Logo Apparel Decoration Guide: Which Method for Which Garment
The same logo can look very different stitched on a polo, printed on a T-shirt or pressed onto a hoodie. We offer four decoration methods — screen printing, embroidery, DTF and DTG — and not every method suits every garment. Here is what each one is, and which ones you will be offered on each kind of apparel on our site.
The four methods in plain English
Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh screen onto the fabric, one screen per ink color. It gives bold, solid color and is the classic choice for a stack of event or team T-shirts.
Embroidery stitches your logo into the fabric with thread. It has a raised, textured, professional look that holds up well on polos, dress shirts, jackets and caps.
DTF (direct-to-film) prints your full-color design onto a special film, which is then heat-pressed onto the garment. It handles detail and many colors in one pass.
DTG (direct-to-garment) works like an inkjet printer for fabric, printing ink straight into the shirt. It suits detailed, full-color artwork and is generally at its best on cotton.
Which method for which garment
T-shirts: screen printing, DTF or DTG. Screen printing is the default; embroidery is not offered on T-shirts.
Polos and dress shirts: embroidery only. That is the look people expect on workwear and the apparel you wear to meet clients. Cutter & Buck apparel is embroidery only too, whatever the style.
Caps and headwear: embroidery or screen printing.
Hoodies, fleece, jackets and most other apparel: any of the four. Embroidery gives a polished look on a jacket chest; a big full-color design on the back of a hoodie is a job for DTF or DTG.
Each product page shows only the methods available for that item, so you cannot pick one that does not fit.
How pricing works for each method
The price on an apparel product card includes its default decoration, so you are comparing logo apparel, not empty shirts. On the product page you choose the method and the price updates with it.
Embroidery covers a logo up to a set number of stitches, plus a one-time tape charge for each logo, which is waived on larger orders. Screen printing on T-shirts is priced for a one-color print in one location; on other garments it is quoted per order. DTF is priced by the print size you pick, for one location. DTG is quoted per order — request a quote on the product page and our team sends your exact decorated price.
Extra colors, extra locations, larger designs and specialty thread are priced on your free e-proof, before you approve anything.
A quick way to decide
Polos and jackets for staff or clients: embroidery. A simple one- or two-color logo on a pile of event T-shirts: screen printing. A detailed, full-color design, or only a handful of shirts: DTF or DTG. A cap for a team or a giveaway: embroidery for a classic look, screen printing for a bold flat logo.
Still not sure? Send us your logo and tell us what the apparel is for. Dorothy, our product finder, can pull matching apparel from our catalog, or call our team at 954-559-7124.
