DTF transfer
- Unlimited full colour from small runs
- Works on almost any fibre and colour
- Fine detail and crisp edges, no weeding
- Slight film hand-feel on large solids
- Less tactile than embroidery or screen print
Embroidery or printing?.
Four techniques decorate most team clothing. None is better in itself: the right choice depends on the garment, the artwork, the quantity and the use. Here is what each does, what it really costs per piece, and the team case that fits it.
The four techniques, side by side
Finish, wash resistance, fabrics, minimum quantity and price of the decoration alone per piece at 10, 50 and 100 — the same grids as on the product pages.
| Criterion | DTF transfer | Screen printing | Embroidery | DTG printing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised feel | ||||
| Full colour, gradients | ||||
| Wash resistance | 2 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 2 / 3 |
| Fabrics | Cotton, polyester, blends | Any flat textile | Heavy textile, caps, jackets | Cotton and cotton-rich blends |
| Minimum quantity | from 10 pieces | from 10 pieces | from 10 pieces | from 10 pieces |
| Decoration per piece at 10 | €5.31 | €5.21 | €5.33 | €3.83 |
| Decoration per piece at 50 | €2.51 | €1.74 | €3.60 | €3.27 |
| Decoration per piece at 100 | €2.03 | €1.02 | €2.55 | €3.00 |
Prices excluding VAT for the decoration alone, one position, standard artwork. The garment is added: each product page shows the total including decoration.
Screen printing
- Dense, opaque colours, even on dark fabric
- Lowest unit cost at volume
- Excellent wash resistance
- Screen cost per colour — relevant from mid-size runs
- Photo gradients are hard (halftone)
Embroidery
- The premium finish — thread relief and sheen
- Exceptional wash and wear resistance
- Ideal on polos, sweats, caps and jackets
- No photo gradients — artwork is translated into threads
- Very small text (< 5 mm) loses legibility
DTG printing
- Photo-realism and perfect gradients
- Viable from one piece — no setup
- Near-zero hand-feel on light cotton
- Best on mostly-cotton fabrics
- Flat unit cost — little scale economy
Three team cases
An outfit that must last: embroidery
Reception polos, site jackets, team caps: an embroidered logo withstands industrial washing and gives the most premium finish. Small text and gradients are beyond it — simplify the logo.
An event, a large run: screen printing
T-shirts for a tournament, a festival, a seminar: from 50 pieces in one or two colours, screen printing gives the densest colours at the lowest unit cost.
Full-colour artwork from ten pieces: DTF or DTG
Club sweatshirts, school outfits, small runs with detailed artwork: DTF works on almost any fabric, DTG on light cotton — no setup cost, from ten pieces.
Request a quote
Torn between two techniques? Send the artwork and the quantity: we reply within 24 hours with the recommended finish and the price.
Frequently asked questions
- Embroidery or printing: which lasts longer in the wash?
- Embroidery and screen printing last best: dozens of washes without losing sharpness. DTF and DTG hold well at 30-40 °C, less so under repeated industrial washing.
- Can a gradient logo be embroidered?
- No: embroidery turns the artwork into thread, without gradients or photos. For full-colour artwork choose DTF or DTG; for embroidery, simplify the logo into flat colours and avoid text under 5 mm.
- From how many pieces does screen printing pay off?
- Screens are paid per colour: screen printing pays off from 50 pieces in one or two colours and is the obvious choice above 100. Below that, DTF or DTG are cheaper.
- Does the displayed price include the decoration?
- Yes. On every product page, the price per piece includes the garment and its decoration, one position. The table above isolates the decoration alone to compare techniques.