9 Best-quality t-shirts for printing in 2025

How to pick the right decoration method for your t-shirt

Your shirt’s fabric, design, order size, and audience will determine the best decoration technique. Pick a method that works best for your t-shirt style and material – like sublimation for polyester sportswear or screen printing for bulk orders. 

Let’s check out the options and which shirts they pair best with. 

DTG printing

DTG printing is excellent for complex, multicolor designs. The print soaks into the clothing fibers instead of sitting atop the fabric. This provides a smooth surface and makes the garment comfortable to wear. DTG printing works best on cotton and other natural fabrics. The higher the cotton percentage, the more vivid the print.

DTF printing

DTF printing produces vibrant and durable designs on various fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and blends. It involves printing the design onto a special transfer film and then heat pressing it onto the garment. This technique allows for highly detailed and multicolor prints with excellent stretch and resistance to cracking or fading over time. It’s the go-to method for printing photos and other hyper-detailed designs. 

Screen printing

Screen printing is best for simple designs with few colors, as each design requires setting up a separate screen. Once set up, production is fast and cost-efficient, making it ideal for high-volume runs. Screen printing works best on heavyweight t-shirts made from cotton or cotton blends, which absorb ink well, producing durable, vibrant results.

All-over printing

AOP (sublimation) is ideal for apparel where the design needs to cover the entire garment – like sportswear, performance shirts, festival merch, or apparel with all-over patterns. Sublimation only works on polyester because the ink must bond with the polymers in the fabric to produce rich, long-lasting prints. Designs are printed on special sublimation paper, heat-pressed onto the fabric, then cut and sewn to produce the finished shirt.

Embroidery

Embroidery is a decoration technique where a design is stitched onto the custom t-shirt, giving it a premium, tactile feel. It’s best for logos, text, and simple graphics rather than highly detailed or photo-like images. This method works well on medium to heavyweight t-shirts with a tight knit, which prevents puckering and helps the design keep its shape.

The best t-shirt for printing: Conclusion

The best t-shirt is the one that makes your design look great and keeps customers coming back. 

Once you’ve narrowed down t-shirt brands for printing that fit your style and budget, order a few samples with your preferred decoration method and compare results. Then, build your line around the shirt that delivers the best mix of comfort, durability, and print quality. 

Printful is the perfect place to browse different t-shirt styles and custom apparel and start building a brand. Our printing services are fast, our design tools are easy to use, and we offer the most popular printing methods and t-shirts on the market. 

Start designing your custom-printed t-shirts with Printful today to add a fun new piece to your wardrobe or start an apparel brand!