Screen printing, DTF or embroidery: textile decoration compared

A company logo on a polo shirt can get onto the textile in seven ways. The question is never which process is best, but which suits the quantity, the design and the fabric. We need those three details before we even start calculating.

Screen printing: the reference for larger quantities

In screen printing, ink is squeegeed onto the fabric through a separate screen per colour. The result is opaque, wash-resistant and still strong after 50 washes at 40 degrees. Because a screen is made for every colour, the process pays off from around 30 to 50 pieces and for designs with a few clear colours. A gradient with a photo is the wrong route here.

Digital printing onto textile: DTG and DTF

DTG prints with water-based ink directly into the cotton fibre, similar to an inkjet printer. Fine gradients and photos are no problem, and even a single shirt is possible. On dark textiles a white underbase is needed, plus a pretreatment – the print then becomes somewhat stiffer. DTG demands a high cotton content; on polyester it does not work reliably.

With direct-to-film, the design is printed onto a film, coated with adhesive powder and then pressed on. That works on cotton, blends, polyester and even on softshell and bags. Tiny quantities, many colours, fine details – none of it a problem. The build-up sits lightly on the fabric, which feels less breathable on large designs.

Transfer, flex and flock

Transfer and flex films are cut from a single-colour film and pressed on. For names, numbers and single-colour logos on sports and workwear that is clean, robust and quick. Flock has a velvety, slightly raised surface and looks high-end on simple designs. With many colours the process becomes laborious, because every colour means its own layer.

Embroidery: the highest-quality look

Embroidery is done with thread directly into the fabric. It looks valuable, lasts as long as the textile and suits polos, shirts, jackets, caps and workwear. An embroidery file is created once; after that every repeat is inexpensive. Detail sets the limits: very fine lettering under about four millimetres in height and hairline strokes cannot be embroidered cleanly.

Sublimation: only on light polyester

In sublimation the colour passes into the polyester fibre under heat. The result has no feel at all, lasts indefinitely and can colour the whole surface across seams – ideal for jerseys. The condition is light polyester; on cotton the process does not work.

Quick overview

What we need for the data

Ideally a vector file as PDF, SVG or EPS with fonts converted to outlines. For DTG and DTF, pixel data is enough if it has at least 300 dpi at final size and the background is cut out. For embroidery a clean template is enough – we create the embroidery file. Colours are best given as a Pantone reference; on textiles slight deviations remain normal, because fabric colour and material play a part.

Process and textile belong together. Bring the textile you want or let us suggest one – in Solothurn we show samples of all processes side by side, and the question is settled in a few minutes.