Digital Printing printing utilizes the latest technology to provide a solution to printing smaller orders (less than 24 pieces) with an almost unlimited number of colors in the design. For many customers, this is a great way to get full color prints on just a few shirts. Screenprinting an order that size with a large number of colors had previously been cost-prohibitive before the advent of Digital Printing. Also referred to as Direct-To Garment printing, the process works much like an traditional inkjet computer printer, but for apparel!
- Yields high quality, durable images.
- Print on any color garment, recommended for dark prints on light color garments for best result.
- Price: Fixed cost per shirt, regardless of quantity ordered. Often cheaper than screenprinting for multiple-color images on small runs.
- Used for: Photos, Graphic Effects, and highly detailed images on small runs of shirts.
Screenprinting involves creating a stencil, known as a screen, and then using that screen to apply ink on the printing surface (in our case, apparel or promotional products). Each individual color is applied using a different screen, one at a time, combined to achieve the final look. The more colors a design has, the more screens that are needed, and the more setup time required. The ink in screen printing is applied thicker than digital printing, which results in brighter colors - even on darker shirts. Screenprinting is the best option for designs that require a high level of vibrancy, specialty products, or for quantities greater than 6 pieces. While Underground Printing has no minimums for screenprinting, price is usually a prohibitive factor under 6 pieces. Over 6 pieces, the per piece cost tends to be less than Digital printing (but not always). Digital printing is a much newer process that involves your artwork being processed by a computer, and then printed directly onto the surface of your product. Digital printing is not a transfer - the ink is directly adhered to the fabric of your shirt. The fact that the design is processed and printed digitally allows for a quantity of one, since there are no screens or physical setup. Digital printing is best used for items that require large amounts of detail and/or print colors, customers that require water based ink, and for orders of a smaller quantity (5 or less pieces). The fact that the digital printer does not use screens allows for a photographic print, with much more detail than traditional screen printing. As the ink is applied thinner (to achieve such detail), digital printing is best used on lighter colored shirts to allow the design to shine through.