DTF vs. Screen Printing – Which Is Better for Custom Shirts?

If you're planning to launch a clothing line, print merch, or create personalized T-shirts, you’ve likely asked:
Should I go with DTF or screen printing? 🤔

While screen printing has long been a go-to in the garment industry, Direct to Film (DTF) has emerged as a faster, cleaner, and more cost-effective solution — especially for full-color, small-batch, and custom designs.

In this guide, we’ll break down the pros, cons, and differences between the two, and help you decide which method is best for your next T-shirt project.

🧵 What Is Screen Printing?

Screen printing involves creating a stencil (or "screen") for each color in your design. Ink is pushed through the screens one layer at a time onto your shirt. It's ideal for large batches of simple, 1–3 color designs.

✅ Pros:

Great for bulk orders
Durable, long-lasting prints
Works well with solid colors

❌ Cons:

High setup costs
Not ideal for small orders
Limited color detail
Time-consuming process

🖨️ What Is DTF (Direct to Film) Printing?

DTF printing uses a digital printer to apply your full-color artwork onto a special film. The design is then transferred onto a shirt using a heat press — no stencils, no mess.

✅ Pros:

No setup costs
Works with complex, multicolor designs
Small orders? No problem
Sharp detail, gradients, and shadows
Ready-to-press gang sheets
Fast turnaround

❌ Cons:

Requires proper pressing technique
Slightly less texture than plastisol screen ink

At Express DTF Supply, we specialize in high-quality DTF gang sheets, designed to help you print custom shirts in minutes — with no minimums and no hassle.

🆚 DTF vs. Screen Printing – Side-by-Side Breakdown

Feature	DTF	Screen Printing
✅ Minimum Order	1	Usually 12+
🎨 Color Limits	Unlimited (CMYK+W)	1–6 colors typically
🖼️ Design Type	Detailed, photorealistic	Solid logos, simple art
⚙️ Setup Time	None	High (screens, films, alignment)
⏱️ Turnaround	Fast (24–48 hrs)	Slower (3–7 days)
💰 Cost	Low for small orders	Better for high volume
🔄 Reorders	Easy	Requires new screens
📦 Flexibility	Print only what you need	Must commit to batch size

👕 Which Is Better for Custom T-Shirts?

If you're:

A small business just starting
A local shop taking custom orders
An Etsy or Shopify seller
A designer who loves full-color artwork
A crafter or side hustler

Then DTF is your best option. It gives you professional results without the expense and setup of screen printing.

You can upload your gang sheet or build one online, and we’ll print and ship it — ready to press within 24–48 hours.

📦 Get Started with DTF – The Smarter Choice

Here’s how you can get started today with custom DTF transfers for T-shirts:

🛠️ Option 1:

👉 Upload Ready DTF Gang Sheet
Already have your layout? Upload, choose your size, and we’ll print it.

🧩 Option 2:

👉 Build Your Own Gang Sheet
Arrange multiple designs or sizes in one sheet — perfect for batching.

🎯 Need stickers or prints for hard surfaces like tumblers? Check out:

💬 What Our Customers Say

“I used to screen print everything. Now I just press DTF and I’m done in seconds. The colors are amazing and detail is insane!”
– Chris T., Streetwear Brand Owner

“DTF helped me launch my tee business without all the upfront cost. Upload, press, ship – that’s it!”
– Madison R., Small Shop Owner

📚 Learn More:

Houston DTF Transfers LLC Privacy Policy

Houston DTF Transfers highly prioritizes its association with franchisees. Throughout the continuous interaction between each franchisee and Houston DTF Transfers, a considerable amount of data concerning each franchise is accumulated. This policy delineates the information practices and privacy protocols related to data furnished by franchisees and acquired over the course of their affiliation with Houston DTF Transfers.

Business & Commercial Partnership: The connection between Houston DTF Transfers and a franchisee constitutes a business and commercial collaboration. Information gathered from a franchisee and its primary stakeholders, including specifics regarding any financial commitments made by guarantors, is exclusively collected to establish a business partnership as per the terms outlined in the franchise agreement and associated financial documentation. Houston DTF Transfers does not intend or engage in extending credit for personal, familial, or household purposes at any juncture. Consequently, franchisees and individuals guaranteeing their obligations are not considered "consumers" under Federal legislation and related regulations.

Information Collection by Houston DTF Transfers: As an integral aspect of routine business procedures, Houston DTF Transfers collects, retains, and applies data concerning franchisees and individual guarantors. The franchise application, submitted during the franchising process, seeks information about the franchisee and each guarantor, encompassing a personal balance sheet detailing assets and liabilities, along with historical income details. This confidential information stored within Houston DTF Transfers' records is neither disclosed nor utilized except for the purposes of corroborating the accuracy of submitted details and enforcing obligations undertaken by the franchisee and any guarantor in favor of Houston DTF Transfers or its affiliates.

Franchisee Name, Address, and Contact Details: All entities within the Houston DTF Transfers network are autonomously managed by franchisees. According to Federal Trade Commission regulations, franchisors are mandated to divulge the name, address, and contact details of each franchisee, which Houston DTF Transfers deems as publicly accessible information.

Security Information: We have implemented reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public, personal information. However, there is no guarantee that these measures are entirely foolproof. We are committed to continually enhancing our security protocols in a commercially suitable manner.

Sharing of Information: Houston DTF Transfers may share the name, address, and contact details of each franchisee and key contact with associated entities to propose products and services believed to be of interest. Additionally, information may be provided to vendors and other entities offering goods and services potentially beneficial to franchisees.

Inquiries from Prospective Buyers: Upon receipt of written consent or authorization from an existing franchisee, we may share operational information about a franchised business with a potential buyer. We may request that the prospective buyer provides us with financial information received from the franchisee to conduct an audit of relevant financial records.

Legal Affairs: Houston DTF Transfers is compelled to respond to legal procedures like subpoenas, discovery requests, law enforcement investigations, and governmental inquiries necessitating the production or publication of records linked to a franchise. Information may also be disclosed in civil litigations involving enforcement or defense against claims from a franchisee or a third party. However, we retain the discretion to abstain from quashing, suppressing, or obtaining protective orders, without an obligation to notify franchisees regarding inquiries made by private entities or governmental agencies about their franchise records.

Franchise Recruitment Advertising and Queries: Data provided in response to franchise recruitment advertising will be used to evaluate the prospect of selling a franchise. Houston DTF Transfers will share this information with relevant internal personnel involved in evaluating the information and assessing the market for the proposed printing center's location. Moreover, Houston DTF Transfers may use cookies on the browsers of website visitors interested in a franchise and collect additional data from other sources about each visitor to the website.