Almost every quote request we get could go one of two ways, and the difference shows up on the invoice. Here's how we decide.
The short answer
Under about 24 pieces, direct-to-film is usually cheaper. Above that, screen printing takes over and keeps getting cheaper the more you order. That's the whole rule — everything else is refinement.
Why the crossover exists
Screen printing has real setup work: separating the art, burning a screen for every ink color, registering them on the press. That cost is the same whether you print 12 shirts or 1,200, so it spreads thinner with volume. DTF has effectively no setup — the film prints, the powder cures, the press closes. Flat cost per piece, no matter the run.
When color count decides it
A six-color design would need six screens. On a 30-piece order that setup can outweigh the volume savings entirely, and DTF wins even above the usual crossover. Conversely, a one-color logo on 100 shirts is screen printing's best case by a wide margin.
When fabric decides it
100% polyester athletic gear is prone to dye migration — the garment's dye lifts into the curing ink and turns a white print pink days later. DTF's adhesive layer blocks that far more reliably, so performance tees and jerseys tend to go that direction regardless of quantity.
Durability
A properly cured screen print will outlast the shirt. A well-pressed DTF print holds up past 50 washes if it's washed inside out and dried low. For commercial laundering — restaurant, industrial, uniform service — we still recommend screen printing or embroidery.
When you request a quote, we price it both ways and tell you which is cheaper. You don't have to know any of this going in.