Choosing a printing method
A print is the first thing a customer sees and the first thing that fails if it is done badly. The biggest decision is not the printer but the method: screen, DTG, and puff each suit different artwork, quantities, and fabrics. Choosing the right one is most of the battle, and forcing artwork through the wrong method is the usual reason a print disappoints.
Screen printing
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencil, one screen per colour. It produces vivid, durable results and becomes very cost-effective at volume, because once the screens are set up the per-unit cost is low. It is the workhorse for bold designs with a limited number of colours. The trade-off is setup: since each colour needs a screen, it is less economic for small runs or highly detailed, many-coloured artwork.
DTG (direct-to-garment)
DTG prints directly onto the garment from a digital file, like an inkjet printer for fabric. It handles fine detail, gradients, and full-colour or photographic artwork that screen printing struggles with, and it has no screen setup — which makes it well suited to small runs and complex designs. It works best on cotton, and on lighter garments the process is simpler than on dark ones.
Puff and specialty prints
Puff printing uses an ink that rises when heated, giving a raised, tactile, three-dimensional finish. It is a design choice rather than a default — used well on bold lettering or a logo it adds real character. Alongside puff sit other specialty finishes, chosen for effect rather than everyday use.
Screen vs DTG vs puff: comparison
| Screen | DTG | Puff | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Bold designs, volume | Detail, full colour | Raised, tactile effect |
| Fine detail | Limited | Excellent | Limited |
| Small runs | Less economic | Economic | Varies |
| Durability | Excellent | Very good | Good |
Making prints that last
A print that looks perfect off the press and cracks after three washes is a failed print. Durability is the whole point, which is why every method should be wash-tested for crack and fade resistance before a run. We prove prints with a strike-off on the actual garment fabric — because ink behaves differently on different cloth — and test it, so what ships survives real washing rather than only looking good on day one. It is why we keep printing in-house rather than handing it off.
Colour matching and placement
Colour is where brands are recognised, so it should be treated as a specification, not a suggestion. We match ink to your reference and prove it on your real fabric colour, adjusting where needed — an underbase on dark garments, for instance — so the printed colour is the one you intended. Placement is checked panel by panel through the run, so a design sits consistently from the first garment to the last. For an alternative that reads as more premium on logos, compare with our embroidery guide, or see where decoration sits in the full manufacturing process.
Send us your artwork and we will recommend the method that will look and last best.