Embroidery vs screen print vs DTF
Battle Born Clothing embroiders and screen prints in-house, and presses DTF transfers made by a partner in Carson City, Nevada. So we have no reason to push one. Here is how they compare.
Quick comparison
| Embroidery | Screen print | DTF transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Polos, jackets, hats, fleece | Tees and hoodies in bulk | Small runs, full color |
| Look | Raised thread, premium | Flat ink, soft feel | Flat, full color |
| Priced by | Stitch count + quantity | Colors + locations + quantity | Quoted per job |
| Minimum | No hard minimum | No hard minimum; 48+ recommended | Quoted per job |
| One-time fees | $18.99 digitizing | $20 per screen per color | Quoted per job |
| Durability | Very high | High | Good |
Real prices
Embroidery
$6.00 per piece at 12-47 for a logo up to 6,000 stitches, $4.00 at 80+. A K500 polo is $19.55 each at 24.
Screen print
A Port & Company PC61 tee with a 1-color front and 1-color back on a dark shirt is $15.22 each at 48 plus $40 in screens. One location, one color on dark at 48 is $4.34 plus a $0.25 flash. More colors and locations are quoted per job.
DTF
Quoted per job. DTF transfers are produced by our Carson City partner and pressed in our shop.
Which to choose
Choose embroidery when
- The item is a polo, jacket, hat, beanie, apron or towel
- The logo is left-chest or hat-front sized
- You want it to look like a uniform, not a promo tee
Choose screen print when
- You are printing tees or hoodies in quantity
- The design is large, like a full back
- You have few ink colors
Choose DTF when
- The design is full color or a photo
- The run is small
- You need many different designs in small numbers
Mixing methods
Plenty of orders mix them: embroidered polos for staff, screen-printed tees for an event, leather patch hats for everyone. We quote it as one job.
DTF pressing settings, explained on our main site: https://battlebornclothing.com/blogs/custom-apparel-guides-screen-printing-embroidery-dtf-tips/how-to-press-dtf-transfers-heat-press-settings
A worked comparison at 48 pieces
| Option | Each | One-time fees |
|---|---|---|
| PC61 tee, 1-color front + 1-color back screen print, dark shirt | $15.22 | $40 screens |
| K500 polo, left-chest embroidery | $19.05 | $18.99 digitizing |
| IND4000 hoodie, left-chest embroidery | $28.25 | $18.99 digitizing |
| Tee with DTF transfer | Quoted per job | Quoted per job |
The numbers show the usual pattern. Screen printing wins on price for tees at volume. Embroidery costs a bit more per piece and looks like a uniform. DTF fills the gap when a full-color design has to go on a small run.
Durability notes
Embroidery outlasts most garments it is stitched on and holds up to commercial laundry. Plastisol screen prints last a long time when washed inside out. Water-based and discharge prints feel softer and fade gently over time. DTF transfers hold up well when pressed correctly and washed cool.
How to decide in one minute
- Is it a hat, polo, jacket, apron or towel? Embroider it.
- Is it 48 or more tees with a one- to three-color design? Screen print it.
- Is it a small run with a full-color design? Ask for DTF.
- Not sure? Send the art and the item, and we will recommend one and show the price.
Battle Born Clothing quotes all three from the same request, so you can compare real numbers before you choose.
Questions
Can you embroider a full back?
Yes, priced from the stitch count. Large backs are often cheaper as a screen print.
Do you print DTF in-house?
No. DTF transfers come from a Carson City partner; we press them in our shop.