Screen Printing vs DTG for School T-Shirts: Which Is Best for Your School?
The Great School Apparel Debate
If you're coordinating apparel for a Philadelphia school, whether it's for the entire student body, a sports team, or a new club, you've likely heard two terms: screen printing and DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing. Both can produce great-looking shirts, but they work very differently and suit different needs. Choosing the wrong method can lead to overspending, poor durability, or frustrating production delays.
Here’s a client of ours that we printed a couple of months ago. Arcadia University needed over 500 Olympic shirts for a major multi-school competition. They faced a tight deadline and a complex, 5-7 color back design. While other shops might have pushed for costly digital printing, our expertise identified the smarter path: high-volume screen printing. This approach delivered the brilliant, durable colors they needed at a fraction of the cost, proving that for bulk orders, screen printing remains the champion of both quality and value. The real victory was in the logistics. We coordinated a precise split-shipment plan to deliver custom bundles directly to several university teams. Every shipment arrived 5-7 days before the competition, complete and on time. Arcadia’s organizers could focus on the games, not the gear, a seamless win made possible by expert planning and flawless execution.
At Tee Vision Printing, we help Philadelphia schools, from Kensington to Chestnut Hill, make the right choice every time. In this guide, we’ll break down the pros, cons, and ideal use cases for each method, so you can decide what’s best for your school’s next order.
Screen Printing vs DTG: A Quick Comparison
When Screen Printing Is the Smart Choice for Your School
Screen printing is the time-tested printing style for school apparel. Here’s when it shines:
It is ideal when you’re a charge of printing, and now you have to get these:
Bulk Spirit Wear Orders (50+ shirts for school-wide events)
Sports Team Jerseys & Uniforms (requires durability through washes and wear)
Simple, Bold Logos (school mascot, name, or slogan in 1-3 colors)
Dark-Colored Shirts (screen printing ink is opaque and vibrant on navy, maroon, and black)
Long-Term Projects (shirts meant to be worn for years, like class shirts or faculty polos)
Screen Printing Can Cost More For Smaller Orders and Cost Less For Bigger Bulk Orders.
Screen printing has upfront costs for creating screens ($25-$50 per color). However, once the screen is made, printing additional shirts is very inexpensive. This makes the cost per shirt drop dramatically as quantity increases. Example: A 200-shirt homecoming order with a 2-color logo might cost $6-$9 per shirt, including a quality blank tee. That same order for 24 shirts might be $12-$15 per shirt due to setup costs spread over fewer shirts.
When DTG Printing Makes More Sense for School Needs
DTG is like a specialized fabric printer. It’s perfect for certain school scenarios where screen printing isn’t practical.
Ideal For:
Small Club Orders (10-24 shirts for new clubs, honor societies)
Full-Color Designs (photographs, detailed artwork, gradient school logos)
Prototype & Sample Shirts (testing a design before a large screen print run)
Last-Minute Requests (faster setup = quicker turnaround)
Each-Shirt-Is-Different Projects (individual names/numbers without setup fees per variation)
The Advantage of DTG with Design
With DTG, there’s no additional cost for more colors. That detailed full-color mascot drawing a student created? It can be printed without simplification. This is huge for art clubs, yearbook committees, or special event shirts where design creativity is a priority.
Key Questions to Ask Before Deciding
How many shirts do you need?
If it’s under 24 pieces, lean towards DTG. If it’s over 24 pieces or a larger bulk order with multiple designs, get quotes for both, but screen printing will likely be the lower price.
What’s your design like?
If it’s a simple, bold school logo, go with screen printing; if it’s a full-color graphic or photo with multiple gradients and details, go with DTG.
What’s your timeline?
If you need them in under 10 days, you can inquire about both printing style quotes. At times, we have a free slot on our schedule and can often squeeze in a screen-printing order, but in most cases, if you want, DTG often has a quicker turnaround for small orders.
The Right Tool for the Job
Think of screen printing and DTG as different tools in your school’s apparel toolbox:
Screen printing = The durable, cost-effective workhorse for bulk orders.
DTG = The flexible, detail-oriented solution for small batches and complex designs.
Both produce quality shirts when done by an experienced printer. The key is matching the method to your project’s specific requirements.
Ready to Print Your School’s Shirts?
Still unsure which method is best for your upcoming order? Let the experts at Tee Vision Printing, your local Philadelphia custom apparel partner, guide you.
We’ll provide a free, no-obligation recommendation and quote for your specific project. Just share your details.
📞 Call Us: (267) 437-0087
📧 Email: info@teevisionprinting.com
🖱️ Get a School Quote: https://teevisionprinting.com/contact
Let’s create apparel that makes your Philadelphia school proud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Which is cheaper for 100 school t-shirts: screen printing or DTG?
For 100 shirts, screen printing is almost always cheaper. Screen printing has upfront setup costs, but these are spread across many shirts, making the per-shirt cost drop significantly in bulk. DTG has no setup fees, but the per-shirt cost remains relatively high, making it less economical for quantities of 24-36 shirts or more.
Q2: Is DTG or screen printing better for a full-color photo on a shirt?
DTG is superior for full-color photographs. It prints directly from a digital file, handling unlimited colors and gradients with no extra cost. Screen printing a photorealistic image requires a complex, expensive process called "simulated process" printing, which is only cost-effective for very large orders.
Q3: Do DTG prints wash out faster than screen prints?
Modern DTG prints are durable, but screen printing is generally more durable long-term. Screen printing ink bonds deeper into the fabric fibers. DTG ink sits on the fabric surface and, while it lasts well, may show slight fading sooner after 50+ washes, especially if laundered improperly. For shirts that will get weekly wear (like team uniforms), screen printing is the tougher choice.