Decoration method guide
DTG (Direct-to-Garment)
100% cotton
Last updated September 14, 2026
DTG is an inkjet printer for shirts: Screen-printing ink where the carrier is water rather than PVC. It soaks into the fabric fibers instead of sitting on top, so the print feels like the shirt itself. Less opaque on dark garments than plastisol. pigment ink jetted directly into the fabric, with photographic detail and effectively unlimited color. It owns the print-on-demand world and any job where the artwork is too complex for screens. But it's by far the pickiest method about the garment underneath it; the blank does half the work.
Quick take
- Best for
- Photographic, multi-color art on A yarn made from a single strand (not plied). Most tees use singles. The lower the count number, the thicker the yarn (30s is thicker than 40s). Higher counts produce finer, lighter fabric. and small runs: print-on-demand, samples, artist drops.
- Watch out
- Wants smooth 100% ring-spun cotton; dark garments cost more ( A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. + white ink) and the price never falls with quantity.
- Anchor styles
- Bella+Canvas 3001 and Next Level 3600, the DTG-proven ring-spun staples.
How it works and where it wins
Dark and colored garments first get sprayed with a A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. that lets a white ink A first layer of (usually white) ink printed under the design on dark garments. It stops the dark fabric from showing through and keeps colors bright. sit on the surface, then CMYK builds the image on top; the whole print is heat-cured. Because there's no per-color setup, gradients, photos, and 30-color illustrations cost the same as a one-color logo.
It wins on A yarn made from a single strand (not plied). Most tees use singles. The lower the count number, the thicker the yarn (30s is thicker than 40s). Higher counts produce finer, lighter fabric. and small runs of complex art: print-on-demand stores, samples, artist drops. At volume it loses to screen printing on both speed and ink cost.
What it asks of the blank
100% cotton, and specifically A step after carding where short fibers are combed out. Combed yarn is smoother, stronger, and pills less than straight-carded yarn. ring-spun cotton. The Screen-printing ink where the carrier is water rather than PVC. It soaks into the fabric fibers instead of sitting on top, so the print feels like the shirt itself. Less opaque on dark garments than plastisol. ink needs absorbent natural fiber, and a smooth, tight-knit surface gives sharp edges instead of ink wicking into fuzz, which is why DTG shops standardize on retail-fit ring-spun staples and avoid rough open-end tees. Heavier, denser fabrics print well; the enemy is texture, not weight.
Blends are a compromise: prints on CVC come out more muted and vintage, tri-blends more so, and polyester is largely off the table without specialized poly DTG systems. A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. compatibility varies by garment dye and finish, so test any new style; some colors fade or box-mark where the A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. hits.
Costs and common pitfalls
Per-print cost is dominated by white ink and A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. on dark garments, which makes a dark shirt meaningfully more expensive to print than a white one, and it doesn't fall with quantity. That's why DTG pricing stays flat while screen printing pricing collapses at scale.
Common failures trace back to the blank or the A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. : dull prints on untreated or low-quality cotton, visible A liquid sprayed onto dark garments before DTG printing. It reacts with the ink to improve adhesion and helps white ink stay bright on dark fabric. rectangles on sensitive dye lots, and white A first layer of (usually white) ink printed under the design on dark garments. It stops the dark fabric from showing through and keeps colors bright. showing through after washing on loose-knit fabric. Buying consistent, DTG-proven styles eliminates most of it.
Browse DTG (Direct-to-Garment) by category
DTG wants cotton, so this browses the cotton catalog by category, tees and fleece deepest. Each row previews a category's best; the Shop all link opens the full set.
T-Shirt 167
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Sweatshirt 72
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29 colors
Gildan style number SF000
Unisex Softstyle® Midweight Crewneck Sweatshirt
$14.37
Retail $20.04
15 colors
Gildan style number SF500B
Youth Softstyle® Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt
$16.71
Retail $22.29
8 colors
Team 365 style number TT31HW
Women's Zone Sonic Heather Performance Quarter-Zip Pullover
$21.42
Retail $26.78
39 colors
Gildan style number SF500
Unisex Softstyle® Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt
$18.60
Retail $24.80
20 colors
Independent Trading style number SS4001Y
Youth 8.5 oz. Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt
$19.05
Retail $25.40
8 colors
Comfort Colors style number 1467Y
Youth Garment-Dyed Lightweight Hooded Sweatshirt
$27.32
Retail $36.42
21 colors
Comfort Colors style number 1566
Unisex Garment-Dyed Crewneck Sweatshirt
$32.27
Retail $43.03
Bag 26
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6 colors
Liberty Bags style number 8871
Windward Large Cotton Canvas Classic Resort Tote
$24.50
Retail $32.67
6 colors
Liberty Bags style number 8872
Carmel Classic XL Cotton Canvas Resort Tote
$27.71
Retail $36.93
10 colors
Independent Trading style number INDDUFBAG
29L Day Tripper Duffel Bag
$25.56
Retail $34.09
1 color
Liberty Bags style number 5778
Clear Stadium 2-Pocket Fanny Pack/Crossbody Bag
$15.80
Retail $21.05
Tank Top 16
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34 colors
Comfort Colors style number 9360
Unisex Garment-Dyed Heavyweight Tank Top
$10.02
Retail $13.37
Hat 16
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8 colors
Team 365 style number TT802Y
Youth Zone Peformance Trucker Cap by Yupoong
$11.12
Retail $13.90
3 colors
Yupoong style number 5789M
Premium Five-Panel Curved Bill Snapback Cap
$10.67
Retail $14.21
Pants 12
7 colors
Comfort Colors style number 1469
Unisex Garment-Dyed Lightweight Sweatpants
$28.95
Retail $38.60
3 colors
Independent Trading style number PRM16PNT
Youth Lightweight Special Blend Sweatpants
$18.17
Retail $24.22
8 colors
Gildan style number SF100
Unisex Softstyle® Midweight Pocket Sweatpants
$23.16
Retail $30.88
14 colors
Independent Trading style number IND20PNT
Men's Midweight Fleece Sweatpants
$26.03
Retail $34.71
Polo Shirt 9
5 colors
Team 365 style number TT51HY
Youth Zone Sonic Heather Performance Polo
$16.48
Retail $20.60
5 colors
Team 365 style number TT21C
Men's Command Snag-Protection Colorblock Polo
$20.60
Retail $25.75
5 colors
Team 365 style number TT21CW
Women's Command Snag-Protection Colorblock Polo
$20.60
Retail $25.75
Jacket 6
20 colors
Independent Trading style number EXP54LWZ
Men's Lightweight Windbreaker Full-Zip Jacket
$27.11
Retail $36.15
2 colors
Independent Trading style number EXP560V
Men's Insulated Canvas Workwear Vest
$54.59
Retail $72.77
Accessories 2
Shorts 1
6 colors
Comfort Colors style number 1468
Unisex Garment-Dyed Lightweight Sweat Shorts
$22.25
Retail $29.66
Other 1
