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DTG printing (Direct to Garment) is a textile personalization technique that allows printing designs directly onto garments using specialized inkjet technology. This ink penetrates the fabric fibers, delivering a high-definition finish, vibrant colors, and a soft touch.
DTG is ideal for customizing items such as T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, or children's clothing, especially when made of 100% cotton or high-percentage natural fiber blends. Its greatest advantage over other techniques is the ability to reproduce complex or photographic images without color limitations, with long-lasting and professional results.
In this complete guide to DTG printing, you’ll find a clear explanation of what this technique is, how it originated and evolved, what its main applications are, and how the process is carried out step by step, from garment pretreatment to final curing. We’ll also analyze its advantages and limitations, compare it with other personalization methods such as screen printing, sublimation, or DTF, and show you which products are most suitable for this type of printing. Additionally, we’ll detail the equipment and materials you’ll need, along with a breakdown of the costs involved in starting or expanding your business.
At Sublimet, with over 12 years of experience in the personalization industry, we provide an up-to-date and practical explanation so you can assess with confidence which projects are best suited to this technique.
Our goal is that by the end of this guide, you’ll have a complete overview of the requirements, processes, and recommended items for DTG printing, along with the information you need to start or grow your textile personalization business.
Table of Contents
- Origin and evolution of direct-to-garment digital printing
- Main applications in textile personalization
- Step-by-step: how DTG printing works
- Advantages and limitations of DTG printing
- Comparison: DTG vs other personalization techniques
- Recommended garments and items for direct-to-garment printing
- Equipment, costs and materials for digital textile printing
- Conclusion
1. Origin and evolution of direct-to-garment digital printing
The development of DTG printing (Direct to Garment) began in the late 1990s, driven by the need to reproduce full-color designs on fabrics without the technical and time limitations of traditional methods like screen printing or sublimation.
In its early days, DTG printing drew inspiration from inkjet technology adapted to work directly on textile surfaces. Manufacturers modified flatbed printers to accommodate T-shirts and other cotton items, incorporating water-based inks capable of penetrating fabric fibers.
Overcoming the limitations of classic techniques
Other methods offered good durability, but involved long and costly processes for small runs. While screen printing required separate screens for each color and design —increasing costs and slowing production—, sublimation was mainly limited to light-colored synthetic fabrics, restricting its use on cotton or dark garments.
DTG overcame these barriers by allowing direct printing on cotton with high resolution and full color, making it easier to offer print-on-demand, short runs, and unique designs.
Evolution and growing popularity
Early DTG printers were slower and had limited fabric compatibility. Inks had issues with adhesion, absorption, and wash resistance. Over time, manufacturers improved ink formulas, developed more effective pretreatment systems, and upgraded printer hardware with advanced piezoelectric printheads and thermal or UV curing systems.
These advancements increased speed, efficiency, and print durability. Features like automatic pretreatment, compatibility with a wider range of garments and colors —including dark fabrics— and the use of more eco-friendly and durable inks also contributed to DTG’s growth.
Today, DTG printing is one of the most widely used techniques for customizing T-shirts, hoodies, and other cotton garments, especially for print-on-demand businesses, online stores, and brands looking to reproduce complex, photo-quality designs.
DTG printing is one of the most widely used techniques for customizing t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other cotton garments.
2. Main applications in textile personalization
The flexibility and quality offered by direct to garment printing make this technique an ideal choice for entrepreneurs and businesses aiming to innovate and provide high-quality personalized products tailored to different markets and needs. Below, we outline the main sectors that benefit the most from the advantages of DTG printing.
Baby clothing
Sports Clubs and Technical Apparel
Merchandising for Events and Companies
In addition to the categories mentioned above, DTG printing offers versatile solutions for a wide range of applications in textile personalization. It is especially valued in the world of custom and designer fashion, where independent brands and emerging designers can produce limited collections with detailed prints and vivid colors, without the need for large investments or massive production runs. This technique is also used on school apparel, corporate uniforms, seasonal promotional clothing, and even home textile products such as cushions and covers, provided the fabric is compatible.
3. Step-by-step: how DTG printing works
To achieve high-quality and long-lasting results with DTG printing, it is essential to correctly follow each stage of the process. Below are the key steps that ensure not only professional finishes but also improved work efficiency, reduced production times, and the prevention of common errors.
Stages of the DTG Printing Process
- Design preparation: this initial stage involves preparing the digital file with the design to be printed. It is essential for the design to have a high resolution (ideally 300 dpi) and a suitable color profile (usually CMYK or RGB calibrated for textile printing). Use lossless formats like PNG or TIFF, preferably with a transparent background when necessary. Also, it’s important to adjust the design size to fit the garment properly and avoid distortion.Recommendations:
- Use professional design software to avoid issues with layers or transparency.
- Preview your design on mockups to ensure correct placement and sizing.
- Garment preparation and pretreatment: before printing, the garment must be clean, wrinkle-free, and dust-free. A specific DTG pretreatment is usually required. This step involves applying a liquid solution that improves ink adhesion to the fabric and enhances color vibrancy, especially on dark garments. Pretreatment can be applied manually with a spray gun or roller, or automatically using integrated systems in some printers.Recommendations:
- Make sure the garment is dry and free of contaminants.
- Apply the pretreatment evenly to avoid blotches or underprinted areas.
- Allow the pretreatment to dry before printing for best results.
- Garment placement on the platen: the garment is placed on a flat support (platen) that keeps it stretched and fixed during DTG printing. This support is essential to avoid shifting that could cause blurry or double images. The garment must be smooth and taut in the printing area.Recommendations:
- Use frame clips or fasteners to keep the fabric in place.
- Ensure the platen is clean to avoid transferring debris to the garment.
- Printing: in this phase, the DTG printer applies ink directly to the garment, typically using piezoelectric printheads that deliver high-definition prints. The process usually starts with a white ink base (on dark garments) to make the CMYK colors pop.Recommendations:
- Set the printer properly for the fabric type and thickness.
- Perform print tests to adjust color and ink density.
- Avoid interruptions to prevent printing defects.
- Curing (drying and fixing): finally, it’s necessary to cure the ink to permanently fix it into the textile fibers. This can be done using heat presses, drying tunnels, or UV/heat curing chambers. Proper curing ensures durability, wash resistance, and fabric softness.Recommendations:
- Adjust temperature and curing time according to ink and garment specifications.
- Avoid overheating to prevent damaging the fabric or print.
- Verify fixation by conducting wash tests before final production.
4. Advantages and limitations of DTG printing
DTG printing is a textile personalization technique that stands out for its high level of detail and its ability to print complex designs directly onto garments. Compared to other methods, it offers significant advantages in terms of finish, customization, and production times. However, like any printing system, it also has certain limitations that should be considered before choosing it for a project, thus ensuring the best possible final result.
Advantages of DTG printing
- High print quality and compatibility with complex designs: DTG printing allows you to reproduce detailed graphics, photos and gradients with no color limitations. The water-based ink merges with the fabric, producing sharp, vibrant and high-resolution images — perfect for premium-level personalization.
- Fast turnaround for short runs and full customization: DTG enables printing from a single piece without costly setup, making it ideal for short runs or one-of-a-kind designs. Its digital workflow reduces preparation time, making it efficient and profitable for on-demand printing.
- Soft touch feel: DTG’s penetrating ink bonds with textile fibers, avoiding stiff prints. This ensures a smooth, elastic finish that respects the garment’s texture and feels comfortable from the first wear.
- Material versatility: DTG printing works especially well on cotton and high-cotton blends, but can also be adapted for fabrics such as linen, hemp or bamboo with proper settings and prior testing.
- Reduced material waste: Since it eliminates the need for screens, plates or transfers, DTG generates less waste and fewer consumables. This reduces costs and lowers environmental impact in textile personalization workflows.
- Sustainability: DTG inks are water-based and formulated without aggressive solvents or harmful components, helping to reduce air and water pollution and making the process more environmentally friendly compared to traditional techniques.
Limitations of DTG printing
- Higher cost for large runs: While DTG is ideal for small and custom orders, the cost per unit increases with high-volume production compared to techniques like screen printing, which can affect project profitability.
- Slower speed for mass production: DTG prints one garment at a time, applying the design directly onto each piece. This makes it slower and less efficient than other methods that can print multiple items simultaneously when handling bulk orders.
- High equipment investment: Professional DTG printers require a significant upfront investment, as they incorporate advanced technology to ensure high print quality. This can be a barrier for small businesses or entrepreneurs with limited budgets.
- Pre-treatment required for dark garments: Before printing on dark fabrics, it is essential to apply a pre-treatment layer that allows proper adhesion of white ink. This extra step increases production time and involves additional consumable costs.
- Ongoing maintenance: To prevent clogged nozzles and print quality issues, DTG printers require regular cleaning and calibration. This maintenance demands time, care, and the use of specific products.
5. Comparison: DTG vs other personalization techniques
En el sector de la personalización textil existen diversas técnicas de marcaje, cada una con procesos, materiales compatibles y resultados específicos. En esta sección analizaremos la impresión DTG frente a otras opciones, comparando calidad de impresión, tipos de materiales, durabilidad y costes, para ayudar a identificar en qué casos es la alternativa más conveniente y rentable.
Print quality: DTG printing offers high detail and a wide color gamut, even on dark or cotton fabrics, while sublimation excels in vivid finishes on light polyester garments.
Material application: DTG allows direct printing on cotton and cotton blends, expanding options beyond the polyester-only requirement of sublimation.
Durability: DTG inks penetrate cotton fibers, offering wash resistance similar to sublimation on polyester, with the added value of maintaining the fabric’s softness.
Costs: For short runs and single-item personalization, DTG is very cost-effective as it requires no transfer papers or plates, whereas sublimation may be more economical for high-volume production.
Print quality: DTG printing offers highly accurate color reproduction and smooth gradients, ideal for complex or nuanced designs. DTF also delivers vivid results, but with a slightly more plastic feel to the touch.
Material application: DTG is mainly intended for cotton or fabrics with a high percentage of natural fibers, offering a highly integrated finish. DTF, on the other hand, is more versatile with fabric types, including polyester and blends, though the result sits on the surface.
Durability: Both techniques offer good wash resistance when applied correctly. DTG preserves softness and vibrant colors on natural garments, while DTF forms a film of ink and adhesive that withstands wear on a wide variety of fabrics.
Costs: DTG can be more cost-effective for short runs and personalized orders, as it requires no additional consumables beyond the ink. DTF involves extra materials like film and adhesive powder but optimizes costs for medium and large-scale productions.
Print quality: Digital textile printing allows full-color images with high detail levels, something difficult to achieve with screen printing, which requires one stencil per color and does not support gradients.
Material application: While screen printing works on a wide variety of fabrics and surfaces, direct-to-garment digital printing focuses on natural fibers like cotton, delivering softer results without noticeable texture.
Durability: Screen printing resists frequent washes thanks to its thick ink and thermal curing. Digital textile customization also offers good durability but requires specific care to maintain color vibrancy.
Costs: For long runs, screen printing is more economical due to mass production efficiency. In contrast, digital textile printing is more profitable for small orders or custom designs without the need to prepare screens.
Print quality: Digital textile customization allows the reproduction of complex designs and gradients with high fidelity, whereas heat transfer vinyl provides flat finishes and solid colors, more suitable for simple graphics and logos.
Material application: Heat transfer vinyl can be applied to a wide variety of fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and blends. Digital printing on cotton focuses on natural fibers to achieve a soft and integrated finish.
Durability: Both methods are resistant when properly applied. Digital ink integrates into the fabric for a soft touch, while vinyl forms a surface layer that withstands washing well, although it may peel over time on heavily used garments.
Costs: For unique designs or short runs, digital textile printing is more cost-effective as it eliminates the need for cutting and pressing vinyl. On the other hand, heat transfer vinyl optimizes costs in medium and large productions with repetitive graphics.
| Technique | Print quality | Compatible materials | Durability | Printing costs | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sublimation | Vibrant colors and high resolution. Best on white or light-colored products | Textiles (polyester). Rigid items such as ceramics, metals, wood, cardboard, plastic, synthetic leathers, etc., as long as they have a special sublimation coating | Very high, especially on textiles | Medium | Short runs and small to medium businesses |
| DTF | Good quality and suitable for garments of any color. Not suitable for very fine lines | Textiles of all types, although sensitive to elastic fabrics | Good, but may wear faster with frequent washing | Low | Medium to large runs and experienced businesses |
| DTG | High resolution and excellent detail for gradients and complex designs, even on cotton and dark colors | Mainly cotton fabrics and blends with high natural fiber content. Also compatible with some special fibers after testing | Good durability if properly cured and washed carefully | Medium-high for large runs; very cost-effective for short or personalized runs | Custom orders, short runs, online stores, and print-on-demand businesses |
| Screen printing | Suitable for large solid color areas, less precise for complex details | Textiles (cotton, polyester), wood, plastic, metal | Good, depends on the material; may fade over time | Low | Large runs and experienced businesses |
| Heat transfer vinyl | Solid colors, not suitable for fine details or complex images | All types of fabrics, although sensitive to elastic materials | Good, but may crack or peel over time | Medium, high handling cost | Short runs and small to medium businesses |
6. Recommended garments and items for direct-to-garment printing
Direct-to-garment printing allows for high-quality textile customization with vivid colors, fine details, and smooth gradients, while maintaining the softness of the fabric and delivering long-lasting results. Thanks to these advantages, the technique can be applied to a wide variety of products, especially those made of cotton or natural fiber blends, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, or children's clothing. In this section, we present the types of garments and items that benefit the most from DTG digital textile printing, helping entrepreneurs and businesses to select the ideal products according to their needs and personalization projects.
T-shirts and sweatshirts
Cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts or those made from soft-touch blends are perfect for direct-to-garment digital printing. This technique allows complex and full-color designs to be reproduced without compromising the softness or breathability of the fabric, ensuring a durable, comfortable, and high-quality finish.
Children’s clothing and baby accessories
Onesies, pajamas, bibs, and baby hats benefit especially from direct-to-garment printing. Thanks to water-based inks and specialized pretreatment, designs are safe, long-lasting, and soft, protecting babies' delicate skin and withstanding multiple washes without losing color or clarity.
Towels, tote bags and cases
Textile items such as microfiber towels, tote bags or eyeglass cases made of cotton or cotton-feel polyester are excellent for direct-to-garment personalization. Designs are applied with high precision, maintaining fabric softness and offering excellent wash resistance, making them ideal products for merchandising and custom gifts.
7. Equipment, costs and materials for digital textile printing
Before starting or expanding a textile personalization business with DTG, it is essential to understand in detail the costs associated with this printing technique. This includes the initial investment in printing equipment, the cost per unit printed and other expenses such as maintenance and consumables. Having this information allows you to make strategic decisions, optimize resources and maximize profit margins, ensuring that the implementation of direct-to-garment digital printing on cotton and other fabrics is both cost-effective and efficient.
Initial costs
The choice of printer is a key factor, as it is not only about achieving precise colors and sharp details, but also about having a reliable and durable system that minimizes downtime and ensures efficiency in the workflow. For example, the Epson SureColor SC-F2200 is a professional model that combines accuracy, reliability, and compatibility with various fabrics.
Essential features of a DTG printer:
- Compatibility with cotton and blended fabrics: allows direct-to-garment printing on the most common textile fibers.
- High print resolution: to reproduce complex and colorful designs with great precision.
- Piezoelectric printheads or similar: ensure consistent ink flow and reduce errors and waste.
- Pretreatment capability or integration with external systems: enables proper application of pretreatment liquids on dark or challenging garments.
- Ease of maintenance: accessible components and simple cleaning help extend equipment lifespan.
- Ink system: tanks, ink bags, or high-capacity individual cartridges.
- Other important features: adjustable print speed, compatibility with color management software, and support for different garment formats.
There are several types of equipment that enhance the DTG printing process and help ensure high-quality textile customization. These machines can be used at different stages: before printing, to prepare and correctly position garments, and afterwards, to cure and finish the printed designs. Some systems automate specific tasks to improve efficiency, while others are suited to manual workflows or small-scale production.
- Garment frames or platens: adjustable supports that hold t-shirts, hoodies, baby clothes and other garments firmly in place during DTG printing, avoiding movement and ensuring precision.
- Pre-treatment rollers or systems: allow even application of pre-treatment fluid on dark or challenging fabrics. They can be manual (brush, spray) or automated.
- Heat presses or thermal presses: used for curing the ink after direct-to-garment printing, ensuring long-lasting and wash-resistant results.
- Additional curing and drying systems: curing tunnels, infrared dryers or UV lamps help accelerate the ink fixation process, ideal for medium to high production volumes.
2. Complementary equipment for DTG printing
3. Consumables and customizable products
- Customizable products: cotton garments or cotton-blend textiles that allow you to fully benefit from the quality, accuracy, and durability of DTG printing.
- Water-based DTG inks: ensure long-lasting results, are safe for children's clothing, and environmentally friendly. Include CMYK colors and white ink for dark fabrics.
- Pretreatment liquid: applied to dark or difficult fabrics to improve ink adhesion and printing quality.
- Protective paper or Teflon sheets: placed over the garment before curing to prevent ink from transferring to the heat press and protect the textile surface.
Maintenance costs
In addition to the initial investment in machinery and basic consumables used during printing, DTG customization requires allocating resources to equipment maintenance and daily operation. These costs are essential not only to ensure consistent print quality but also to extend the lifespan of DTG printers and accessories. It's important to consider that maintenance and operating costs vary depending on production volume and how carefully the equipment is handled and cleaned. Therefore, planning these tasks correctly is key to optimizing resources and achieving efficient performance.
- Equipment maintenance: DTG printers require regular and scheduled maintenance to ensure print quality and extend equipment life. These costs also include replacement parts that must be changed periodically, such as dampers, filters, tubes, UV lamps, printheads, and other critical components.
- Additional consumables: Proper maintenance requires specific products such as swabs, syringes, cleaning cartridges, maintenance liquids, and other items that facilitate the cleaning and upkeep of DTG printers.
- Operating costs: include the power consumption of the equipment during operation and curing, as well as any other daily operational expenses, such as ventilation systems.
8. Conclusion
Direct to Garment (DTG) printing has established itself as one of the most powerful techniques in the textile personalization industry, enabling the creation of designs with great detail, vivid colors, and professional finishes without minimum order requirements. Its ability to produce personalized garments on demand reduces costs and waste, offering a modern and sustainable solution.
All of this makes DTG printing an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses looking to offer high-quality and highly flexible textile personalization.
Benefits of DTG printing in textile personalization
- Profitability: allows printing from a single garment, eliminating large-scale production costs and maximizing margins on custom products.
- Versatility: compatible with a wide variety of garments and fabrics, ideal for t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and more.
- Quality and durability: intense colors, precise details, and wash resistance that preserve the design’s appearance over time.
Reasons to choose DTG printing
Starting a DTG printing business means entering a growing sector driven by the demand for unique, personalized products. This technique allows you to quickly adapt to trends, offer exclusive designs, and respond immediately to small or medium orders. Additionally, it doesn’t require large inventories, reducing risks and costs. With DTG, any idea can be turned into a wearable garment in just minutes, positioning you as an agile and competitive provider in the customization market.
Start your DTG printing business today!
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