Branded T-shirts, polos and uniforms are one of the most useful things a business can buy. They turn your staff into walking adverts. But the printing method you choose decides how the shirt looks, how long it lasts and what you pay per piece. Here's a plain-English comparison.
1. DTF (direct-to-film) printing
Your design is printed onto a special film, coated with adhesive powder and heat-pressed onto the fabric. DTF handles full colour, gradients, photos and fine detail, and it works on cotton, polyester and blends, in light or dark colours.
- Best for: colourful logos, small and medium quantities, mixed sizes and colours, and names or designs that change per shirt.
- Watch out for: very large solid areas can feel a little heavier than the fabric around them.
2. Screen printing
Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil, one screen per colour. Once the screens are made, each extra shirt is quick and cheap to print, and the ink is very hard-wearing.
- Best for: large runs of the same one- or two-colour design, such as campaign or event T-shirts.
- Watch out for: set-up costs per colour make small runs and full-colour designs expensive.
3. Heat-transfer vinyl (HTV)
Coloured vinyl is cut on a plotter, weeded and heat-pressed onto the garment. It gives crisp, bold, solid colours.
- Best for: names and numbers on sports kits, simple one- or two-colour text, and reflective details.
- Watch out for: it isn't suited to detailed, multi-colour logos or photos.
4. Embroidery
Your logo is stitched into the fabric with thread. It looks premium and outlasts the garment.
- Best for: polos, shirts, caps, jackets and corporate uniforms, usually a small logo on the chest.
- Watch out for: very fine detail and tiny text don't stitch well, and large designs get costly.
Quick decision guide
- Full-colour logo, any quantity: DTF.
- Hundreds of the same simple design: screen printing.
- Names and numbers on team kits: vinyl.
- Premium staff uniforms and polos: embroidery on the chest, DTF for a large print on the back.
Care tips that make prints last
- Wash inside out in cold or warm water, not hot.
- Don't iron directly on the print. Iron inside out or place a cloth over it.
- Avoid bleach, and line-dry instead of tumble-drying where you can.
Tip: Not sure which method fits? Send us your logo, the number of shirts and the colours. We'll recommend the method that gives the best result for your budget.
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