At French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs, a full-color DTF front on 24 black Gildan 5000 tees costs $9.77 per shirt, the lowest of the three. Screen printing starts at 36 pieces, at $13.84 for a 1-color front. Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is $19.64 per shirt for one color and fits names, numbers and runs of 6 to 11.
All prices on this page come from the same pricing engine as our instant quote calculator, using live supplier blank prices. They are per shirt, printed, before tax, in sizes S to XL. Vinyl has no setup fee at all. DTF and screen print setup is already built into their per-shirt prices, so neither has a separate setup line.
What is HTV, and what is DTF?
Both are heat transfers: the design is made first, then bonded to the shirt with a commercial heat press. So "heat transfer printing" can mean either one.
HTV (heat transfer vinyl) is a thin colored film with a heat-activated adhesive on the back. A plotter cuts your design out of a sheet of solid-color vinyl, our team weeds away the extra vinyl by hand, and the design is pressed on. Each color is a separate sheet, cut, weeded and pressed in its own pass. It is solid color only, no gradients or photos. Our heat transfer vinyl guide covers the basics.
DTF (direct to film) prints your design in full color onto a clear film, with a white layer printed underneath, then bonds it with an adhesive powder. Gradients, photos and any number of colors cost the same. See DTF transfers for the full process.
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen, one screen per color, straight into the shirt. There is no film or adhesive layer. On dark shirts we add a white underbase screen under the colors, and our price includes it.
Price per shirt at 12, 24 and 50
On a cotton tee: black Gildan 5000
| Design | Method | 12 shirts | 24 shirts | 36 shirts | 50 shirts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-color front | HTV | $19.64 | $19.64 | $19.64 | $19.64 |
| 2-color front | HTV | $34.64 | $34.64 | $34.64 | $34.64 |
| Full-color front | DTF | $10.39 | $9.77 | $9.56 | $8.79 |
| Full-color front + back | DTF | $16.14 | $14.89 | $14.47 | $12.94 |
| 1-color front | Screen print | 36 minimum | 36 minimum | $13.84 | $11.11 |
| 2-color front | Screen print | 36 minimum | 36 minimum | $15.30 | $12.15 |
On a polyester performance tee: black Gildan 42000
| Design | Method | 12 shirts | 24 shirts | 36 shirts | 50 shirts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-color front | HTV | $23.72 | $23.72 | $23.72 | $23.72 |
| 2-color front | HTV | $38.72 | $38.72 | $38.72 | $38.72 |
| Full-color front | DTF | $14.47 | $13.85 | $13.64 | $12.87 |
| Full-color front + back | DTF | $20.22 | $18.97 | $18.55 | $17.02 |
| 1-color front | Screen print | 36 minimum | 36 minimum | $17.92 | $15.19 |
Prices are per shirt for sizes S to XL, before tax, on black shirts. The Gildan 5000 is 5.3 oz, 100% U.S. cotton. The Gildan 42000 is 5 oz, 100% polyester, moisture wicking, per the S&S Activewear catalog description.
- HTV is a flat rate per color, per location, at every quantity. Each vinyl color in each location is $15 per shirt, with no setup fee, so the per-shirt price does not drop as the order grows. A 2-color front and a 1-color front plus a 1-color back are both two vinyl colors, and both are $34.64 on the 5000.
- For a plain logo, vinyl is the most expensive per shirt. At 24 black 5000s, a 1-color vinyl front is $19.64 against $9.77 for a full-color DTF front. At 36 and up, a 1-color screen print is $13.84 or less.
- DTF is priced per location, not per color. A 6-color logo and a 1-color logo are the same $9.77 on 24 black 5000s.
- Screen printing is the black-shirt outlier at these quantities. At 36 and 50, our screen price on a dark shirt includes an underbase screen, so a 1-color design is really two screens. Its price keeps dropping on bigger runs, as our screen printing cost guide shows.
2XL and up
Bigger sizes carry a supplier upcharge on the blank. At 24 shirts, a black Gildan 5000 in 2XL is $22.48 with a 1-color HTV front and $12.61 with a DTF front. On the Gildan 42000 in 2XL, it is $26.42 and $16.55.
Minimums
HTV starts at 6 pieces, DTF at 12, and screen printing at 36 per design. That makes vinyl the only one of the three for 6 to 11 shirts: a 1-color front is $19.64 a shirt on a black 5000 and $23.72 on a black 42000. On cotton, DTG has no minimum at all, covered in our DTG printing cost guide.
Which lasts longest: HTV, DTF or screen print?
All three hold up well when they are applied right and washed with care. Our heat transfer and DTF pages both rate properly applied transfers for 50+ washes without peeling, cracking or fading. Wash inside out on cold, tumble dry low, and never iron directly over a print.
They wear differently over time:
- HTV is a solid film, so if it ever fails, it lifts at an edge first. Big solid blocks of vinyl are more likely to do this than numbers and text.
- DTF is a thinner, more flexible film, so it stretches with the shirt and handles detail and small text that HTV cannot cut.
- Screen print ink cures into the fabric with no adhesive layer. In our experience, a properly cured screen print is the one most likely to outlast the shirt itself. See why custom shirts crack and peel.
How do they feel?
- HTV: smooth and slightly raised, matte or glossy. You can feel the edge of the vinyl.
- DTF: a thin, flexible film. Hot peel gives a glossier surface; cold peel is flatter and more matte.
- Screen print: plastisol ink has a thicker, slightly rubbery feel. Water-based and discharge inks feel softer.
What is each method best for?
Names and numbers on jerseys: HTV. Every shirt can carry a different name and number, which no screen or shared transfer can do. Our calculator charges $15 per vinyl color per location, so a 1-color name and a 1-color number are two locations. Names and numbers are quoted per piece from your roster, since long names and big numbers take more vinyl and weeding.
One-off personalization and runs of 6 to 11: HTV. A coach's name on one jacket, or a few polyester shirts below the DTF minimum.
Small runs with full-color art: DTF. From 12 pieces, color count is free, and photos and gradients print cleanly.
Polyester and performance wear: DTF or HTV. Both bond to polyester, and we press at lower temperatures on polyester to prevent dye migration, where the shirt's dye bleeds into the print. DTG does not bond well to polyester, so it is not an option there. For full sublimated jerseys, see sublimation vs DTF for polyester jerseys.
Specialty finishes: HTV. Metallic, glitter, reflective, holographic, flock and glow-in-the-dark vinyl give finishes that ink cannot.
The same plain logo on 12 or more shirts: DTF, or screen print from 36.
The same logo on 36 or more shirts: screen print. It is the lowest-maintenance print over years of washing, and the price per shirt keeps dropping as the run grows.
Is DTF or DTG better?
For cotton shirts with no minimum and the softest feel, DTG. For polyester, nylon or blends, and for orders of 12 or more where you want the same print on mixed fabrics, DTF. We compared them in detail in DTG vs DTF, side by side.
Our take
On the shop floor, the most common mix-up we see is a customer asking for vinyl on a detailed, many-color logo. HTV is built for solid shapes and text. Every color is a separate cut, weed and press, and our cutter holds detail down to about 0.25 in text. Below that, fine lines start to lift. If your art has gradients or thin script, DTF will look better, and from 12 pieces it costs less per shirt too.
For team orders, we often split the job. Screen print or DTF goes on the front logo, which is the same on every shirt, and HTV adds only the names and numbers on the back, where every shirt is different. We line up each name with a laser guide so the placement matches across the roster, and we check every name and number against your list before the shirts leave.
Ordering from Los Angeles or Orange County
- Where we are. 14130 Rosecrans Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, serving Los Angeles and Orange County. Pickup is free, or we ship by UPS or FedEx anywhere in the US.
- Minimums. Heat transfer vinyl 6 pieces, DTF 12, screen print 36 per design.
- Proof first. Every order gets a free digital proof, and production starts only after your written approval.
- Timing. About 2-3 weeks after art approval. Rush available depending on the schedule. Tell us your date.
- Contact. Mon-Fri 8am-4pm PT, (562) 407-3800, sales@frenchpresscustom.com.
Price your HTV, DTF or screen print order, or compare DTF on its own in our DTF transfers cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is HTV printing?
HTV, or heat transfer vinyl, is a solid-color vinyl film that is cut into your design, weeded by hand and heat pressed onto the shirt. At French Press Custom, a 1-color HTV front on a black Gildan 5000 is $19.64 per shirt at any quantity, with a 6-piece minimum and no setup fee.
Is HTV or DTF better for t-shirts?
HTV is better for names, numbers, one-off personalization and runs of 6 to 11. DTF is better for logos, photos and fine detail from 12 pieces, and it costs less: on 24 black Gildan 5000s, a full-color DTF front is $9.77 against $19.64 for a 1-color HTV front.
Which lasts longer, DTF or HTV?
Both are rated for 50+ washes when applied correctly and washed inside out on cold. DTF is thinner and more flexible, so it handles stretch and small detail better, while large solid areas of HTV are the most likely to lift at an edge.
Is screen printing more durable than DTF?
In our experience, yes. A properly cured screen print has no adhesive layer to wear out. Screen printing starts at 36 pieces per design, where a 1-color front on a black Gildan 5000 is $13.84.
What is the best way to print names and numbers on jerseys?
Heat transfer vinyl. Each shirt can get its own name and number. Vinyl is $15 per color per location in our calculator, and names and numbers are quoted per piece from your roster.
Can you print DTF or HTV on polyester?
Yes. Both work on 100% polyester. On 24 black Gildan 42000 performance tees, a full-color DTF front is $13.85 and a 1-color HTV front is $23.72 per shirt. For 6 to 11 polyester shirts, vinyl is the option, since DTF starts at 12.
Where can I get heat transfer printing near me in Los Angeles?
French Press Custom presses HTV and DTF at our shop at 14130 Rosecrans Ave in Santa Fe Springs, serving Los Angeles and Orange County. HTV starts at 6 pieces and DTF at 12, and pickup is free.
