Tee Shirt Screen Printing Vs. Digital Printing: The Difference

T-shirts have become a medium to promote brands and spread awareness. Mass-produced t-shirts are becoming less and less relevant as current shoppers demand screen-printed or digitally printed t-shirts. A new age for the global custom t-shirt printing market has begun due to people's love of customized products to display their styles or allegiance to a brand or cause. That is why t-shirt digital and screen printing in Auckland is gaining popularity. But what exactly is digital printing and screen printing? Is there any difference between the two? Which is better? Let's find out answers to all these questions below:

What is Digital Printing?

Digital printing is the latest technique to print patterns, designs, slogans, or logos, onto t-shirts. Ink is printed directly onto the fabric using new digital printing technology, much like how an inkjet machine prints on paper. The design is then heat-pressed onto the shirt's cloth to secure it. Compared to other ink systems, the printer uses CMYK ink, which offers a significantly greater range of colors.

What is Screen Printing?

Tee shirt screen printing, sometimes known as silk screen printing or serigraphy, is a traditional printmaking method. Ink is pressed through a stenciled mesh screen positioned above clothing during screen printing to produce a printed design.

Each color in the design is turned into a separate stencil, which is then used to build up the final design using all the colors. Because the ink is mixed specifically for each print job, Pantone color matching is feasible. Most professional screen printers in Auckland use the Pantone system to determine the exact color shade for printing.

Major differences between digital and screen printing

Comparison Basis	Screen Printing	Digital Printing
Print durability	Screen printing is more durable because of the quality of thick ink used.	Digital prints are less durable in comparison. But can stay for years with proper washing and ironing care.
Print grade	The most high-quality printing technique.	A little low quality because of the less vivid hues.
Complexity	It works best with a simpler design and one, two, or three ink colors.	It readily produces intricate designs, such as pictures or movie characters.
Cost-efficient	For bulk orders	For small orders of custom tees.
Color blending technique	A screen printer can only layer one color at a time. Therefore this is pretty inadequate.	A digital printer can produce complex pictures by blending primary colors into any shade or gradient. It uses excellent technique.
Print Setup duration	It takes a long time to set up the print.	It requires minimal time for the print to set up.
Multi-Color Prints	Only commercial screen printers can perform multi-color printing.	All printers can quickly and effectively produce multi-color prints.

Which is better: Screen or Digital Printing?

Which is the better technique depends on the design and other factors. Screen printing is the best choice when printing on dark clothing, specialty items, or patterns that call for a high level of vibrancy. In comparison, digital printing will produce the most remarkable results if there is a lot of detail or if you want a photographic print. If you are looking for a professional printing service for bulk orders, prefer cheap t-shirt printing in Auckland for cost-efficient services.