Choosing a decoration method

The most common mistake is picking a decoration method first and then trying to fit the order to it. Working backwards from quantity, colour count and fabric gets a better answer faster.

High volume, one to three colours, cotton or cotton blend: screen printing. Setup cost per screen is fixed, so the cost per unit falls sharply as quantity rises.

Full colour or photographic artwork, small run, cotton-rich fabric: DTG. No per-colour setup, so a run of one is as economical per-unit as a run of fifty in terms of setup, though not in terms of the per-unit ink and press cost.

Full colour, mixed fibre content, or you are not sure what fabric yet: DTF. It works across cotton, polyester and blends where DTG is cotton-limited.

All-over pattern on polyester: sublimation. It is the only method here that bonds dye into the fibre itself rather than sitting on the surface, so it is the standard for team kits and all-over prints.

A logo that should last the life of the garment, on any fabric: embroidery. It is also the default for corporate and workwear orders where a printed logo would fade under industrial washing.

A raised or textured effect, or varsity-style lettering: puff print, appliqué or chenille embroidery, layered on top of one of the above rather than replacing it.

Most orders end up combining two methods, for example embroidery on the chest and screen printing on the back. Specify both in the same tech pack so placement and colour are locked before sampling.