The material decides the print method: cotton apparel is usually printed with DTF or DTG, polyester items and coated mugs, ornaments and tumblers with sublimation, caps and premium logos with embroidery, and wall art with an inkjet printer onto canvas or paper. Each method then sets the rules for your design, from whether white ink exists to how thin a line can be.
This guide is for sellers adding product types beyond the classic tee who want their artwork to survive the trip from screen to product. In print on demand you do not run the press, but the product you choose brings its method with it. Knowing the method before you design saves reprints, refunds and awkward messages.
Start with the material, not the method
Every method is built for a surface. DTG "needs 100% cotton or high-cotton garments" and is "not recommended for nylon or polyester" (Printify: DTF vs DTG). DTF "can print on cotton, polyester, nylon, and blends alike" (same source). Sublimation "requires polyester or another synthetic material" (Printify Help: print methods), and one manufacturer puts the threshold for good results at blanks with at least 75% polyester (Cricut Help).
So check the blank's fabric first. The Gildan 5000 is 5.3-ounce, 100% US cotton, with cotton/polyester blends in some colours such as the heathers (Gildan 5000 spec sheet). The Gildan 18500 hoodie is 8-ounce, 50/50 cotton/poly (Gildan 18500 spec sheet). A 50/50 blend sits at the edge of what DTG is built for, while DTF handles blends.
A product-by-product map
| Product | Method usually used | What it means for the design |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton tees (Gildan 5000, Bella+Canvas 3001, Comfort Colors 1717) | DTF or DTG | DTF prints on any shirt colour, while DTG needs a white underbase on dark shirts |
| 50/50 sweatshirts and hoodies (Gildan 18000, 18500) | DTF | Works on blends, but large solid areas make a less breathable patch |
| Polyester performance tees and polos | DTF, or sublimation on light colours | Sublimation has no white and needs a light base |
| All-over print garments | Sublimation | White cannot print, and dark areas can show white lines when stretched |
| Mugs, ornaments and tumblers | Sublimation onto a coated surface | Full-colour art works, so plan around the item's own colour |
| Caps | Embroidery | Few thread colours, no gradients, text at least 0.25 inch tall |
| Canvas prints and posters | Inkjet onto canvas or paper | Large-format files work at 120 to 150 DPI |
| Bulk orders of one design | Screen printing | Simple designs in 1 to 4 colours, with minimum quantities |
Apparel: DTF or DTG
DTF "prints a design onto a special transfer film, coats it with adhesive powder, and then heat-presses it onto the garment" (Printify: DTF vs DTG). A white ink layer on the film lets the transfer work on any fabric colour (Printify Help: print methods). The result is "a thin, smooth layer you can feel sitting on top of the fabric", firmer than DTG until it softens over the first washes. One provider notes the breathability of DTF prints is relatively low, and that a DTF print might develop small cracks if washed in hot water (Printful Help).
DTG "works like an inkjet printer, spraying water-based ink directly onto a garment", so the print feels part of the shirt (Printify: DTF vs DTG). Dark garments need a pretreatment coat and a white underbase (same source). On black or colourful garments the print may be less vibrant, and gradients are tricky to print (Printful: DTG vs DTF).
For your design, that means: crisp edges and bright colours on any shirt colour suit DTF, while big solid blocks add weight to the shirt. Soft, worn-in looks on light cotton suit DTG, while subtle gradients on dark shirts are a risk. Our DTF vs DTG comparison for Etsy t-shirts goes further.
Sublimation for mugs, ornaments and polyester
Sublimation "uses high heat and pressure to apply dyes onto the product", and the dyes soak into the material for a smooth finish (Printify Help: print methods). Mugs, ornaments and tumblers are decorated this way, onto a coated surface (same source). Because it uses dyes, the design becomes part of the material rather than a layer on top.
The design rules are strict. One manufacturer's sublimation-style system works with white or light-coloured fabrics only (Cricut Help), and "The color white can't be printed on all-over print products" (Printful Help). On all-over prints, the design is printed over white material, so dark backgrounds can show white lines where the fabric stretches (Printify Help: all-over print). Treat the product's own colour as your white. More in sublimation printing explained for POD sellers.
Embroidery, vinyl and screen printing
Embroidery stitches the design with thread and gives "excellent durability and a premium look", but the colours are limited to the available thread shades (Printify Help: print methods). Thread limits vary by provider: one allows up to 6 thread colours per design (Printify Help: embroidery). Gradients and subtle shading cannot be stitched accurately, text should be at least 0.25 inch tall and lines at least 0.05 inch thick (same source). See embroidery on Etsy products: when it is worth it.
Heat transfer vinyl is cut, weeded and pressed, and it brings finishes such as metallic, glitter and raised puff print (Printify Help: print methods).
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencil, and "each color requires a separate screen" (Printify: DTG vs screen printing). It usually comes with minimum orders of five to 100 units, and suits bulk runs of simple designs in 1 to 4 colours (same source). For one-off Etsy orders it rarely fits. Our screen printing vs DTF guide for small orders compares them.
Wall art and the print file
Canvas prints and posters are printed with inkjet printers onto canvas or paper, often at large sizes. That changes the resolution you need: one provider recommends 300 DPI for JPEG and PNG files in general, and 120 to 150 DPI for large-format products (Printify Help: file requirements). Size the file to the actual print dimensions so the DPI is calculated correctly (Printful Help: files). How canvas prints are made covers the rest.
For apparel and hard goods, a transparent PNG at 300 DPI covers most methods, and one provider recommends the sRGB colour profile rather than converting to CMYK (Printful Help: colour profiles).
How the Alomations catalog handles the method for you
Our catalog products are printed with DTF for apparel, plus sublimation for the products that need it, and production for US orders is in the US. The catalog covers Gildan, Bella+Canvas and Comfort Colors apparel, caps, aprons, ceramic ornaments and mugs, tumblers, tote bags, canvas prints, knitted Christmas stockings and more, each with its own "from" price and shipping quoted separately.
On the design side, every design comes back print-ready at 12 inches and 300 DPI, as a transparent PNG with an SVG alongside. You also get light and dark versions from one design, and tone rules per garment colour decide which version each colour receives, so the same artwork reads on a white tee and a black hoodie.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell the same design on a tee and a mug?
Yes, if the design respects both methods. A design that relies on white ink needs rework for sublimation, where white does not print.
Which method lasts longest on a shirt?
Providers give their own estimates: DTG "Lasts 50+ washes" with proper care, and DTF "Holds up for 50-100 washes" (Printify: DTF vs DTG). Screen prints "can last decades" and embroidery is known for durability.
Do I have to tell buyers who prints my products?
Etsy requires sellers who work with a production partner to disclose that partner in the relevant listings (Etsy Help: production partners). You can show a descriptive title, such as Apparel printer, instead of the partner's name.
Does the print method change my file?
Mostly not: with most providers, a 300 DPI transparent PNG covers DTF, DTG and sublimation. Embroidery is the exception, because the art has to be simplified into thread colours.
Start on the free plan and list your designs on catalog products printed with the method each one needs.