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Indianapolis DTG Printing

Full-color, photo-detail printing — no per-color setup fees, no minimum.

DTG printing works like an inkjet printer for fabric — the machine sprays ink directly onto the shirt in full color, no screens, no per-color setup. That makes it the right call for anything with gradients, photo detail, or a lot of colors, and it's the only method here where printing one shirt costs the same per-unit as printing fifty, because there's no screen cost to spread across the order.

☎ Have a question? Call us or request a quote.

Direct-to-garment printer laying down a full-color design DTG Printing

Best For

  • Full-color, photo-realistic, or gradient-heavy designs
  • Single pieces and small runs (1–24 pieces) where screen printing's per-color setup cost doesn't make sense
  • Designs where every piece might have a slightly different name or number (rosters, personalized gifts)

DTG printing works like an inkjet printer for fabric — the machine sprays ink directly onto the shirt in full color, no screens, no per-color setup. That makes it the right call for anything with gradients, photo detail, or a lot of colors, and it's the only method here where printing one shirt costs the same per-unit as printing fifty, because there's no screen cost to spread across the order.

How It Works

From art file to finished piece.

01
File prep

Your artwork gets checked for resolution and color accuracy — a low-res logo that looked fine on a phone screen often needs cleanup before it'll print sharp.

02
Pretreatment

Cotton and cotton-blend garments get a pretreatment spray so the ink bonds properly and colors stay vibrant, especially on dark fabric.

03
Printing

The garment goes through the DTG printer, which lays down full-color ink directly onto the fibers.

04
Curing

Heat-cured to set the ink permanently into the fabric.

Best For

  • Full-color, photo-realistic, or gradient-heavy designs
  • Single pieces and small runs (1–24 pieces) where screen printing's per-color setup cost doesn't make sense
  • Designs where every piece might have a slightly different name or number (rosters, personalized gifts)

Less Ideal For

  • Very large orders of a simple 1–2 color design — screen printing gets cheaper per piece past a certain quantity
  • Non-cotton or heavily textured fabric — DTG needs a cotton or high-cotton-blend surface to bond well
  • All-over or edge-to-edge prints on some garment styles — ask before assuming

We'll say so upfront and point you to the right method instead.

Pricing & Timing

What it costs, how long it takes.

Pricing

Priced per piece based on print size and ink coverage. No setup fee, no per-color charge — the price for a 1-color logo and a 12-color photo print differ only by how much ink actually goes down, not by an arbitrary color-count fee.

Turnaround

Standard turnaround is 3–5 business days from art approval — typically faster than screen printing since there's no screen-burning step.

FAQ

DTG Printing questions, answered straight.

Is DTG cheaper than screen printing for a small order?

For a design with more than 2–3 colors, usually yes — DTG has no per-color setup cost, so a full-color logo on 5 shirts often comes out cheaper than screen printing the same design.

Does DTG work on dark shirts?

Yes, with a white ink underbase printed first so the color sits on top properly — this is standard and included, not an upcharge surprise.

How does DTG hold up in the wash compared to screen printing?

A properly cured DTG print holds up well to normal washing (cold wash, low heat dry, inside out). Screen printing still edges it out for extreme durability on high-wash-cycle workwear, which is why we'll steer heavy-duty uniform orders toward screen printing when it's the better fit.

What file format do you need for DTG?

A high-resolution PNG with a transparent background works best. If all you have is a low-res logo pulled off a website, send it anyway — we'll tell you honestly if it needs to be recreated before it'll print sharp.

Ready to price out your direct-to-garment printing?

One piece or two hundred — you'll get exact, itemized pricing before anything goes into production.

☎ Have a question? Call us or request a quote.