If you're comparing custom apparel options, you've probably seen a few terms thrown around for printing on t-shirts, hoodies, or joggers: screen printing, embroidery, DTF, DTG, and heat transfer vinyl (HTV). They're not interchangeable, and the right one depends on what you're actually ordering.
Screen printing
- Pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto the fabric. It's efficient at scale, once a design's screens are made, printing 50 of the same thing costs barely more per piece than printing 10. The tradeoff: that setup cost only makes sense at volume. Order one or two, and you're paying for machinery you're not using.
Best for: bulk orders with a simple, one or two color design.
Embroidery
- Stitches the design directly into the fabric with thread. Durable, textured, premium feel, especially for small logos. Slower to produce and pricier per piece, so it's usually reserved for smaller design areas rather than full back prints.
Best for: a small, durable logo that'll outlast the garment.
Direct-to-Film (DTF)
- Prints the design onto a special film, applies an adhesive layer, then heat presses it onto the garment. It handles gradients, shading, and photo-realistic designs that vinyl cutting can't reproduce.
Best for: a gradient or photo-realistic design.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG)
- Prints ink directly onto the fabric with a specialized inkjet printer, no film or vinyl involved. Good for complex, full-color designs on lighter fabrics, but less durable on dark or heavily-worn pieces compared to the other methods.
Best for: a complex, full-color design on a lighter fabric.
Heat transfer vinyl (HTV)
- Is what we use, on everything from tees to hoodies to joggers. Each design is precision-cut from high-quality vinyl material, then permanently bonded to the fabric using an industrial heat press.
Best for: clean lines, bold graphics, or a standout finish like chrome, metallic, holographic, reflective, or 3D puff.
The Best Choice for Most Custom Clothing
If you want a durable, clean logo with sharp edges, or want a finish like chrome, metallic, holographic, reflective, or 3D puff, HTV is your pick, and it's what we do, whether it's a t-shirt, a hoodie, or a pair of joggers.
Ready to take over the world? Head over to Design Your Set to customize your look, or if you want your own statement printed, head over to Private Label to upload it on your chosen blank.