The rise of digital printing does not imply that traditional screen printing is doomed. Instead, it's just another arrow in the garment printers' quiver. Each process has advantages and disadvantages; screen printing began in China and has been in some form since the 10th century. It has a long history, and it continues to deliver excellent results, making it particularly helpful for large-scale orders.

However, the advancement of computer-aided design and manufacturing, and the widespread use of heat press machine for t shirt printing have increased the ability to react to market trends. Screen Printing has a high quality, and with carefully prepared stencils, this technique can produce ultimate detail in the finished design. As an extra advantage, adopting digital technologies allows you to obtain a fantastic finish and enhanced design flexibility and efficiency.

Screen printing entails generating a stencil and then applying layers of ink to the printing surface using that stencil. Each color is applied with a different stencil, one at a time until the desired effect is achieved. Digital printing is a relatively recent technology in which a computer processes your artwork before being printed directly onto the product's surface.

Because the ink is directly bonded to the fabric of your garment, digital printing is neither a heat transfer nor applique. For designs that require a high level of vibrancy, printing on dark garments, or specialty products, screen printing is the ideal alternative. Screen printing uses a thicker ink application than digital printing, resulting in richer colors even on darker clothing.

Digital printing is great for goods that require many details and orders that aren't too large. The absence of screens in the digital printer allows for a photographic print with far more detail than traditional screen printing. Digital printing is greatest utilized on light-colored shirts to allow the design to sheen through because the ink is applied diluter. Because there are no screens or physical setup, the design can be processed and printed digitally, allowing for one quantity. Online specialty stores like EcoFreen can help you narrow down the specifics of the equipment you will need.

When choosing between digital t-shirt printing and screen printing for your next apparel run, it's critical to grasp the advantages of each. Screen printing offers a greater range of color, more flexibility in print on, better hand on darks, and a much larger printable size range. DTG printing is often preferred for those fast, low-run, high-color-count projects; nevertheless, DTG printing offers a better range of colors, versatility in what it can print on. The difference between these two strategies will close as technology progresses.



Is Screen Printing or Digital Printing Better?
Before deciding between screen print and DTG, there are four things to consider:

1. DIMENSION
If you want a traditional full-front design, digital and screen are the way to go. There will be a clear choice if you want something a little more non-traditional, such as an all-over print. While there may be some small drawbacks, screen printing can easily do this. The first round is dedicated to screening printing.

2. GARMENTS THAT CAN BE PRINTED
Whether you're doing DTG or screen printing, cotton is always the finest option. Polyester, nylon, Teflon-coated materials, burlap, bamboo, you name it, screen printing can handle it. DTG is a different story. It's mostly confined to 100 per cent cotton; though printing on polyester might work if no under foundation is required. As a result, only white or very light-colored clothing is permitted. In round two, the old-school print is used once more.

3. EXAMINE
Screen printing has always looked amazing and will continue to do so in the future. As long as the original art is solid, both digital and screen will seem attractive, crisp, and clear. As a result, color is the deciding factor. Screen printing offers a wide range of ink options and technological possibilities. On an under the base, digital printing's blues and violets don't seem right. It also lacks the specialty inks seen in screen printing, such as metallic, glow-in-the-dark inks, and UV-sensitive hues. Although the color range is sufficient for most projects, screen printing ultimately wins out due to its superior ability to match the visible spectrum more accurately.

4. QUICKNESS
Screen printing is a time-consuming and technique-intensive process. It's definitely worth the time and effort, but if you're in a hurry and need ten tees printed right away, this isn't the way to go. While color separations are required for screen printing, DTG may print the complete order and have it ready for pickup. It's a resounding and ruthless victory for digital.