garment in most cases. Worst for: large-format designs (cost scales with stitch count), thin/lightweight fabrics, photo-realistic art.
Quick decision tree
100+ shirts, 1–3 colors → screen print. Under 50 shirts, any art → DTF. Caps, polos, jackets → embroidery. Photo art on 50+ shirts → DTF or sublimation. Soft-feel premium tees → water-based screen. Hi-vis safety apparel → screen or DTF (NOT embroidery - punctures the safety mesh).
Screen printing vs DTF vs embroidery: how to pick FAQ
Which lasts the longest in the wash?+
Can I mix methods on the same job?+
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