Which Suits Small T-Shirt Runs: DTG or Screen Printing?

For small t-shirt runs, direct-to-garment printing generally suits better because it involves no setup screens and prints designs individually, making it economical below screen printing's typical break-even point of around 25 to 30 shirts. Screen printing becomes more efficient once quantities rise past that threshold.

How does each method actually work?

Direct-to-garment, or DTG, printing works much like an inkjet printer, applying ink straight onto the fabric of each individual garment. Screen printing instead pushes ink through a stencil-like mesh screen, with a separate screen required for every colour in the design. That difference in process is the root of why the two methods suit different order sizes.

Why does screen printing need a minimum order to make sense?

Preparing screens is a manual, time-consuming task that has to happen before a single shirt is printed, regardless of whether the final order is for five shirts or five hundred. Because that setup cost is fixed, it needs to be spread across enough garments to be worthwhile, which is why screen printing has a natural break-even point.

Why does DTG suit low quantities so well?

DTG requires no screens and no per-colour setup, so each shirt is printed on demand with the same amount of preparation whether you need one or a dozen. This makes it a natural fit for small runs, one-off gifts, sample garments or designs that are only needed in limited numbers.

Factor	DTG	Screen printing
Setup required	Minimal	Screens per colour
Best for quantity	Small runs	Larger runs, 25-30+
Colour complexity	Handles detail well	Each colour adds a screen
Print vibrancy	Good, especially on light fabric	Very strong on any fabric colour

Does design complexity change which method is better?

Yes. A design with photographic detail, gradients or many colours suits DTG regardless of quantity, because screen printing would require a separate screen for every colour, quickly adding complexity and cost to even a modest design. Simple designs with one or two solid colours, on the other hand, are straightforward for screen printing to reproduce at any quantity.

What about fabric type and garment colour?

DTG generally performs best on cotton or cotton-blend garments in lighter colours, since the ink needs a light base to show through clearly. Screen printing is more flexible across colours and can achieve strong, opaque results on dark garments too, which is worth weighing alongside your expected order size.

How should you decide between the two for your order?

Consider both your quantity and your design together. A small order of a detailed, multi-colour design points clearly towards DTG, while a larger order of a simple logo design points towards screen printing. For orders that sit near the break-even point, it is worth discussing both routes to see which suits your particular design and timeline.

Read our full comparison in the DTG vs screen printing guide, or contact Minuteman Press Ipswich to talk through your garment order.

Matching the method to your quantity and design complexity is the simplest way to get the best result from your t-shirt order.