Screen Print vs DTG: Best Choice for Team T-Shirts
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Most teams overspend by picking the wrong printing method. For custom t-shirt printing for teams and events, screen printing beats DTG (direct-to-garment) on cost at 24 or more shirts; below that, DTG saves money and allows no-minimum orders. Everything else is detail.
That said, the detail matters. Design complexity, fabric choice, and turnaround time can all flip the decision. This guide gives you the numbers and the logic so you can order with confidence rather than guesswork.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto fabric. Each colour requires its own screen, and each screen costs between £20 and £45 to produce. That set-up fee is charged once per order, not per shirt, which is precisely why the method rewards bulk runs.
At 50 shirts with a two-colour front print, you might pay £6 to £9 per shirt from a UK printer. At 100 shirts, the same design often drops to £4.50 to £7 per shirt. The screens are already paid for; additional shirts just cost ink and press time.
The ink sits on top of the fabric rather than soaking into it, so colours are vivid and opaque, even on dark garments. A properly cured screen print on a quality blank like the Gildan Heavy Cotton Adult T-Shirt will survive 50 or more washes without significant fade. That durability matters for sports teams who launder kits weekly.
How DTG Printing Works
Direct-to-garment printing operates like a large inkjet printer. The garment runs through the machine and water-based ink is jetted directly into the fabric fibres. No screens, no minimum order, no set-up fee per colour.
DTG handles photographic images and gradients without compromise. If your team badge has subtle shading or you want a full-colour illustration on a charity run shirt, DTG is the only practical option at small quantities. Expect to pay £12 to £22 per shirt for a single item, falling to roughly £9 to £14 at 25 units.
The weak point is vibrancy on dark fabrics. DTG ink on black or navy requires a white underbase layer, which adds cost and can soften the final image slightly. Wash fastness has improved substantially since 2020, but under heavy weekly use, screen prints still outlast DTG prints on average.
The Breakeven Point
The rule: 24 or more shirts with the same design, choose screen printing. Fewer than 24, or different designs per shirt, choose DTG.
Here is what that looks like in concrete figures:
| Factor | Screen Printing | DTG |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 12 to 24 shirts | 1 shirt |
| Cost at 12 units (2 colours) | £10 to £16 per shirt | £12 to £18 per shirt |
| Cost at 50 units | £5 to £9 per shirt | £9 to £14 per shirt |
| Colour limit | 1 to 6 spot colours | Unlimited |
| Set-up fee | £20 to £45 per colour | None |
| Dark fabric performance | Excellent | Good (with underbase) |
| Typical turnaround | 7 to 14 working days | 3 to 7 working days |
Colour Limits and Artwork
Every colour added to a screen-printed job costs more. A one-colour back number for a sports club might come in at £3.50 per shirt at volume. Add a second colour for the club crest and the set-up cost doubles. At four colours, the economics begin to favour DTG unless your order exceeds 80 shirts.
For most teams, two solid colours does the job. A clean logo, one background colour, and text. Screen printing at that level is very affordable. For event shirts with full-colour photographs or gradients, DTG is cleaner and cheaper. Some UK printers also offer a hybrid approach: screen print the back text run and DTG a smaller front graphic. Worth asking if your design sits in that grey area.
Both methods need vector artwork (AI, EPS, SVG, or PDF) or a raster file at 300 dpi at actual print size. A good printer flags low-resolution artwork before production begins rather than printing a blurry result. If your team is designing from scratch, Canva Pro exports print-ready PDFs with vector text, which most printers accept without a conversion fee.
Choosing the Right Blank Garment
The print method is only half the equation. A cheap garment shrinks unevenly, and uneven fabric surfaces produce patchy prints. For event shirts on a tight budget, 180 gsm pre-shrunk cotton like the Fruit of the Loom Classic 5-Pack T-Shirt holds screen-printed ink well and comes in the standard colours most events require.
For sports teams that train and wash frequently, a 50/50 cotton-polyester blend or a performance-fabric option is worth the extra cost per shirt. Polyester requires a different ink chemistry for DTG; some printers switch to dye sublimation for full-polyester garments, which is a separate process entirely. Confirm garment compatibility with your printer before finalising the blank.
Turnaround and Sizing
Screen printing needs 7 to 14 working days from artwork approval. DTG typically ships within 3 to 7 days. Four weeks before your event, either method is fine. Ten days out, DTG is the safer choice unless you can confirm express availability with the printer.
One practical rule: order 10% more shirts than you actually need. Sizes are always wrong for at least one or two people, someone joins the team late, and one shirt always gets damaged before the day. Reprinting a single DTG shirt is straightforward and cheap. Reprinting a single screen-printed shirt means re-setting the screens, which costs nearly as much as the original set-up fee. Over-ordering slightly avoids that problem entirely.
Making the Final Decision
Screen printing is the right choice for a sports club ordering 30 kits, a company away-day with 60 participants, or a charity run with a two-colour logo. Cost per shirt is low, print quality is high, and the garments will survive the washing machine for years.
DTG is the right choice for a five-a-side team that needs eight shirts with a photographic club badge, a conference that wants personalised name prints on 15 shirts, or any situation where designs differ between recipients. No set-up cost means no penalty for variety.
TMC Shirts offers both methods in-house, with minimum screen-print orders starting at 12 shirts. Request a quote on the homepage and the team will recommend the right method based on your artwork and quantity, at no obligation.
FAQ
What is the minimum order quantity for screen-printed team t-shirts?
Most UK printers require a minimum of 12 to 24 shirts per design for screen printing. A handful of specialist printers drop to 6 shirts, but at that quantity the cost per shirt is usually higher than a DTG equivalent, so it is worth comparing quotes before deciding.
Can I screen print a design that includes a photograph?
Halftone screen printing can reproduce photographs using a dot pattern in two or three colours. The result has a distinct aesthetic that works well for vintage-style event shirts. For a true photographic reproduction with gradients and full colour, DTG is more accurate and typically cheaper at small quantities.
How long does a custom team t-shirt order take from start to finish?
Screen printing takes 7 to 14 working days from artwork sign-off. DTG usually ships in 3 to 7 working days. Add 1 to 2 days for UK standard delivery if you are not collecting in person. Always confirm lead times directly with your printer before committing to an event date.
Is DTG printing durable enough for sports kits?
Modern DTG inks, when properly cured, wash well for casual wear and infrequent washing. For sports kits laundered weekly at 40 degrees, screen printing is the safer long-term choice. The difference is minimal after 10 washes but becomes visible after 40 or 50 cycles.
What file format should I send for my team's artwork?
Vector files in AI, EPS, or SVG format are ideal for both printing methods. A PDF exported from Adobe Illustrator or Canva Pro at 300 dpi or above also works well. JPEG and PNG files are accepted only if they are at least 300 dpi at the actual print size; anything below that will produce a soft, blurry result.