Decoration method compatibility basics

Every decoration method works best on certain fabrics, and the fiber content of the blank decides most of the match. This guide maps cotton, cotton-poly blends and polyester to the common methods, then links to a full guide for each one.

The shortlist

These cover the range from 100% cotton to 100% polyester, so you can see how each fabric lines up with each method.

• Next Level 3600 Unisex Cotton Tee: 4.3 oz, 100% combed ringspun cotton, side-seamed, sizes XS to 6XL. Best for DTG and discharge on a lighter tee.
• Hanes 5180 Unisex Beefy-T T-Shirt: 6.1 oz, 100% ring-spun US-grown cotton, relaxed fit. Hanes builds its Clean Canvas process as a print platform for screen and DTG. Best for heavy screen-printed tees.
• Comfort Colors 1717 Unisex Garment-Dyed Heavyweight T-Shirt: 6.1 oz, 100% ring-spun cotton, garment-dyed, relaxed fit. Best for retail tees printed with screen, DTG or discharge.
• Next Level 6210 Unisex CVC Tee: 4.3 oz, 60/40 combed ringspun cotton and polyester, side-seamed. Best for screen print and DTF on a blend.
• Gildan 18500 Unisex Heavy Blend Hooded Sweatshirt: 8 oz, 50/50 cotton and polyester, classic fit. Gildan uses a finer face yarn for a smoother printing surface. Best for screen-printed and embroidered hoodies.
• Independent Trading Co. SS4500 Unisex Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt: 8.5 oz, 80/20 cotton and polyester in solid colors, with a 100% cotton face yarn. Best for discharge on a hoodie in solid colors.
• Tultex 241 Unisex Poly-Rich T-Shirt: 3.6 oz, 65/35 polyester and combed ringspun cotton. Best for DTF and vinyl on a poly-rich tee.
• Team 365 TT11 Men's Zone Performance T-Shirt: 3.5 oz, 100% polyester interlock, UPF 40+. Best for sublimation on white and light colors.
• CORE365 88181 Men's Origin Performance Piqué Polo: 4.1 oz, 100% polyester pique. Best for embroidered or sublimated polos.
• Harriton M990 Men's Full-Zip Fleece: 7.9 oz, 100% polyester fleece. Best for embroidered jackets.

Which fabric does each method want?

Start with the fiber. Garment color comes second, and run size third.

• Screen print works on cotton, blends and polyester. Poly needs low-cure ink. See the screen printing blanks guide.
• DTG wants cotton, and more cotton is better. See the DTG printing blanks guide.
• Discharge needs cotton, because it removes the cotton's dye. See the discharge printing blanks guide.
• DTF bonds to nearly any fiber, poly included. See the DTF printing blanks guide.
• Sublimation needs about 90% polyester or more, on a light base. See the sublimation blanks guide.
• Vinyl presses onto any of the three fabrics. See the HTV vinyl blanks guide.
• Embroidery cares more about fabric weight than fiber. See the best blanks for embroidery.

What works on 100% cotton?

Almost everything except sublimation. Cotton soaks up water-based DTG ink, takes plastisol and discharge, and holds DTF and vinyl. The Next Level 3600, Hanes 5180 and Comfort Colors 1717 are 100% cotton in their solid colors, so one blank can carry several methods on the same order.

Heathers carry polyester. The 3600's Heather Grey is 90/10, and the Hanes 5180's Charcoal Heather and Oxford Grey are 60/40. That polyester share changes how discharge and DTG behave, so run both on the 100% cotton colors.

What changes on a cotton-poly blend?

Blends narrow the list a little. DTG ink grabs only the cotton share, so on a blend the colors come out lighter and less saturated than on all-cotton. Screen print, DTF and vinyl bond to a 60/40 like the Next Level 6210 or a 50/50 like the Gildan 18500, whose dark heathers are 60/40 poly-rich.

Read the face yarn, too, since the manufacturer copy often names it. The Independent Trading Co. SS4500 is 80/20 overall, but its solid colors use a 100% cotton face yarn. Discharge acts on the cotton surface, so a solid SS4500 is worth a test print. Its heathers and safety colors run 55/45 to 75/25, so keep discharge to the other solid colors.

What works on polyester?

Sublimation, DTF, vinyl, embroidery, and screen print with low-cure ink. DTG and discharge both depend on cotton fiber, so they drop out. Polyester dye can also rise into a light print when heated, which is why the setup leans on lower heat. The guide to decorating on polyester covers the setup for each method.

Does garment color change the answer?

Yes. Sublimation dye is see-through, so it needs a white or light shirt. DTG on a dark shirt needs pretreat and a white underbase. Screen print on dark uses an underbase too. DTF carries its own white layer, and vinyl is opaque, so both print bright on dark colors. Discharge works the other way, pulling dye out of dark cotton. The guide to printing on dark garments walks through each workflow.

Will the blank shrink after decorating?

Cotton that isn't pre-shrunk can move in the first wash. Comfort Colors says garment dyeing gives the 1717 minimal shrinkage. Either way, wash and dry one sample and measure it before you lock sizes.

Which blank should you start with?

If you don't know the method yet, start with the Next Level 3600. It's 100% cotton in its solid colors, so screen print, DTG, discharge, DTF and vinyl all work on it, and embroidery works too. It runs XS to 6XL in a unisex cut.

When the job points elsewhere:

• Heavy screen-printed tee: Hanes 5180
• Garment-dyed retail look: Comfort Colors 1717
• Printed or stitched hoodie: Gildan 18500
• Sublimation: Team 365 TT11
• Poly-rich tee for DTF or vinyl: Tultex 241
• Embroidered polo or jacket: CORE365 88181 or Harriton M990

More tees sit in premium t-shirts, and hoodies in sweatshirts and hoodies.