(719) 280-2638 · Text preferred See Your Price InstantlySee Your Price

Free mockup within 10 minutes of confirming details · no commitment

DTF vs Screen Printing

Under 24 shirts, DTF is the better buy. From 24 up, screen printing is usually better value. ARK does both in-house — you don't have to choose.

See Your Price Instantly Text (719) 280-2638 (preferred)
  • Free digital mockup within 10 minutes of confirming details
  • Free artwork cleanup
  • No commitment required
5.0 on Google · 10 reviews
Colorado Springs, CO 80922 Monday – Sunday, 7:30am – 7pm Text (719) 280-2638 (preferred) or call

Free · no obligation

See your design on the shirt within 10 minutes of confirming details.

Send your logo or idea. Your free digital mockup will be ready within 10 minutes of confirming the details with you—no commitment required.

  • Free digital mockupYour design on the real garment within 10 minutes of confirming the details with you — no commitment required.
  • Free artwork cleanupA sketch, a photo, a rough logo — we'll clean it up free.
Get My Free Mockup

DTF vs screen printing: under 24 shirts, DTF is the right choice — no setup fees, no minimums, full color. For 24 or more, screen printing delivers better per-shirt value and durability. At ARK, we do both in-house.

What Is DTF Printing?

DTF stands for Direct to Film. Your design is printed in full color onto a special transfer film, coated with a heat-activated adhesive, and then pressed onto your garment with a heat press. The transfer bonds to the fabric fibers and produces a smooth, flexible print.

Because DTF doesn't require screens or color separations, there's no setup cost — which means it's just as economical to print 1 shirt as it is to print 5. It handles any design complexity: gradients, photographs, fine detail, and unlimited colors all work perfectly.

What Is Screen Printing?

Screen printing uses a fine mesh screen to push ink directly through onto the fabric. Each color in your design requires a separate screen, and those screens have a setup cost. Once the screens are made, however, each additional shirt costs very little — so the per-shirt price drops significantly as your order size grows.

Screen printing produces ink that's embedded into the fabric rather than sitting on top of it. It's extremely durable and is the industry standard for bulk garment printing. It works best for designs with clean lines and a limited number of solid colors.

DTF vs. Screen Printing: Side by Side

Factor DTF Printing Screen Printing
Minimum order 1 shirt — no minimum 24+ shirts at ARK
Setup cost None Screen fees per color (amortized across order)
Color complexity Unlimited — gradients, photos, fine detail Best for 1–6 solid colors
Best for Small orders, complex designs, samples Bulk orders, simpler designs, teams & events
Durability High — flexible, wash-resistant Very high — ink bonds with fabric fibers
Turnaround (at ARK) 3–5 business days Most orders 5–10 business days
Ships nationally Yes Yes

Choose DTF When…

  • You need fewer than 24 shirts
  • Your design has many colors, gradients, or photographic elements
  • You want a prototype before committing to a larger run
  • It's a one-time event (birthday, family reunion, small team)
  • You need a single custom shirt
  • You want to test a design before bulk ordering

Choose Screen Printing When…

  • You're ordering 24 or more shirts
  • Your design uses 1–4 solid colors
  • You want maximum cost-efficiency on bulk
  • You need team uniforms, event shirts, or merch runs
  • Long-term durability is a top priority
  • You're ordering the same design repeatedly

How ARK Handles Both

ARK does DTF printing and screen printing in-house in Colorado Springs — you don't need to choose upfront or know which method you need. Just tell us your quantity and design, and we'll recommend the right method and give you an accurate quote.

Small order? We'll route it to DTF automatically — no setup fees, no minimums. Larger order? Screen printing, with per-shirt pricing that gets more competitive the more you order. Both methods are available for local pickup or nationwide shipping.

Learn more about each service:

One shirt or a thousand — no minimum.

Screen printing needs a screen made for each ink color, so it starts at 24 shirts — that's where it pays off. Under 24, we print with DTF: no screens, no setup, full color, even for a single shirt. Tell us your quantity and we'll recommend the right method — you don't need to know which one you want.

See Your Price Instantly DTF vs screen printing
  • 1+shirts: no minimum order (DTF, full color)
  • 24+shirts: screen printing
  • 10 minfree digital mockup after confirming details
  • Same daywe start your order once you approve the proof

How an order works.

Your price instantly. Your free mockup follows within 10 minutes of confirming the details with you. After you approve it and pay, we start your order the same day.

  1. See your price instantly

    Pick the garment, the quantity and where it's printed — the form shows your price as you go. About two minutes. Prefer to talk it through? Text us.

  2. Your free digital mockup within 10 minutes of confirming details

    Your free digital mockup will be ready within 10 minutes of confirming the details with you—no commitment required. Rough artwork? We'll clean it up free.

  3. Approve it, then pay

    Tweak the mockup until it's right. Nothing is printed until you approve it and pay the invoice.

  4. We start the same day

    Approve the proof and pay the invoice, and we start your order the same day — garments ordered, films printed, screens burned. Most screen-print orders are ready in 5–10 business days. Local pickup available, or we ship anywhere in the US.

5.0/5 based on 10 Google reviews · as of Oct 2026

What customers say.

Real Google reviews of our Colorado Springs print shop.

  • Could not recommend enough for all of your screen printing needs! Impeccable craftsmanship and exemplary customer service. Alex brought my visions to life in ways better than I could've hoped for!

    Jessi Wood

  • The shirts were top quality in both materials and printing. Alex was great to work with. The whole process was great.

    James Felix

  • I had a great experience working with ARK screen printing! Communication was excellent—Alex was very quick to respond and always open to any adjustments I needed along the way. The whole process felt easy and collaborative, which I really appreciated. The final shirts turned out exactly how I wanted. I would definitely use his services again and highly recommend him to anyone looking for quality work and great customer service!

    Bella O'Brien

  • I had gone online to request a quote for a couple shirts and left it as that, Alex called me to follow up on the quote and to me the call itself showed such great customer service and we talked about what I wanted, I decided to move forward with the purchase of my shirts and so glad I did! I highly recommend for anyone looking for custom shirts :)

    Ceci's World

  • Great product! Amazing service! Would use again!

    Jeremy Beckman

  • Really enjoyed working with them for our cafe shirts, will definitely be ordering more!

    Joseph Morris

See Your Price Instantly Read all reviews on Google

DTF vs Screen Printing across the Pikes Peak region.

Printed in Colorado Springs. Local pickup available, or we ship.

All service areas

See your live price.

Tell us the garment, the quantity, your artwork and your date. Your price shows as you go. Your free digital mockup will be ready within 10 minutes of confirming the details with you—no commitment required.

  • Your price, livePick the garment, quantity and print details to see the price as you go.
  • Free digital mockup within 10 minutes of confirming detailsYour design on the garment — no commitment required.
  • Free artwork cleanupSend whatever you have — a sketch, a photo, a rough logo.
  • We start the same dayGarments ordered, films printed, screens burned — most orders are ready in 5–10 business days. Local pickup available, or we ship anywhere in the US.
Rather talk it through?Text (719) 280-2638 (preferred) or call — Monday – Sunday, 7:30am – 7pm.