Screen, DTF or sublimation? Choosing the right print for your shirts

Most customers ask for "printing". There are really three different processes behind that word, and picking the right one is the difference between a shirt that lasts and one that cracks by the rainy season.

Screen printing

Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil, one colour at a time. It gives the most vivid, durable result on cotton and the lowest unit cost at volume.

• Best for: bold logos and text in 1–4 solid colours, orders of 50 pieces and up
• Less suited to: photographs, gradients, or very small runs

DTF (direct-to-film)

Your artwork is printed in full colour onto a transfer film and heat-pressed onto the garment. No per-colour setup, so small orders and complex artwork become practical.

• Best for: full-colour artwork, photos, small runs, names and numbers
• Less suited to: very large solid areas, which can feel heavy on the fabric

Sublimation

Dye is turned to gas and bonded into polyester fibres. The print has no feel at all, never cracks, and can cover the entire garment.

• Best for: sports kits, all-over patterns, light-coloured polyester
• Less suited to: cotton, or dark garments

Not sure?

Build your design in SPP Studio and send it over. We will recommend the method when we quote — it is part of the service, not an extra.