When you browse a website for getting print on your favorite t-shirt, you will see some common printing methods. Screen printing, DTG, heat transfer etc are very common for printing tees.
Thanks to advanced technology, with the help of it tons of tees can be printed within a very short time. Easily you can also Print Your Tees At Home with a small setup. All these three processes have their own advantages.
You can select which process suits you best you depending on the discussion below. If you want a good quality long-lasting vibrant print then go with screen printing. If you want a lot of tees printed within a very short time, then you get to go with heat transfer.
Screen Printing vs Heat Transfer
| Topics | Screen printing | Heat transfer |
| Process | A pre-prepared stencil is used to apply a layer of ink over the textiles. With the help of ink, the image is transferred to the textile. | Custom designs are produced onto the apparel using pressure and heat onto a heat reactive adhesive coated material called transfer paper, the design is printed while a heat press is applied, and the adhesive reacts with the heat and transfers to the fabric |
| Quality | Better quality printing is possible than the heat transfer | Quality is not better than screen printing |
| Tools | Stencil, frame, squeegee, ink | Heat press machine or iron |
| Color range | Multi-color printing is possible for each color separate screen is needed which limits the use of screen printing for multi-color | Appropriate when dealing with multiple colors |
| Suitable for | Large batchNot suitable for smaller orders | Suitable for smaller orders |
| Color vibrancy | Bright and vibrant color is produced | Comparatively duller appearance |
| Time required | Time consuming but for one or a few colors for bulk order is quite faster | Quicker process |
| Cost effectiveness | Cost effective in case of bulk order but cost elevates with the number of screens for short order it is not cost effective at all. | Cost effective less the order, the less the costing |
| Durability | More durablelnk penetrates deep inside the garment | Less durablelnk doesn’t penetrate deep in the garment |
| Photographic design | Not possible | Detailed photographic design possible |
Now think quickly about which one is best for your project. Differences are there between the two methods but they are unique in their own field. if you want to know more about screen printing then check here: What is screen printing? The ultimate guide to screen printing!