Printing a custom design onto a T-shirt is an excellent way to advertise a business, promote an event, or just share a meaningful message. Digital and screen printing are both effective methods for transferring images and wording onto T-shirts, but the exact mechanisms of how they work are quite distinct. Here, a few of their key differences are discussed in more detail.

Digital Printing

It can be helpful to think of digital printing as applying ink to fabric via a large inkjet printer. Shirts are fed into the printer, and the machine translates the design directly onto the fabric. With digital printing, the inks do not soak as deeply into the garment as they do with screen printing, so a fluid is usually applied beforehand to help the ink adhere better to the fabric. Digital printing is particularly well-suited to detailed designs, designs with a large number of different colors, and smaller batches of T-shirts.

Screen Printing

As the name implies, screen printing utilizes stencil-like screens to produce designs onto fabric. Each color used in the design is applied with its own screen, so before the printing process even begins, screens will be created for every color. One color is applied at a time via a tool that pulls the ink across the stencil, which is positioned over the garment. With screen printing, the ink can permeate into the layers of fabric more deeply than with digital printing. Screen printing has been popular, in some form or another, since ancient times. It’s exceptionally effective for larger batches of T-shirts and designs that contain a lot of typography.

When deciding between digital and screen printing, consider the amount of typography and colors in your design, as well as the number of T-shirts in the order. Bitterroot Screen Printers has been providing both digital and screen printing to the Flathead County, MT, region since 1991. They print T-shirts, banners, and vehicle wraps, and they also offer embroidery services. Call (406) 752-1386 or visit their website to request a quote.