What Is Direct To Garment (DTG) Printing On T-Shirts

Ever paused at a market stall or online shop and marveled at a shirt that looks more like a high-definition photo than fabric art? 

That crisp rendition of a mountain sunrise or that intricate illustration probably wasn’t created using traditional printing methods. 

Instead, it’s often the result of Direct To Garment (DTG) printing, a digital printing approach that marries inkjet technology and fabric to “print on demand” right onto natural fibers such as cotton. It’s the kind of innovation that makes you wonder: how did we ever settle for anything less?

Imagine showing up at a local concert with a shirt bearing a multicolor design so vivid that people half-expect it to shimmer in the sunlight. 

But before we dive into how DTG technology works, let’s pause and compare it to other printing processes, like screen printing and heat press transfers, to see why this printing method has become so popular for small batches and independent artists.

What Is DTG Printing?

DTG printing is an inkjet printer for shirts. Instead of paper, though, you’re working with fabric. Instead of “regular” printer ink, you’re working with specialized water-based inks formulated to bond with garment fibers. 

Instead of hitting “Print” and pulling out a crisp piece of paper, you’re sending out a design that a machine splays directly onto a T-shirt or hoodie. 

Imagine painting with a high-tech airbrush, only the “canvas” is a T-shirt, and the “paint” is eco-friendly dye-infused ink that soaks right into the fabric.

Unlike screen printing, which requires creating stencils for each color and then pushing plastisol or discharge ink through those screens, DTG technology lets you move from digital file to fabric in a few clicks. 

The cost effectiveness for small runs, think one-offs or limited-edition runs, is a big draw. No screens to clean, no silkscreens stacked in the back, no bulky setup. With DTG, your art file (a high-res TIFF or PNG) gets loaded into the machine’s RIP software, and the magic begins.

Before DTG printing came along, artists had to choose between larger minimum orders (which pushed up costs) or low-quality heat transfers that felt like stickers. 

Now, print-on-demand services, online storefronts, and indie brands can offer premium print quality on anything from a standard T-shirt to a tote bag, especially if those garments are made from natural fibers such as cotton. 

That “print on demand” model wouldn’t thrive without DTG technology.

How Does The DTG Printing Process Work? Step By Step

Let’s break apart the DTG printing process into bite-sized steps, as if you’re sipping coffee with a friend who’s oblivious to the world of garment printing.

1. Garment Pretreatment
   
   • Why it matters: When printing on dark fabrics, the shirt often gets a mist of pretreatment liquid. This helps water-based inks lay down evenly and prevents bleeding. Without this step, colors can look dull or fuzzy. Pretreatment also creates an ultra-thin barrier so vibrant colors pop.
     
   • How it happens: A small sprayer head moves across the shirt, depositing the solution in precise amounts. Think of it like giving the shirt a quick spa treatment before the real show.
     
2. Design Preparation & RIP Software
   
   • Next, you need the right digital file. Most DTG printers prefer high-res PNGs with transparent backgrounds or flattened TIFFs. Why? Because images with a white background can muddy the final print on darker fabrics.
     
   • The layout and color management is handled in RIP (Raster Image Processor) software. Here, the operator tweaks ink levels, color profiles, and resolution to optimize print quality.
     
3. Printing Itself
   
   • The shirt gets tacked onto a platen that slides under the print head. The precision nozzles fire microscopic droplets of water-based inks directly onto the fibers.
     
   • On a white T-shirt, the process is more straightforward; on a black T-shirt, the machine first lays down a white underbase before applying the colored inks. This underbase means your multi-color designs stay crisp and don’t vanish into the dark background.
     
4. Curing & Drying
   
   • Once the inks are on the garment, they’re still wet. Enter the heat press or conveyor dryer. A quick trip through a conveyor dryer, or a few seconds under a heat press, fixes the ink. This step seals the dyes so they become part of the shirt instead of just sitting on top.
     
   • If you’ve ever wondered how print quality can stay so soft to the touch, it’s because the inks bond with the fibers, instead of forming a thick, plastic-like layer.

Pros Of DTG: Where It Shines

• Small Batch & One-Off Magic

If you’re running a print-on-demand shop, you don’t want to juggle dozens of screens or invest thousands in setup. DTG printing works wonders for single-unit drops, limited-edition runs, or test samples.

• Photorealistic, Vibrant Colors

Photographers love DTG because it can capture gradients, shadows, and highlights at near-photo quality. Those vibrant colors leap off a white T-shirt, and even on dark tees, a solid underbase ensures they don’t look muted.

• Soft Hand Feel

Since water-based inks soak into natural fibers such as cotton, the final print feels like part of the garment, no thick, plastic-y finish. You get a comfortable T-shirt with a printing method that doesn’t compromise the drape or breathability.

• Eco-Friendly Appeal

Water-based inks are less toxic than plastisol, and there’s no major chemical waste from screen cleaning. For brands touting sustainability, DTG’s lower environmental footprint aligns well with eco-friendly values.

• Easy Customization

Want to customize apparel with customer names, photos, or personal slogans? DTG technology makes that a breeze. You can run print-on-demand operations where every shirt is unique, boosting engagement and reducing unsold inventory.

• Rapid Turnaround

Without the lead time of creating screens, you can turn around orders in a day or two. Pair that with a heat press or a conveyor dryer, and you’ll have finished tees ready to ship faster than most traditional printing methods permit.

Each printing method has its niche. If you need 10 shirts with a photo-real sunset, DTG is your friend. If you need 500 T-shirts with a simple two-color logo, screen printing wins on cost. 

Still debating? If cost effectiveness across thousands of shirts is your focus, take a look at how bulk screen printing stacks up—learn more about What does it cost to get a custom screen T-shirt printed?.

Common Mistakes And How to Avoid Them

Even the savviest brand can slip up when ordering DTG, or any custom print. To sidestep the big pitfalls, consider the following:

1. Ignoring Fabric Composition
   
   • Mistake: Ordering polyester or tri-blends when your printer specializes in cotton.
     
   • Avoidance: Confirm with your print partner that your garment’s cotton content is high enough. Cotton’s absorption of water-based inks is unmatched. For best results, aim for 100% cotton.
     
2. Uploading Low-Resolution Files
   
   • Mistake: Submitting a 72 dpi JPEG that looks fine on screen.
     
   • Avoidance: Always supply high-res PNGs or TIFFs at 300 dpi. This ensures crisp edges and accurate color gradients.
     
3. Forgetting Pretreatment on Dark Shirts
   
   • Mistake: Assuming the printer “knows” to pretreat.
     
   • Avoidance: Explicitly discuss underbase and pretreatment with your DTG provider. If you’re doing it in-house, invest in quality pretreatment liquid.
     
4. Skipping a Test Print
   
   • Mistake: Ordering 100 shirts without checking a sample.
     
   • Avoidance: Print one, wash it, wear it. If it fades or cracks, go back and tweak your design, pretreatment, or curing time.
     
5. Not Researching Pricing Models
   
   • Mistake: Assuming DTG will be cheaper than screen printing for big orders.
     
   • Avoidance: Check out resources like Top five mistakes to avoid when ordering T-shirt custom printing, and compare quotes from multiple providers. Often, for runs larger than 50 shirts, a hybrid approach (screen printing for the bulk, DTG for personalization) can be smarter.
     

Being mindful of these pitfalls helps you avoid wasted time, money, and frustration, and ensures your printed tees look and feel premium.

Contact Morningstar Screen Printing for Direct to Garment Custom Shirts

At its core, the DTG printing process is a revolution in how we customize apparel. It brings photo-quality, multi-color designs to life on fabric with a softness you can’t get from vinyl or plastisol. 

Still not convinced? Think in terms of value, not just price. Yes, screen printing can be more cost-effective for 500 identical shirts, but can it reproduce that watercolor gradient as flawlessly as DTG? 

At Morningstar Screen-Printing, we understand that every project is unique. Which is why we offer the best of the best in terms of quality for our customers. Contact us today to start your project.