T-shirt printing

There is no single best method for every T-shirt job. The right choice depends on the fabric, design, quantity and level of personalisation.

-DTF works well for short to medium runs, personalised jobs and detailed full-colour designs. You can use DTF on cotton, polyester and blended garments, so it works well when you print different types of T-shirts.

-Sublimation is best suited to polyester garments, especially sportswear. The pigment becomes part of the polyester fibers, so the print does not create a separate layer on the fabric, which makes it more breathable. Please be aware that the panels still needs to be confectioned after sublimation.

-HTV or flex is a practical solution for simple logos, names and numbers. Each design can be cut and heat-applied individually, although detailed artwork can require more cutting and weeding.

-DTG works particularly well for detailed, full-colour designs on cotton T-shirts. It prints directly onto the pre-treatment garment and can produce a soft feel, making it useful for short runs and on-demand production. A pre-treater and a post dryer are essential for a workable solution.

-Screen printing is often the better choice for large quantities of the same design. Preparing the screens takes time and costs more money, but once the setup is complete, the same artwork can be printed efficiently across a large run.

Neither method is better for every job. DTF works across a wider range of fabrics and is practical for personalised jobs and mixed garment types. It can also support higher production volumes when the powdering, curing and heat-press stages are planned to keep up. DTG prints directly onto the garment, is especially well suited to cotton and can produce a softer print feel.

The workflows also differ. DTG requires garment pre-treatment, especially when printing with white ink on dark garments. DTF does not need garment pre-treatment. Instead, the process uses transfer film, adhesive powder, curing and heat pressing.

Consider fabric, print feel, order volume, personalisation and finishing requirements when choosing between them.

DTF can work well on both cotton and polyester. Cotton is the most common choice for DTF T-shirt printing and gives reliable results.

Polyester can also work well with DTF. However, test it first because heat, stretch, or the fabric finish can affect the result. Also, a special powder or lower heat-press temperature might be needed.

For every fabric, we recommend to always test the garment, film, powder and heat-press settings together before production.

Yes. You can use DTF on black, navy and other dark T-shirts. DTF prints a white layer underneath the colours, which helps the design stay bright and visible on dark fabric.

Test the garment before production, especially polyester. Heat can sometimes affect the fabric colour and change the final print. Mimaki’s TxF Series uses a high-density white and circulates the white ink to create a clean bright white. This is especially important when printing on dark T-shirts.

DTF prints are durable through regular wear and washing when you produce and apply the transfer correctly. How long the print lasts depends on the garment, transfer materials, curing, heat-press settings, and how you wash and dry the T-shirt.

Incorrect application can reduce durability. If the transfer does not bond properly, it may start to peel, crack or fade earlier than expected. For professional production, test the garment, film, powder and production settings together before using them for customer orders.

The Mimaki TxF series is known for its unique film compatibility with every brand in the market.