Digital Printing (DTG) Guide
Direct to garment printing for photo-quality, full-colour designs on clothing. Ideal for small runs and complex artwork.
What is Digital Printing (DTG)?
Direct to Garment (DTG) printing works like a sophisticated inkjet printer for clothing. It sprays water-based inks directly onto the fabric, allowing for full-colour, photographic-quality prints without the setup costs of screen printing.
DTG is ideal for complex artwork, small runs, and designs with many colours or gradients.
How It Works
- Pre-treatment: Garments are treated with a solution to help ink adhere (especially on dark fabrics)
- Printing: The DTG printer applies ink directly to the fabric
- Curing: Heat press fixes the ink permanently
Unlike screen printing, there's no colour limit - you can print photographic images, gradients, and unlimited colours at no extra cost.
Best For
- Complex designs: Photos, illustrations, gradients
- Small quantities: No minimum, even single items
- Quick turnaround: No screens to make
- One-offs and samples: Test designs before bulk orders
- Variable data: Different names/numbers on each item
Advantages
- No colour limits - print photos and gradients
- No setup costs - same price for 1 or 100 colours
- Low minimums - even single items possible
- Soft feel - ink soaks into fabric
- Quick turnaround - no screens to make
Considerations
- Higher unit cost for large runs vs screen print
- Best on 100% cotton (blends may vary)
- Print area limitations
- Colours may be slightly less vibrant than screen print
DTG vs Screen Print
| Factor | DTG | Screen Print |
|---|---|---|
| Best quantity | 1-100 units | 100+ units |
| Colours | Unlimited | 1-6 typical |
| Setup cost | None | Per colour |
| Photo quality | Yes | Limited |
| Unit cost (bulk) | Higher | Lower |
Ideal Products
- T-Shirts - 100% cotton for best results
- Hoodies - Cotton-rich blends
- Promotional samples - One-off proofs
- Merchandise - Band tees, fan art, photo prints
File Requirements
For best DTG results, supply artwork at:
- 300 DPI at print size (minimum)
- PNG format with transparent background preferred
- CMYK colour mode
Ready to get started?
Our team can help you choose the right branding method and prepare your artwork.
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