There are a few differences between direct-to-garment printing and screen printing on custom tee shirts that are worth noting. Both of these mediums provide excellent results if applied properly and executed in a thoughtful manner with quality being the number one goal.

We prefer direct-to-garment printing for full color images for several reasons. When full color custom tee shirts art is prepared it is always viewed in continuous tone. Continuous tone refers to an unbroken pixel pattern that creates a smooth flowing visual interpretation of a graphic image. Screen printing requires the use of half tones to create a printable image that must be exposed via film or direct imaging on a screen in order to capture detail, thereby interrupting the images continuous tone.

Direct-to-garment printing is essentially high speed, high resolution ink-jet printing on fabric. The detail that can be captured by good direct-to-garment printing far exceeds what we are able to screen print on custom tee shirts. All of our direct-to-garment custom tees are cured (dried) thru gas fired ovens that are exactly the same as our screen printing ovens. The fact that we cure our custom direct-to-garment tee shirts with gas versus heat presses, means the feel of our custom tee shirts is more like screen printing that a transfer. The durability of our prints is very similar to traditional screen printing.

 Blue Heron is the nations most well regarded authority for direct-to-garment printing on black t-shirts. Kevin Kelly can be reached at 800-709-2380.

07/11/2011
Little Falls, New Jersey 07424