What is DTG Printing?

So. What Exactly Is DTG Printing?

• First off, don’t confuse DTG printing with those cheap, iron-on style transfers. Instead, the DTG process is a relatively new printing method that produces incredibly high-quality artwork that will stay put for years to come.
• DTG or direct to garment is also sometimes called digital garment printing, digital apparel printing, and inkjet to garment printing. If you see those phrases anywhere it’s the same thing, but we prefer DTG.
• Essentially, DTG printing is a process of printing graphics onto textiles and garments—and most most notably for us, tees. It uses modified inkjet technology to print whatever graphic you want onto the shirt. Think of it like a giant inkjet printer, but for shirts.
• DTG printing is a fairly new method that allows for a lot of variation compared to screen printing.(which dominated the customized t-shirt market for decades). LA Revival Apparels’ DTG printers can print over 16 million colors directly to your shirt in one single pass.
• Our ink is completely safe and dries quickly. The ink will soak into your garment itself and become part of the shirt—and not just essentially be a glorified sticker like those old-school iron-on transfers.

Why would you choose DTG Printing over Screen Printing???

• That’s a question we get really often. It mainly depends on what your needs are! You’re not limited in color and quantity when it comes to DTG printing. One off prints with unlimited colors are possible!
• This is also a good option for those who don’t have a lot of money to make an up-front investment for a large batch because each t-shirt can be ordered separately at an affordable price. No need to guess how many of each size to order, and you won’t have unsold items sitting around your living room.

­­­­­Method	Pros	Cons
Screen printing	– cost-effective for large batches – ideal for simple designs with limited colors – the more you order, the cheaper they are	– not cost effective for multiple colors – can only print simple designs – large upfront investment – one design per batch
Direct to Garment (DTG)	– extensive color options – can print detailed designs and photographs – ideal for small batches and one-offs – minimal upfront investment	– not cost-effective for extremely large batches – limited design placement

How is DTG Printing different from Screen Printing?

• Digital printing is a much newer process that involves your artwork being processed by a computer, and then printed directly onto the surface of your product. Digital printing is not a heat transfer as the ink is directly adhered to the fabric of your shirt. Each printing process has its strengths, and our artwork team will weigh these when deciding which to use for your design.
• Screen printing involves creating a stencil (printers call this a "screen"), and then using that stencil to apply layers of ink on the printing surface. Each color is applied using a different stencil, one at a time, combined to achieve the final look.
• Digital printing is best used for items that require high amounts of detail  and orders of a smaller quantity. Screen printing normally requires a minimum of 24 while digital printing has no minimum. The fact that the digital printer does not use screens allows for a photographic print, with much more detail than traditional screen printing. 
• The fact that the design is processed and printed digitally allows for a quantity of one, since there are no screens or physical setup.