From direct to garment to cad cut vinyl, we explain the t-shirt printing techniques and the pros and cons of each! Get to know them and see which one you prefer!

2. T-SHIRT PRINTING TECHNIQUES
• Screen Printing
• Direct to Garment
• Transfer Printing
• Cad Cut Vinyl
• Embroidery

3. SCREEN PRINTING
The technique behind most of the t-shirts we wear.
It was first invented in China when they
discovered that holding a silk mash over a
wooden frame with strategically placed holes
left an awesome design on the fabric. It quickly
spread to other countries and continents and
the technique was improved into the beloved
screen printing we know today. Screen printing
basically pastes a layer of colour on top of the
garment through a screen.

4. SCREEN PRINTING
Pros
• Simple and versatile
• A very durable technique that is easily scalable
• It is also relative inexpensive for bulk orders.
Cons
• Limited colour mixing as the ink is pushed through the screens
• The resolution of the design is also limited
• The printing is a multistep process that involves placing different
screens over a shirt in perfect alignment to create the final design.

5. DIRECT TO GARMENT
This is a relatively new technique that started to
be developed in the 90s by a digital image
company and it became commercially available
in 2005. This technique took the printing world
by storm.
As the name states, this technique prints ink
directly into the garments. This technique goes
straight into the fiber meaning that you don’t
feel the ink when you touch the t-shirts.

6. DIRECT TO GARMENT
Pros
• Extensive colour options and maximum detail in design
• easily customizable designs.
Cons
• Not cost effective for big batches
• Limited design placement

7. TRANSFER PRINTING
Originally the method behind this technique is
that it transfers an image from one surface to
another, permanently. It was mostly used to
add decorative details and features to ceramics.
The process has now been applied to transfer
designs onto t-shirts and other types of
garments. You can distinguish transfer printing
from other printing techniques because it
requires heat to be applied at the end to set the
image.

8. TRANSFER PRINTING
Pros
• Fairly simple and it can produce high quality, complex designs
• It is also one of the best techniques for full colour printing
Cons
• Slower than the other procedures
• It’s got limitations onto which type of fabric it can be printed
• Can’t be used on fabrics sensitive to high temperatures
• Could be some restrictions on reproduction of darker shades

9. CAD CUT VINYL
Even though it is considered a printing technique
there is no printing involved. A state of the art
machine cuts a high quality vinyl paper into the
shape of the design. One of the most common
uses for this technique is the sports kit, mainly
football kits.

10. CAD CUT VINYL
Pros
• No setup costs and gives bold and vibrant colour images
• More viable printing locations such as shoulders, sleeve, and collar
• Can also be used on polyester and nylon
Cons
• Not suitable for quantities over 25
• Not suitable for oversized designs as the print can seem bulky

11. EMBROIDERY
Embroidery is another where there is no printing
involved but instead a machine stitches a
particular design or text onto the garment of
choice. It is one of the most used methods for
golf shirts and corporate work wear.

12. EMBROIDERY
Pros
• Very professional looking
• Long lasting method
Cons
• Logos may have to be altered due to difficulty of showing shading with
thread
• Very small text is very difficult to be done