What is DTG or Digital Printing on Shirts?

This printing method is known by a few different names: direct to garment printing, DTG printing, or even digital screen printing.

No matter what you call it, digital printing is one of the printing processes we use in-house to bring your t-shirt creations to life. Instead of the traditional screen printing, DTG creates a digital image that is printed directly onto your apparel. Printing happens on state of the art printing machines and uses special ink cartridges.

These direct to garment printers aren't your average printers--our DTG department is powered by large scale, industrial sized machines that weight thousands of pounds! Our team of experienced direct to garment printing team is able to use these to print any quantity order with highly detailed full color designs at an affordable price.

Direct to Garment Design Examples

Digital t-shirt printing is essential for designs that are too complex or detailed for traditional screen printing methods. Our DTG printers are purpose-built by Kornit Technologies and use the highest quality technology and inks for custom apparel printing.

File Types for Direct to Garment

There are two types of images: raster and vector. Raster images use pixels. The higher number of pixels an image contains, the better resolution it will have; better quality prints. Pixels have a direct effect on the scaling capabilities of an image. The more pixels an image contains, the larger it can be scaled without becoming boxy, or “pixelated.”

Vector images, however, use mathematical calculations between two different points to create geometrical shapes. The process itself uses lines instead of pixels, and because of that, they are infinitely scalable. No matter how large you scale a vector image, it will not lose its quality. When you view a photo on a computer screen, it usually requires a fairly low PPI (Pixels Per Inch) count – around 72, generally. For digital viewing, that’s fine. But when it comes to printing, both on t-shirts and paper, the higher the PPI count, the better. Ideally, we request customers submit photos at 300 PPI. If that’s not possible, no worries! Our design team is always happy to help. Whether submitting a vector or raster image, here are some of the most commonly accepted file formats:

• AI
• EPS
• JPEG
• TIFF
• PDF
• PNG
• PSD
• PCT

Have Questions About Direct to Garment Printing? We've Got Answers!

How quickly can you produce digitally printed t-shirts?

Some orders can be printed and shipped in as little as 24 hours, but the standard is 7 to 10 business days with free shipping.

Need your order filled faster? No problem! We can accommodate most deadlines, even if it means burning the midnight oil to make it happen. We don’t call ourselves RushOrderTees.com for nothin’! If you have an order you need filled sooner, call a project specialist immediately at 1-800-620-1233.

Can I order digital printing on black garments?

Yes! While many companies only offer DTG services on lighter t-shirt colors, RushOrderTees.com can accommodate any order, light or dark, large or small.

What kinds of images are best for digital printing t-shirts?

Many factors affect an image’s digital printability, but a basic rule of thumb is: The higher the resolution, the better. Our machines are the best in the business and produce the highest quality prints available, but those prints are only as good as the photos upon which they’re based.

If you have anymore questions about DTG printing or our other services, check out our FAQ page or give us a call at 1-800-620-1233 to speak with a project specialist.