Printing Services
Every garment we sell is decorated to order in the United States. We work with three core methods, and the right one depends on your quantity, your artwork, and the finish you're after.
Compare the three methods
| Screen Printing | Embroidery | DTF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 50 units | 10 units | 10 units |
| Production time | 10-15 business days after artwork approval, plus transit | ||
| Colors | Up to 20, priced per color | Thread colors, priced by stitch count | Unlimited, no color surcharge |
| Setup cost | Screen fee per color | One-time digitizing fee | None |
| Priced by | Quantity and color count | Stitch count | Print size |
| Color matching | Custom-mixed to Pantone | Nearest available thread | CMYK, limited gamut |
| Best for | Bulk runs, bold graphics | Corporate wear, caps, premium feel | Small runs, photographic art |
| Feel | Ink layer on fabric | Raised, textured stitching | Thin, soft, flexible film |
All three methods run on the same schedule: once you approve the digital mock-up, production takes 10-15 business days, and transit time is added on top. Delivery estimates depend on your address.
Screen Printing
The industry standard for volume. Ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto the garment, one screen per color, giving bold, opaque coverage that stays vivid wash after wash.
Minimum 50 units.
What it does well
- The lowest per-unit cost at volume, and it keeps improving as quantities grow
- Dense, opaque color that holds up on dark garments
- Inks can be custom-mixed to match a specific Pantone reference, which makes it the most accurate option for brand colors
- Specialty inks no other method can match: metallic and glitter, puff for a raised 3D texture, glow-in-the-dark, discharge for an ultra-soft print that sits in the fabric rather than on it, and plasticharge for thick athletic-style numbers
- Photo-realistic results through simulated process printing, layering halftone separations - up to 20 colors
- Works on cotton, polyester, blends and brushed fleece
Limitations to plan for
- Setup cost scales with color count. Every color needs its own screen and setup fee, so a six-color design is far more expensive to start than a one-color design.
- 50 units is the floor. Below that, use DTF.
- Gradients become halftone dots. Smooth fades are simulated with dot patterns, visible up close.
- Fine detail has a limit. Hairline strokes and very small text can fill in or drop out, especially on heavyweight or textured fabrics.
- Dark garments need an underbase. A white layer is printed first so colors read true. It counts as an additional color and slightly firms up the hand.
- Color can shift by fabric. The same ink reads slightly differently across garment colors.
- Metallic and fluorescent inks behave differently from standard inks and will not match a flat Pantone swatch.
Embroidery
Thread stitched directly into the garment. It is the most durable decoration available and reads as the most premium, which is why it dominates corporate apparel, uniforms and headwear.
Minimum 10 units.
What it does well
- Outlasts any print - stitching does not crack, peel or fade
- Immediate perceived value for polos, jackets, caps and executive gifts
- Works on virtually any fabric, including fleece, denim, canvas and performance materials
- Specialty options: 3D puff with foam backing for bold cap logos, applique for large color blocks at a lower stitch count, metallic threads, and variegated, glow-in-the-dark or UV-reactive threads
Limitations to plan for
- Your logo must be digitized first - converted into a stitch file (DST) that tells the machine every needle path. A one-time digitizing fee applies for new designs; it is waived on repeat orders of the same design.
- Stitch count drives the price, not the number of colors. Dense or large designs get expensive fast.
- Not suited to large graphics. A chest logo of 3-4 inches is the practical sweet spot.
- Minimum letter height is 5 mm. Below that, text loses legibility and must be simplified or dropped.
- No gradients or photographs. Embroidery works in blocks of solid thread color.
- Thread colors cannot be custom mixed. We match to the nearest available thread in inventory, and some Pantone references have no close equivalent. Thread also reads differently depending on lighting and fabric texture. When a match is approximate, we confirm with you before production.
DTF (Direct to Film)
Artwork is printed in full color onto a transfer film, coated with adhesive, and heat-pressed onto the garment. It removes almost every constraint screen printing imposes on small runs.
Minimum 10 units.
What it does well
- Unlimited colors at no extra cost - a 2-color design and a full-color photograph cost the same
- No screens and no digitizing, so no setup fees
- Reproduces photographs, gradients, shadows and fine detail that screen printing cannot
- Identical process on light and dark garments, with no separate underbase step
- Adheres to cotton, polyester, blends and nylon
Limitations to plan for
- Priced by print area, so a full-front or back print costs significantly more than a small chest logo.
- At volume, screen printing is cheaper per unit. Once you are well past the 50-unit mark with a design of a few solid colors, switch.
- DTF prints in CMYK, which has a narrower gamut than spot inks. Neon and fluorescent colors are out of gamut, some Pantone spot colors cannot be reproduced accurately, and metallic effects are not possible. If exact brand color matching matters, choose screen printing or embroidery.
- It sits on the surface as a thin film, so it does not have the printed-into-the-fabric hand of discharge or water-based screen printing.
- Heavily textured or high-pile fabrics reduce adhesion quality.
- None of the tactile specialty effects available in screen printing or embroidery.
Which one should you choose?
- 50+ units of a design with a handful of solid colors? Screen printing.
- Branding polos, jackets or caps for a company? Embroidery.
- Under 50 units, or artwork with photographs and gradients? DTF.
- Brand color accuracy is critical? Screen printing, which custom-mixes to Pantone.
Artwork requirements
Vector vs. raster
Vector artwork is what we want. AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. Vector scales to any size without quality loss, holds crisp edges, separates cleanly into colors for screen printing, and is required for embroidery digitizing.
Raster artwork - PNG, JPG, TIFF - is pixel-based and degrades when enlarged. We can work with it, but only at 300 dpi or higher at final print size. Upscaling a small file will show in the finished print.
By method
| Method | Artwork type | Accepted formats |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Printing | Vector strongly preferred, each color on a separate layer | AI, EPS, PDF (outlined), PNG at 300+ dpi |
| Embroidery | Vector required - converted to a DST stitch file | AI, EPS, PDF (outlined) |
| DTF | Vector or high-resolution raster, full color welcome | AI, EPS, PDF, PNG, JPG at 300+ dpi |
Always convert fonts to outlines
Before sending artwork, convert all text to outlines or curves. If you don't, the font may not exist on our systems, layout can shift, and text can render incorrectly or disappear entirely - which means delays or a reprint.
- Adobe Illustrator: Type → Create Outlines
- CorelDRAW: Arrange → Convert to Curves
- Inkscape: Path → Object to Path
- PDF: save with fonts embedded or outlined
Color
Specify Pantone (PMS) references for any color that needs matching. We do not work from RGB values. Screen printing matches Pantone most accurately, embroidery matches to the nearest thread, and DTF prints in CMYK with the gamut limits noted above.
Not sure your files are ready? Send them over and we'll review them before quoting, at no charge.
Other services on request
Beyond the three core methods, the following are available for projects that need them. Availability, minimums and lead times are confirmed case by case, so get in touch before planning around them.
- DTG (Direct to Garment) - water-based inkjet printed straight into the fabric, for a very soft hand on cotton
- Sublimation - full-coverage, edge-to-edge dye infusion on high-polyester garments
- UV and UV-DTF - durable full-color decoration on hard surfaces and mixed materials
- Laser engraving and cutting - precision marking on wood, acrylic, metal and leather
- Private label and relabeling - custom woven or printed neck labels sewn in place of the tear-away label
- Retail finishing - folding, polybagging, hang tagging, UPC ticketing and retailer packing compliance
- Kitting, split shipping and drop shipping - bundled packs, and orders broken out to multiple destinations
Get started
Send us your artwork, quantity, garment selection and print placement and we'll come back with a recommendation and a price. Email info@organicblank.com.