DTF vs Screen Printing - which is best?
DTF Printing vs Screen Printing: Which Is Right for Your Design?
When you're getting custom garments printed the process can matter as much as the artwork. The print method affects how your design looks, how it feels, how long it lasts and ultimately what it costs.
At Live Ink we specialise in screen printing, embroidery and direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, but we do also offer DTF printing when it is the right tool for the job. Here is how screen printing and DTF compare and how to know which one suits your project.
What Is Screen Printing?
Screen printing is our most-used process for bulk orders and it has been the primary method of garment decoration for decades. Ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto fabric, one colour at a time, building up a print that is deeply integrated with the garment. The result is vibrant, durable and capable of finishes that digital methods simply cannot replicate including discharge printing, metallic inks, neons and high-gloss effects.
Because screens need to be prepared for each colour, screen printing involves set up and clean down that digital prints don't require. That makes it most cost-effective at higher quantities, typically 50 or above although at live ink our minimum order quantity for screen printing is 20 garments. Colours are mixed to Pantone references and printed as spot colours so what you specify in your artwork is what you get on the garment.
Screen printing is also where our sustainability credentials are most visible. We use water-based inks across all of our screen printing work. These are softer to the touch than plastisol and they do not contain PVC or phthalates. Combined with our GOTS-certified organic garment range and our renewable energy setup in Bristol, screen printing with Live Ink is as respectful to the environment as we can make it.
Click to find out more about our eco-friendly screen printing
What Is DTF Printing?
DTF stands for direct-to-film. A design is printed digitally onto a special film, a hot-melt adhesive powder is applied which is then cured and heat-pressed onto the garment. The print sits more on top of the fabric rather than bonding with the fibres the way screen ink does.
The key advantages of DTF are its flexibility and its suitability for complex artwork. It works on a wider range of fabrics than most other methods, including synthetics and polyester blends that are not compatible with DTG.
Like DTG it can handle intricate detail with smooth colour gradients and full-colour photographic artwork without the colour limitations that screen printing carries. There are no screens to set up so there are no minimum order quantities.
DTF prints have a different surface feel to screen printing. Because the print layer sits on top rather than blending further into the weave of the fabric, solid areas can feel thicker and prints are ultimately less breathable on the garment which can feel like a more old fashioned plastisol print.
How Screen Printing and DTF Compare
Colour depth and special effects: Although DTF definitely can have strong bold colours, screen printing is a clear winner here. Pantone mixing, discharge, metallics and neon inks are all possible. DTF produces vibrant full-colour work but without those specialist ink options.
Fabric compatibility: DTF works across cotton, polyester, nylon and most blended fabrics so is very versatile. Although screen printing is at it's best on natural fibres it can also be done on synthetic fibres too it just requires a more complex set up such as dye sublimation blockers to be printed first as an underbase to stop the colour of a polyester bleeding back into the ink.
Order size: Screen printing becomes increasingly cost-effective as quantities rise. DTF carries no setup cost making it viable for smaller runs or one-off pieces with complex artwork.
Print feel: Screen printing integrates more with the fabric and has a softer 'hand'. DTF sits on top of the surface and feels smooth and uniform. Whether one is better than the other can be subjective depending on the garment, the design and what the end wearer will expect or want.
Sustainability: Screen printing with water-based inks on GOTS-certified organic garments is the lowest-impact option we offer. DTF uses a plastic-based adhesive film and is not currently recyclable. We are transparent about this and we will always recommend screen printing where it is the right fit for the brief.
When We Recommend DTF at Live Ink
DTF is a relatively new way to add designs to garments and is improving all the time. Currently we only use it when screen print or dtg could be problematic. Common situations where we recommend it include:
- Designs with photographic detail, smooth gradients or many colours that would require too many screens to make screen printing practical or cost-effective.
- Orders on synthetic or performance fabrics where screen printing is not an option.
- Hard to access areas on a garment that make dtg or screen print unviable.
- Garment colours or styles where DTG coverage is inconsistent and DTF gives a more reliable result.
Not Sure Which Process Is Right for Your Design?
The best print method depends on your artwork, your fabric, your quantities and your budget. A five-colour gradient design on a 10-piece polyester run calls for a completely different approach than a two-colour logo on 100 organic cotton t-shirts.
The easiest way to find out is to send us your artwork. We look at the design and the garment you have in mind and we tell you which process makes the most sense.
Send us your artwork and we will come back to you with a recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen directly onto fabric, bonding with the fibres to produce a vibrant, durable print with a soft hand feel. DTF (direct-to-film) prints a design onto a special film, applies a hot-melt adhesive, and heat-presses the finished transfer onto the garment. The print sits on top of the fabric rather than integrating with it, which gives DTF a different surface feel and makes it more versatile across fabric types.
Screen printing is the stronger choice for colour depth and specialist finishes. Colours are Pantone-matched and printed as spot colours, and options such as discharge, metallic, neon and high-gloss inks are all possible. DTF produces vibrant full-colour work but without those specialist ink options.
Yes. DTF works across cotton, polyester, nylon and most blended fabrics, making it a versatile option for performance and synthetic garments. Screen printing can also be applied to synthetic fabrics but requires a more complex setup including a dye sublimation blocker underbase to prevent colour bleed.
DTF carries no screen setup cost so it is viable for small runs and one-off pieces, particularly where the artwork is complex or multi-colour. Screen printing becomes increasingly cost-effective as quantities rise and is most economical at 50 units and above, although Live Ink's minimum order for screen printing is 20 garments.
Screen printing integrates more with the fabric weave and has a softer, more breathable finish. DTF sits on top of the surface and feels smooth and uniform across solid areas, which some wearers describe as similar to an older plastisol print. Which feel is preferable depends on the garment, the design and the end wearer's expectations.
We recommend DTF when screen printing or DTG would be problematic. Common situations include designs with photographic detail or smooth gradients requiring too many colours for screen printing to be cost-effective, orders on synthetic or performance fabrics, hard-to-access garment areas, and garment colours where DTG coverage is inconsistent.
Screen printing with water-based inks on GOTS-certified organic garments is the lower-impact option. Live Ink uses water-based inks with no PVC or phthalates and runs its Bristol studio on renewable energy. DTF uses a plastic-based adhesive film that is not currently recyclable. We are transparent about this and always recommend screen printing where it is the right fit for the brief.
Yes. Because DTF has no screen setup cost there is no minimum order quantity, making it a practical option for one-off pieces, samples, or designs on fabrics that are not compatible with other print methods.