Dtg Printing Guide For Beginners

New to custom printing? DTG (Direct-to-Garment) is one of the easiest methods to understand — here's a beginner-friendly explanation of how it works and when to use it.

1. What DTG Actually Is

DTG stands for Direct-to-Garment printing — it works much like an inkjet printer, but instead of paper, it prints directly onto the fabric of your t-shirt.

2. How the Printing Process Works

The garment is loaded onto a flat printing tray, and specialized textile ink is sprayed directly onto the fabric in full color, then heat-cured to set the print permanently.

3. When DTG Is the Right Choice

DTG is ideal for full-color, detailed, or photo-realistic designs printed in small quantities — there's no setup cost, so even a single custom shirt is affordable.

4. Limitations to Know About

DTG works best on 100% cotton fabric and can be slower per-piece than screen printing at very high volumes, making it less ideal for large bulk orders.

💡 Pro Tip

If you're not sure whether DTG or DTF suits your design better, ask us — the two methods overlap in many use cases and we can recommend the better fit.

Key Takeaways

DTG prints ink directly onto fabric, like an inkjet printer for t-shirts.
It has no setup cost, making single pieces affordable.
It's ideal for full-color, detailed, or photo-realistic designs.
DTG works best on 100% cotton garments.
It's less cost-effective than screen printing at very high volume.

Yes, it's one of the simplest and most affordable ways to start.

It works best on 100% cotton; polyester needs a different method.

Unlimited — it prints full color like a photograph.

It can be used at bulk, though screen printing is often more cost-effective at high volume.

Durable when properly cured, holding up to regular washing.

Yes, single pieces are affordable since there's no setup cost.

DTG prints directly onto fabric; DTF prints onto film then transfers via heat.

It has a soft feel that blends into the fabric, similar to screen printing.

Yes, it's one of the best methods for this.

Send us your design and quantity for a quick quote.

James Whitfield

Founder & Head of Print at TShirtPrintLondon, with 8+ years in custom apparel production.

In This Article

1. What DTG Actually Is

2. How the Printing Process Works

3. When DTG Is the Right Choice