Hi
Short Answer No. Your question can open up a lot of dialog, I'm a screen printer first who also does heat transfers. They both have a place in the market. Nobody is going to go to the trouble of burning 6 or 8 screens for a one off design on a T-shirt. Inkjet and Laser transfer papers have really improved for white and light shirts and there's sublimation and ChromeaBlast ink system that make excellent prints on light shirts. Dark shirts are another story, the technology hasn't arrived yet to transfer that inkjet or laser design on to T-shirt that doesn't have that plastic look and feel. (I
read a post today that someone compared it to taking an old raincoat and sewing it to a T-shirt. Love that post).
Plastisol Transfer are another story, good ones have the look and feel of a screen printed shirt. If you don't have screen printing equipment, you can submit your design to a custom heat transfer manufacture and they will screen print a plastisol transfer that you can apply with a heat press. With a certain amount of volume they become a very economical way of doing custom transfers. There are many Transfer companies that have stock designs in every category you can think of for light and dark shirts with no minimum amounts. (Pro World has over 10000 designs)
I suppose we should mention vinyl cutters and printers, there are specific types of vinyl's that have been made to use with a heat press for applying your design to T-shirt. This can get expensive. (I know I have One)
I don't think I want to mention
DTG right now. (I don't have one)
That brings us back to screen printing, the industry standard for applying designs to a T-shirts. Presses come in all sizes and styles, from a 1 color-1 station manual to a 18 color 20 station automatic that can produce 75 dozen pieces per hour. The best press in the world is limited to the skill and knowledge of the printer. In small shops the owner/manager must be able to accomplish all of the skills required to produce the final product. In most big shops all of the operations are divided into specialties with workers trained to perform certain functions when combined will result in the attainment of company goals. (a printed T-shirt) As you can see there are many factors that go into producing a quality shirt, When these techniques are perfected screen printing is a superior process.
I hope this helps and good luck in the T-shirt business.
Bill M
is heat pressing BETTER....? 
