[Nathan MacDaddy]

I'm starting a tees line and is at cross roads as to which printing method I should use, DTG or screen printing. A quick run down of my proposed business:

1. All tees design are texts only and 3 colours max
2. Apparel is AA 2001
3. I'm starting out with 400 tees
4. I have 8 designs (50 tees per design)
5. Print quality MEANS THE WORLD TO ME

With which printing method will I get the most value in terms of cost and print quality? Opinion seem to be divided as to the durability and quality of DTG prints it seems.

 

[treefox2118]

DTG printing on our Epson-based printhead using Firebird inks have washed perfect with up to 20 wash tests. Another fellow on here has done almost 50 washes with no degradation.

Screen printing, for us, tends to degrade slowly but then violently. DTG loses a little pop on the first wash, but holds up really well after that.

50 tees per design? I'd say go screen printing, it'll be a lot cheaper. Quality control is a must, though.

With screen printing, you can do some interesting inking that you can't do with DTG easily. Neons, metallic, puff, etc.

I love DTG, much more than screen, but my market is doing fulfillment, not large batches. 400 shirts might tie up $3000-$5000 of your money up front, whereas with DTG, it costs me more per shirt, but I don't tie up money in inventory.

 

[joeshaul]

Screen printing can have just as much quality and durability problems if the printer isn't experienced, both methods take a bit of skill and experience to produce proper quality. No white underbasing makes dtg life a lot easier and eliminates quite a few factors.

With your order size and such, both methods are probably going to run you about the same I figure. If you go up to 100 each, screen printing should emerge as the cheaper option.

 

[Nathan MacDaddy]

WOW $3,000 - $5,000! That's some cash to stump up for a tees start up! Do you reckon if I made my designs only 1 color, I could reduce the cost? At what point does DTG make sense over screen printing? Thanks Brian!

 

[monkeystylz]

It would be a little cheaper due to screen prep fees and ink mixing fees. If you put the designs down to 1 color have you considered getting yourself the equipment to print the shirts yourself? I have been using permaset aqua waterbased inks and I have not had one issue and after 100 or more washes I have not had any problems with colors fading or anything.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using T-Shirt Forums

 

[Nathan MacDaddy]

Truth is, I'd rather have a pro printing outfit do it all for consistency and guaranteed quality. Plus only device I can manage is a phone.

If I decide to go with screen printing in 1 or 2 colors, and decide to do it in puff and gel, will the cost be same as doing same design in water base or discharge?

 

[Remark]

*flamesuit on*

3 colors, Quality minded? Screen print. Hands down. Faster, repeat quality. A local printer should give you a decent price on bulk order so you can test your market while making a buck (if the markets there). I own a Neoflex DTG full of Firebird Inks, so no, I'm not screen print biased.