DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing uses an industrial inkjet printer to print artwork directly onto the fabric. The ink soaks into the cotton fibres, the heat-press cures it, and the print becomes part of the shirt. No transfer film, no plastisol, no minimums — just full-colour photographs and gradients on cotton tees, baby rompers, hoodies, tote bags.
When DTG is the right call
DTG wins anywhere DTF can't. It's the technique for:
- 1–10 piece runs where setup cost matters. No screens to make, no minimum.
- Photograph-quality artwork — skin tones, soft gradients, fine detail.
- Soft hand-feel. The print sinks into the cotton instead of sitting on top. You can barely feel it.
- 100% cotton garments. Best on white and pastel base colours.
How the process runs at our Nerul facility
Step 1 — Pre-treat. The garment is sprayed with a pre-treatment liquid that helps the white ink bond to the fibre. We let it dry under heat for 30 seconds.
Step 2 — Print. Our IM'Presso DTG prints the white base layer first, then the colour layer on top. A standard A4 print takes 45–90 seconds.
Step 3 — Cure. Under a 180°C heat press for 90 seconds. This bonds the pigment permanently. Wash test passes 60+ cycles.
What you'll pay
DTG starts at ₹250 per piece for an A4 print on a white tee. Larger prints, polyester blends and dark fabrics cost more because of the white-underbase ink usage. We give a firm quote on the actual artwork — send the file via WhatsApp and we'll respond with a price in under an hour.
DTG vs DTF — which one do I need?
Pick DTG if: artwork is photographic, fabric is cotton, quantity is small (1–50), and softness matters (e.g. baby clothes).
Pick DTF if: fabric is polyester / blend / dark / non-cotton, quantity is bigger (50+), the design has flat colour blocks, or budget is tight. DTF holds up better on stretchy and synthetic fabrics.
Quality controls we run on every order
- Pre-treat dry-test before print.
- Print colour matched to your Pantone (if supplied).
- 30-second wash test on a sample piece before bulk run.
- Final visual inspection at packing.