If you’re ordering custom prints, you’ve probably run into two names: DTF and screen printing. Both put your design on fabric. They do it in very different ways, and the right choice depends on what you’re printing and how many.
Here’s a plain breakdown so you can pick with confidence.
The short answer
- Choose DTF for full-colour designs, photos, gradients, small runs, and mixed products.
- Choose screen printing for large quantities of the same simple, one or two-colour design.
For most custom orders today, especially anything detailed or under a few hundred units, DTF is the better fit. Here’s why.
What is screen printing?
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencil (a “screen”) onto the fabric, one colour at a time. Each colour needs its own screen and its own pass.
It produces a thick, durable print and works out cheap per unit at high volume. But the setup is the catch: every colour and every design needs new screens, so short runs and detailed artwork get expensive fast.
What is DTF?
DTF (Direct-to-Film) prints your full-colour design onto a film, coats it with adhesive, then heat-presses it onto the fabric. No stencils, no per-colour setup.
That means a 12-colour photo costs the same to print as a single-colour logo, and there’s no minimum order to justify the setup. DTF bonds into the fabric and lasts 50+ washes without cracking, as we cover in how long DTF transfers last.
DTF vs screen printing, head to head
| Factor | DTF | Screen Printing |
|---|---|---|
| Colours | Unlimited, full colour, photos and gradients | Best for 1–3 solid colours |
| Small runs | Ideal, no minimum | Expensive, high setup cost |
| Large runs | Cost stays flat per unit | Cheapest per unit at volume |
| Detail | Fine detail and small text print cleanly | Fine detail is harder |
| Fabric range | Cotton, polyester, blends, canvas and more | Works best on cotton |
| Feel | Light, flexible | Thicker ink layer |
| Turnaround | Fast, no screen setup | Slower setup for new designs |
When screen printing still wins
Screen printing isn’t outdated. For a single simple design printed across hundreds or thousands of identical shirts, the per-unit cost drops below DTF. If you’re ordering 500 staff shirts with a one-colour logo, screen printing can be the cheaper call.
When DTF is the clear choice
For nearly everything else:
- Full-colour designs, photos or detailed artwork
- Small orders, one-offs, or samples
- A mix of different designs in one order
- Printing across different fabric types
- Fast turnaround with no setup wait
Because DTF has no setup fee per colour or design, you can gang several different designs onto one sheet and pay only for the space they use. That’s how a small order stays affordable, and it’s exactly how a DTF gang sheet works.
The bottom line
Screen printing is built for high-volume, simple-colour runs. DTF is built for full colour, fine detail, small quantities and flexibility, which covers most custom orders. Still weighing your options? Our guide to choosing between DTF, vinyl and sublimation walks through every method.
At Prism Printworks, we print full-colour DTF transfers and gang sheets on any fabric, with nationwide delivery across South Africa. Upload your design, choose your size, and order online, from a single transfer to a full sheet.