DTG printing for custom team apparel.
We DTG print five of our eight garments: the tee, the piqué polo, the pullover and zip hoodies, and the crewneck sweatshirt. The oxford shirt, the cap and the beanie don't take it. The ink goes straight into the fabric in full color, and the print adds $3.78 to a piece, so a simple tee with one DTG print is $17.02.
How direct-to-garment printing works
DTG stands for direct-to-garment. The printer lays the ink onto the finished garment, and it goes into the fabric with no film or transfer layer in between. Because it prints in full color, a gradient or a photo goes down the way it looks on your screen.
The number of colors in the artwork doesn't change what you pay. We charge no setup fee and no per-color charge, and a five-color illustration costs the same $3.78 as a one-color wordmark.
DTG suits artwork that fills the body of a garment, like an illustration across a tee front or a photo on a hoodie back. For a small chest logo on a polo we'd still point you to embroidery, and the polo takes thread and print alike.
Should I choose DTG or DTF?
On the garments that take both, the two cost the same $3.78 a piece and both print in full color. The difference is where the ink ends up. DTF prints onto a film that's heat-pressed onto the garment, so the ink sits flush on the surface, while DTG puts it into the fabric directly.
| DTG print | DTF print | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's made | Ink printed straight into the fabric | Printed on film, then heat-pressed on |
| Color | Full color with no per-color charge | Full color with no color-count limit |
| Fee per piece | $3.78 | $3.78, or $2.02 on the cap |
| Garments | Tee · Polo · Pullover hoodie · Zip hoodie · Sweatshirt | All eight, the beanie through a printed label |
| Wash rating | Not published | 50-plus washes without cracking |
| Print size | Sized for the placement on your proof | Chest up to about 10 in, back up to about 12 in |
If a published wash count matters for your order, choose DTF. If you'd like the ink in the fabric instead of on top of it, choose DTG. If you can't decide, send the artwork, and a designer on our team will tell you which one we'd print it with.
Garments that take a DTG print
| Product | With one DTG print | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| T-Shirt | $17.02 simple, $20.18 drop shoulder | Full front, full back or left chest. A sleeve or the back of the neck as a second spot. |
| Pique Polo | $20.18 | Left or right chest, or the full back. A sleeve as a second spot. |
| Hoodie | $23.96 simple, $27.74 oversized | Full front, full back or left chest. A sleeve as a second spot. |
| Zip Hoodie | $25.22 | Full back, or the left or right chest. The zip splits a center print. |
| Sweatshirt | Priced in one business day | Full front, full back or left chest. |
The oxford shirt, the cap and the beanie are the three we don't DTG print. With one DTF print instead, the oxford comes to $28.37 and the cap to $10.85, and the beanie carries its artwork on a printed label sewn to the cuff.
Preparing artwork for DTG
- Vector (SVG, AI, EPS) is the first choice, because it scales to any print size without going soft.
- A 300 dpi PNG at the size you want printed also works. Leave the background transparent unless the box around the art is part of the design.
- Gradients and photos print as you send them, and there's no need to cut the palette down.
- A designer on our team checks every file, sizes the print for its placement and sends you the proof.
Once you approve the design, we make the order in three weeks and ship it within the US in two more. Count back 8 to 10 weeks from the day you need the pieces, because design and approval come first and move as fast as you do.
Washing a DTG-printed piece
Wash it cold and inside out, then tumble dry on low or hang it up, and keep the iron off the print. We don't publish a wash rating for DTG. If a piece arrives with a defect, send us a photo within 30 days and we'll remake it free.
One print fee covers every DTG placement
A piece costs its garment rate plus $3.78, however many places we print it with DTG. A simple tee with a front print and a back print is still $17.02, the $13.24 rate plus one fee.
Volume pricing counts every piece in the order. Take 40 printed tees and 20 printed simple hoodies, which make 60 pieces and take 12% off each one: 40 × $14.98 = $599.20, plus 20 × $21.08 = $421.60, for $1,020.80. Shipping is free from 50 pieces, and at 150 the discount rises to 22%.
Orders start at 15 pieces, and for fewer, tell us what you have in mind. Every garment rate is on the pricing page, and the Design Studio prices a whole collection live once you upload a logo.
Related reading
- How We Decorate Team Apparel
- DTF Printing for Custom Team Apparel
- Custom Apparel Decoration Methods, Compared
- Custom Company T-Shirts, Explained
DTG questions we get
What is DTG printing?
DTG is direct-to-garment printing. The ink goes straight into the fabric of the finished garment in full color, with no film or transfer in between. We offer it on the tee, the polo, the pullover and zip hoodies and the crewneck sweatshirt.
How much does DTG printing cost?
It adds $3.78 to the garment rate, however many places we print. A simple tee with one DTG print is $17.02, which comes down to $14.98 each at 50 pieces and $13.28 at 150. There's no setup fee and no per-color charge.
How long does a DTG print last?
We don't publish a wash rating for DTG. Wash it cold and inside out, and keep the iron off the print. If you need a published number for a uniform that goes through the wash every week, DTF is rated for 50-plus washes.
Can you DTG print caps or button-up shirts?
No. DTG is offered on five garments, and the cap, the oxford shirt and the beanie aren't among them. The cap and the oxford take a DTF print or vinyl, and the beanie takes cuff embroidery, a printed label or a sewn-on patch.
What artwork file do I need for DTG?
Send vector (SVG, AI, EPS) if you have it. Failing that, a PNG at 300 dpi and at print size will do, with the background left transparent. Photos and gradients print as sent, and a designer on our team checks the file before you approve the design.
