Get Custom Tees That Actually Suit Your Job
Choosing between screen printing and DTF for your tees changes how sharp your logo looks, how long it lasts, and how comfy the shirt feels on a long day on site or at the club. For Aussie businesses, tradies, clubs and events, custom garments have moved far past basic promo tees, and the way you decorate them needs to keep up.
At our workshop in Melbourne, the two print methods people ask about most are screen printing and DTF printing. They both look great when done well, but they suit different jobs, designs and quantities. This guide breaks down how each one works in plain language so you can match the right method to your next order with confidence.
Your print choice affects more than just looks. It shapes:
- How bold your colours appear
- How the fabric breathes in warmer weather
- How the tee feels on the body, especially with bigger prints
- How flexible you can be with names, numbers and small runs
By the end, you will have:
- A clear side‑by‑side view of screen printing vs DTF printing in Australia
- Visual ideas for placement like full chest, left breast, sleeve and back prints
- A simple checklist you can use before you brief any new job
- A basic template you can copy‑paste for your next print brief
How Screen Printing Works and When It Shines
Screen printing is the old faithful of tee printing. Picture a press with separate mesh screens for each colour in your design. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee, pushed through the open areas of the mesh and onto the fabric, then cured under heat so it bonds to the shirt.
Visual Example (Imagine This Setup):
- Photo 1: A stack of high‑vis tees on the press, each with a bold one‑colour back logo ready to be printed.
- Photo 2: Close‑up of a screen held up to the light, showing your logo cut out in the mesh.
- Photo 3: Finished tees laid out by size (S, 3XL), all showing the same consistent colour.
Key points for screen printing:
- Each colour in your design needs its own screen
- Once the screens are set up, you can print the same design again and again
- It works best on cotton and cotton‑rich tees and hoodies
Where screen print really shines is on bigger runs with simple, bold artwork. Think:
- Trade uniforms for builders, sparkies, landscapers and other crews
- Supporter tees and hoodies for local footy, netball or cricket clubs
- Event merch for fun runs, festivals, school fetes and community days
Local example:
- A Cranbourne building company ordering 150 navy work tees with a one‑colour back logo and small front chest print. We’d show a mockup with:
- Front: small left‑chest logo (10 cm wide)
- Back: large logo centred between shoulder blades
- Finished photo: a line‑up of the crew wearing the shirts on site.
If you are ordering a large batch of tees with a one‑colour front logo and a big back print, screen printing usually gives you:
- A softer feel across big areas of print
- Consistent colour from size to size
- Strong results across a full size run
Practical pros:
- Very cost‑effective once you get into higher quantities
- Soft, breathable finish, especially on cotton garments
- Long‑lasting when washed inside out on a gentle cycle
- Well‑known, proven method that’s easy to repeat season after season
Practical cons:
- Not ideal for photo‑realistic images or artwork with lots of shading
- Personalising each tee with different names or numbers adds extra work
- Setup time makes very small runs less appealing for simple designs
What DTF Printing Is and Why It’s Useful
DTF printing handles complex artwork that used to be hard to print on garments. With DTF, your artwork is printed in full colour onto a special film, covered with a fine powder adhesive, cured, then heat pressed onto your tee, hoodie or other garment.
Visual Example (Step‑by‑Step Set):
- Photo 1: Your full‑colour club crest printed on clear film, showing tiny text and gradients.
- Photo 2: The transfer positioned on a blank tee, taped in place on the heat press.
- Photo 3: Close‑up of the finished print on the garment, showing crisp edges and small details.
Visually, the process looks like this:
- A printer lays down your design with all its colours and gradients onto film
- The film is cut into transfers that match each print area
- The transfer is pressed onto the garment under heat and pressure
DTF is great when you want:
- Detailed club crests with tiny text
- Sponsor logos with shading and colour blends
- Artwork with fine lines or even photo‑style images
It really earns its place on:
- Smaller or mixed runs, where you might need 10 to 50 pieces
- Staff uniforms with individual names on the chest
- Merch drops for gyms, bands, creators or cafés that change designs often
- Launch events, workshops and conferences that need quick, flexible printing
Local example:
- A Northcote gym running a 40‑piece merch drop: full‑colour logo on the chest and individual member names on the sleeve. We’d show:
- Mockup: front view with logo, side view with personalised sleeve text.
- Finished photo: a small group class wearing mixed sizes with clear names and bright colours.
Practical pros:
- No extra cost per colour, so full‑colour work is straightforward
- Works well for smaller orders and frequent design changes
- Handles a wide range of fabrics like cotton, blends and some performance materials
- Ideal for mixing base garments (tees, hoodies, jackets) using the same set of transfers
Practical cons:
- On larger solid areas, the print can feel slightly more like a thin panel on top of the fabric
- Quality depends a lot on good film, inks and pressing technique
- Needs sensible washing care, such as inside out, gentle cycle and moderate dryer heat
Screen Printing vs DTF for Real‑World Orders
When you are planning a job, it helps to think about the artwork, quantity and fabric side by side.
Simple rule of thumb:
- Big quantities with simple designs typically suit screen printing
- Detailed logos, many colours or smaller, varied runs often suit DTF
Here is how that might look across different groups, with visual layout ideas.
Tradies
- Larger electrical or building crews with 100 or more high‑vis or cotton tees, often with a one‑colour back logo and simple front print, are usually better with screen printing for value and comfort.
- Visual layout:
- Front: left‑chest logo (8, 10 cm wide)
- Back: large logo across shoulders (28, 32 cm wide)
- Smaller trade teams needing around a couple of dozen tees with detailed multi‑colour logos and contact details often lean towards DTF so the design stays crisp and easy to read.
- Visual layout:
- Front: full‑colour logo centred
- Back: logo plus phone number and web address.
Local case example:
- A Thomastown plumbing crew ordering 30 tees and 10 hoodies:
- TEE: DTF full‑colour logo + clear phone number on the back.
- HOODIE: Same DTF logo on front only for a lighter feel.
Clubs and teams
- Supporter tees with a big, one‑colour back print and simple front logo tend to work well with screen printing.
- Visual: row of navy tees with club initials front left, mascot large on back.
- Player warm‑up tops with full‑colour crests, sponsor art and individual player names often suit DTF for that mix of detail and customisation.
- Visual: front crest, full‑colour sponsor bar on back, player name under number.
Local case example:
- A local footy club in the eastern suburbs ordering:
- 200 supporter tees (screen print, one‑colour).
- 40 player warm‑up tops (DTF, full‑colour crest + names).
Events
- Big community events that need hundreds of cotton tees with a simple event logo often go screen print first.
- Visual: event logo large on front, small sponsor list on back in 1, 2 colours.
- A limited premium run with more detailed artwork for VIPs or staff might add DTF on a smaller batch for extra impact.
- Visual: foil‑style or gradient artwork on a black tee, using DTF for fine details.
Comfort and durability
- Screen print usually feels softer on large front or back prints on cotton tees, which people appreciate on warmer days.
- DTF can feel slightly more noticeable on very large solid prints, but is usually fine for chest logos and medium‑sized artwork.
- Both methods last well when properly applied and washed inside out, on a cooler setting, without harsh chemicals.
Sustainability and practical care
- Screen printing:
- Works well with long‑lasting cotton garments, reducing how often you need to re‑order due to print failure.
- Using water‑based inks on some jobs can reduce solvents, depending on the artwork and garment.
- DTF:
- Lets you order smaller, on‑demand runs so you avoid over‑ordering and sitting on dead stock.
- Transfers can sometimes be applied to leftover stock, helping you use up existing garments.
How To Decide: A Simple Checklist For Your Next Order
Before you lock in a method, run through a few key questions.
Quantity
- Under 50 garments: DTF is often the flexible choice, especially with detailed artwork.
- Around 50 to 100: both methods might work, so artwork style and fabric become more important.
- Over 100: screen printing usually becomes attractive for simple or limited‑colour designs.
Artwork
- Mostly text and solid shapes with 1 to 3 colours usually points towards screen printing.
- Gradients, photos, fine lines or multi‑colour sponsor logos usually point towards DTF.
Use and washing
- Everyday workwear and uniforms that will get washed a lot might lean more towards breathable screen prints on cotton, especially for large back prints.
- Seasonal merch or limited runs for launches and small events often benefit from DTF so you can change designs quickly and avoid sitting on stock.
Fabric and season
- Tees and hoodies for cooler months in Melbourne work nicely in cotton and cotton‑rich blends, and both methods perform well here.
- Sports and activewear made from performance poly may suit DTF, but it is always wise to test print a sample garment first.
- For outdoor summer events, pairing cotton tees with screen printing can help keep garments breathable on hot days.
Ready‑to‑Use Print Brief Template
Copy, paste and fill this in before you speak to your decorator.
1. Your details
- Business/club/event name:
- Contact person:
- Phone/email:
2. Garment summary
- Garment type(s): (tee / hoodie / singlet / long sleeve / other)
- Quantity per style:
- Size breakdown (e.g. S, 5XL, youth sizes):
- Colour(s) of garments:
- Fabric preference: (100% cotton / cotton blend / performance fabric / not sure)
3. Artwork
- Number of designs (e.g. main logo, sponsor logo, back art):
- Print areas: (full front / left chest / sleeve / upper back / lower back)
- Number of print colours (if known):
- Do you need names or numbers added? (yes/no)
- Artwork files available: (vector, high‑res PNG, JPEG, sketch only)
4. Print method preference (if any)
- Preferred method: (screen print / DTF / open to advice)
- Priorities: (comfort / cost / detail / small runs / eco options)
5. Timing and delivery
- Date you need the garments in hand:
- Event date (if relevant):
- Delivery location (suburb/state):
6. Visual references
- Attach or link:
- Any previous merch photos
- Rough mockups (even hand‑drawn, phone photo is fine)
- Example layouts you like (e.g. "logo on left chest + big back print").
Plan Your Next Print Run With Confidence
To make your next print job smoother, it helps to pull together a simple brief before you talk to a local supplier.
A basic checklist could include:
- Quantity and sizes, such as how many small, medium, large and so on
- Garment type, like tee, hoodie, singlet or long sleeve
- Fabric preference, such as 100% cotton, cotton blend or performance fabric
- Artwork files or at least clear screenshots and sketches
- Print areas, for example full front, left chest, sleeve or upper back
- Ideal delivery date and the date you actually need to wear the garments
- Any sustainability or stock‑management goals (e.g. "keep leftover stock low", "use long‑lasting workwear").
Including even one quick reference photo or rough mockup, even drawn on paper, helps turn your idea into a clear visual plan. From there, a good local decorator can:
- Show you how the same design would look in screen print versus DTF on the garment you have chosen
- Suggest test prints for bigger orders, especially on performance fabrics
- Recommend where it makes sense to mix both methods across your range so you get the best balance of look, comfort and flexibility
- Help you build a repeatable setup so re‑orders for your crew, club or event stay consistent.
That combination of clear visuals, a simple brief and the right print method will give you garments that feel good to wear, hold up to regular washing, and present your business or club professionally across every size and style.
Get Started With Your Project Today
If you are ready to turn your artwork into high quality prints, we are here to help at Thread Traders. Explore our DTF printing in Australia services and choose the options that best suit your garments, colours and quantities. Share your designs and requirements and we will guide you through file prep, print choices and turnaround so you get consistent, reliable results. If you have questions or need a custom quote, simply contact us and we will respond promptly.
