Garment Printing
Direct To Garment*
What is Direct to Garment (DTG)?
Direct to Garment (DTG) printing uses modified inkjet technology to push water-based inks directly into the fibres of a garment. Rather than sitting on the surface, the ink is absorbed into the fabric - so prints stay soft to the touch and breathe naturally with the garment.
There are no screens to make and no vinyl to cut, which means no setup costs and no minimum order quantity. A single full-colour print costs the same per garment whether you need one piece or fifty, making DTG the natural choice for short runs, one-offs and artwork that would be impossible with vinyl or screen printing.
Because the ink lives in the fabric rather than on top of it, DTG produces prints with a genuinely soft hand feel - the kind of finish you expect from a premium fashion tee rather than a promotional garment.
Where It Works
Where Direct to Garment (DTG) works best*
DTG comes into its own when the artwork is rich, the quantities are modest or the finish needs to feel premium rather than plasticky.
- Photographic and full-colour artwork
- Short runs, one-offs and single pieces
- Complex gradients and fine detail
- Soft, breathable hand feel
- Premium fashion tees and retail apparel
- Quick turnaround projects
- No minimum order quantity
Why Choose It
Why choose Direct to Garment (DTG)*
The advantages of DTG are most obvious when you compare it to the alternatives for the same job.
No Setup Costs
There are no screens to expose or vinyl to cut, so there is nothing to amortise across the run. One shirt costs the same per piece as fifty.
No Minimum Order
A single garment is perfectly viable. DTG is ideal for samples, gifts, one-off pieces and small teams.
Full Colour, No Surcharge
A dozen colours costs the same as one. Photographic, gradient-heavy and painterly artwork that would be impractical in screen printing prints naturally in a single pass.
Soft Hand Feel
Because the ink absorbs into the fabric, the print area stays soft and breathable - not the stiff, plastic feel of a heavy transfer.
Fine Detail
Inkjet resolution captures fine lines, small text and subtle gradients that vinyl cutting and screen printing simply cannot reproduce.
Quick Turnaround
Without screen exposure or vinyl weeding, DTG moves from artwork to printed garment faster than any method except DTF.
Things to Consider
Things to consider*
DTG works best on cotton-rich fabrics. The water-based ink needs natural fibres to absorb properly, so 100% cotton or high-cotton blends give the softest, most vibrant results. Performance fabrics, polyester and heavily synthetic blends are generally better suited to DTF, which bonds to the surface rather than relying on absorption.
On dark garments, a pre-treatment solution is applied to the print area before the white underbase goes down. This is standard practice and ensures the colours sit brightly on dark fabric, but it does mean the print area has a slightly different texture until the first wash.
For larger runs of the same design - typically fifty or more pieces - screen printing becomes more economical per garment because the setup cost is spread across the run. DTG is at its best for short to medium quantities where setup costs would dominate the price.
Artwork & Design
Artwork & design*
DTG rewards high-resolution artwork. Because the print head lays down ink at photo quality, the output is only ever as good as the file you feed it. Supply artwork at 300 DPI at the intended print size, in PNG with transparency or a high-quality JPEG.
Designs with fine gradients, subtle shading and photographic elements reproduce beautifully - these are exactly the jobs where DTG outperforms every other method. Solid block colour also prints well, though if the entire design is one or two flat colours, heat transfer vinyl may deliver a crisper, more durable edge at lower quantities.
We can work from existing brand files, sketch concepts or design artwork from scratch. If you are unsure whether your artwork is suitable, send it over and we will advise on the best route.
MDR's Approach
Our approach*
In our experience, DTG is the method we reach for first when a customer brings full-colour artwork and needs anything from one to a few dozen garments. The combination of no setup, no minimum and genuinely soft feel makes it the most flexible digital option we offer.
One thing we always look for is the fabric content of the garment. If a customer has their heart set on a performance polyester tee, we will steer them towards DTF rather than DTG - the ink simply does not bond to synthetic fibres the way it does to cotton, and the print will not last.
When we are preparing artwork for DTG, we check the resolution and the colour profile, and we flag any elements - thin strokes, tiny text - that might not reproduce cleanly at the intended size. It is a quick step that saves a lot of disappointment.
Choosing Between Processes
Is this the right process for your project?
DTG is one of five garment-decoration methods we offer, and it is not always the right one. The right choice depends on the artwork, the fabric, the quantity and the intended use.
If the garment is polyester, a cotton-poly blend or a performance fabric, DTF bonds to the surface and handles synthetics that DTG cannot. For solid-colour graphics, names and numbers at low quantity, heat transfer vinyl gives a crisp, durable edge. And once quantities rise above roughly fifty pieces of the same design, screen printing becomes the more economical route.
Our Process
From brief to finished garment*
Consultation
We discuss the artwork, garment choice, quantity and intended use.
Artwork Check
We review resolution, colour profile and print size, and flag anything that needs adjustment.
Garment Selection
We confirm the fabric is suitable for DTG - cotton-rich garments give the best results.
Pre-Treatment & Print
Dark garments are pre-treated, then the design is printed directly into the fabric.
Curing & QC
The print is heat-cured for durability and inspected before the garment is finished.
Why Choose MDR
Why choose MDR for direct to garment (dtg)*
Genuine Expertise
We work with all five garment-decoration methods and recommend the right one for the job - not the one that is easiest to sell.
Artwork Support
Our creative team can prepare, clean up or design artwork from scratch to get the best from DTG.
Flexible Quantities
From a single sample piece to a full team order, DTG scales with no setup penalty.
One Partner
Design, garment sourcing, printing and finishing from one accountable studio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct to Garment (DTG) questions*
No. DTG has no setup costs and no minimum order, so a single garment is perfectly viable.
Let's talk your garment project*
Not sure whether direct to garment (dtg) is the right method for your garments? That is exactly the conversation we are here for.
Tell us about your artwork, your garments and your quantities, and we will recommend the decoration method that gives you the best result - not the one that is easiest to sell.
LET'S PARTNER*
Ready to create something extraordinary? Tell us about your project and we'll craft the perfect solution. Email is the fastest way to reach us - your message lands straight with the studio team.
