NW Custom Apparel produces direct to garment printing in-house at our Milton, WA facility – 48 years in business, 10,000+ orders completed, 188 verified Google reviews.
Get high-quality, full-color, fade-resistant DTG prints with:
The bigger the order, the better the savings
No separate prep step. Faster, more consistent.
Need it faster? Rush orders available.
If we miss your deadline, you don’t pay
See and approve your logo before full production.
Direct to garment printing works like an oversized inkjet printer for fabric. Print heads spray water-based ink directly onto the garment surface. A heat press then cures the ink, bonding it permanently to the cotton fibers. The result is a full-color, photorealistic print with a soft hand feel — no stiff ink layer, no cracking, no peeling.
DTG is the right choice when:
DTG is not the right choice for:
Knowing when another method fits your order better is something we will tell you upfront. We run all three methods in-house, so there is no incentive to push you toward the wrong one.
Orders under 12 pieces: $50 small batch fee or less-than-minimum handling fee applies under the minimum 1-11 pieces.
$50 Art Prep or Setup Fee on all new orders. This is a one-time fee that covers professional review of your artwork file, color adjustment if needed, and a custom digital mockup for your approval before we print a single shirt.
No art prep fee on reorders using the same artwork. Your file stays on file and goes straight to production.
| Order Quantity | Savings | What Is Waived |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 pieces | None | $50 handling fee applies |
| 12–71 pieces | $50 | Handling fee waived |
Rush orders are available when production slots allow. Call 253-922-5793 to confirm availability before counting on this timeline.
For buyers comparing quantity thresholds, see our Bulk Screen Printed T-Shirts: A Buyer’s Guide to Volume Pricing & Blank Selection
48-hour turnaround is available on open production slots. This is not guaranteed on every order — call 253-922-5793 or email sales@nwcustomapparel.com to verify slot availability before placing a time-sensitive order.
Standard turnaround is 10 business days from artwork approval. This is our baseline when 48-hour slots are full or your order requires additional production steps.
99.8% on-time delivery rate across 10,000+ completed orders.
If we miss your confirmed deadline, you do not pay.
The garment you choose matters more than most buyers realize. The same design on a Bella Canvas 3001 and a Gildan 2000 looks completely different. Here is what we know from 47 years of printing experience and the Apparel Graphic Academy garment rating system:
Ring-spun combed cotton. Produces intricate, vibrant DTG images with a soft feel. The tighter weave accepts ink more consistently than open-weave alternatives. This is the garment choice when print quality is the priority.
6.1 oz., 100% soft-spun cotton. Available in 40 colors up to size 6XL. Rated 7 out of 10 by the Apparel Graphic Academy. This is the most widely ordered DTG blank among Seattle and South Sound construction companies, transportation firms, and warehouse operations. Durable, affordable, and consistent.
Heavyweight combed cotton. Rated 5 out of 10. Holds a DTG print well but may shrink after washing. Acceptable for orders where garment weight matters more than precision image quality.
Rated 2 out of 10 by the Apparel Graphic Academy. Produces dull imprints, color flecks, and hem unraveling issues documented across multiple customer complaints. We will tell you this before you order. We do not print on it without flagging the risk.
Not sure which blank is right for your order? Tell us your use case and quantity and we will recommend the right garment for your design and budget.
Dark shirts (black, navy, forest green, burgundy) require an additional production step. Before printing, a pretreatment solution is applied to the garment. This solution creates a surface that allows the white underbase ink to bond permanently to the dark fabric.
At Northwest Custom Apparel, our Kornit Storm Hexa printers apply pretreatment automatically as part of the printing process. Unlike shops that manually spray pretreatment and wait for it to dry, our system handles it inline – saving production time and producing more consistent results across every shirt.
The white underbase is printed first, then the full-color design prints on top of it. This is how colors appear bright and accurate on a black shirt instead of being absorbed into the dark fabric.
One honest note: the pretreatment area on dark garments may leave a faint square or rectangle visible on the shirt immediately after production. This is normal. It washes out after the first wash. It is not a defect.
Light-colored garments (white, light gray, natural) do not require pretreatment. This reduces production time and cost on light-shirt orders.
Getting your artwork right before you order prevents delays and produces the best print output.
Preferred file formats: PNG with transparent background (300 DPI minimum), PSD, AI, EPS, or PDF.
Color mode: RGB for digital artwork files.
Resolution: 300 DPI at the intended print size. Artwork at less than 300 DPI will appear soft or pixelated in the final print.
Print size limits: Full chest approximately 12″x12″. Left chest logo approximately 3.5″ wide. Maximum print area approximately 15″ wide by 18″ tall.
Avoid: Small text below 1/4-inch height, very thin lines, and fine detail that is difficult to reproduce at the thread level. In DTG, these challenges relate to the minimum ink droplet size the print head can achieve consistently.
If your artwork is not print-ready: Our design team reviews every new order file and flags issues before production. The $50 art prep fee covers standard cleanup, color mode conversion, background removal, and mockup creation. If your artwork requires significant reconstruction, we will quote additional design time before proceeding.
Rasterizing: If your artwork is a vector file (AI, EPS, PDF), our art team converts it to a raster format optimized for the Kornit printer. This is included in the $50 art prep fee.
Steve Deland, our art director with 40 years of experience, reviews every DTG artwork file before it goes to the Kornit printer.
DTG prints on properly cared-for garments last through 50+ washes without significant fading or cracking. The ink is bonded to the fabric fibers (not sitting on top of them) which gives it durability. But heat and harsh chemicals degrade the bond faster than normal use.
Follow these steps to get full print life from your DTG garments:
✔ Businesses of all sizes – from single-location restaurants and retail shops ordering 12 branded shirts to regional companies ordering 200+ pieces with per-employee online store fulfillment.
✔ Schools and youth organizations – spirit wear, fundraiser merchandise, team shirts, event apparel. Minimum 12 pcs. makes it practical for small club orders that would not meet screen printing minimums.
✔ Construction and manufacturing companies – branded cotton work shirts for crews. The PC61 is the most commonly ordered blank in this segment.
✔ Event coordinators – one-time orders for conferences, community events, fundraisers, and gatherings. Short turnaround and no minimum are the primary requirements this buyer segment has.
✔ Individuals and small creative projects – one shirt, a gift set, a memorial tribute. See our memorial T-shirts service for tribute and remembrance orders.
✔ Startups and e-commerce brands – testing designs before committing to a screen printing run, or fulfilling ongoing per-order apparel through a company store program.
Hear from our satisfied clients who have made us their go-to provider for DTG Printing and have seen the difference quality makes.
From Logo to Delivery in Just 10 Days – Here’s How It Works
Submit your garment type, quantity, color, and design description through our order form or call 253-922-5793. We respond within one business day.
Send your file (PNG at 300 DPI, AI, EPS, or PDF). Our design team reviews it, notes any issues, and produces a digital mockup showing your design on the actual garment.
Review the digital proof. Request changes if needed. Once you approve, production begins. For first orders, we also produce a physical sample for your review on request.
48-hour production on open slots. Standard 10-day turnaround otherwise. Shipped direct to your Washington state address or available for local pickup in Milton.
There is no minimum order quantity. We print one shirt or one thousand. Orders under 12 pieces are subject to a $50 less-than-minimum handling fee that covers the production setup cost across a smaller run.
Standard turnaround is 10 business days from artwork approval. A 48-hour turnaround is available on open production slots for small batch 1-11 pcs. – call 253-922-5793 to verify availability before counting on that timeline. Rush orders are available.
100% cotton and high-cotton blends with at least 80% cotton content produce the best results. Cotton fibers absorb water-based DTG inks effectively, which produces vibrant color and a soft feel. Garments with higher polyester content produce duller, less saturated output. We do not recommend DTG on 100% polyester – DTF printing handles polyester and synthetic fabrics reliably.
With proper care (cold wash, inside-out, low heat drying, no fabric softener), DTG prints last through 50+ washes without significant fading or cracking. Commercial laundering at high heat degrades prints faster than home washing.
PNG with a transparent background at 300 DPI is the standard format. RGB color mode is required for accurate color output. Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF) work well for logos and designs with sharp edges. Our design team reviews every file before printing and flags resolution or color mode issues.
Yes. Dark shirts require a pretreatment process and a white underbase ink layer before the color design prints. This ensures bright, accurate color on black, navy, and other dark garments. A faint pretreatment mark may appear on the shirt immediately after production — it washes out in the first wash.
DTG works well for branded T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts used in workwear programs. For heavy-duty workwear like polo shirts that will be commercially laundered weekly, or Hi-Vis safety shirts requiring ANSI certification, custom embroidery and screen printing are the more durable choices. We will tell you which method fits your specific workwear program when you request a quote.
Yes. We set up custom company store programs for businesses that need ongoing per-employee apparel fulfillment without holding inventory. Employees order their size from the online store, and we print and ship each order directly. Call 1-800-851-3671 for details.
The Apparel Graphic Academy is a product evaluation framework developed by Erik Mickelson over 29 years in the custom apparel industry. It rates blank garments on their suitability for DTG printing based on fabric construction, cotton content, weave consistency, and documented print quality outcomes. We use these ratings to guide garment selection recommendations for every order.
Still Have Questions? Chat with an Expert Now!
DTG is not the right method for every order. Here is when each method makes more sense:
| Situation | Best Method |
|---|---|
| Under 24 pieces, any design complexity | DTG |
| 24–100+ pieces, simple 1–6 color design | Screen printing |
| Polo shirts for corporate or professional staff | Custom embroidery |
| Polyester, nylon, or mixed-fabric garments | DTF printing |
| Need it printed and shipped fast | Rush T-shirt printing when your deadline is tight |
| Bulk T-shirts for a team or event | Bulk screen printed tees |
For a full breakdown of how DTG compares to DTF and screen printing across fabric type, quantity, and design complexity, see our comparison of DTG, DTF, and screen printing.
Tell us your garment type, quantity, shirt color, and whether you have artwork ready. We will respond within one business day with pricing, turnaround, and a recommended garment if needed.
Call: 253-922-5793 | 1-800-851-3671
Email: sales@nwcustomapparel.com
Address: 2025 Freeman Rd E, Milton, WA 98354
Mon–Fri: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM | Showroom Timing: 10:00 AM–3:00 PM | Sat–Sun: Closed
NW Custom Apparel prints and ships finished DTG orders to every city in Washington State. Our production facility is in Milton, WA. Local pickup is available at the showroom (hours: Monday–Friday 10:00 AM–3:00 PM; call ahead). We regularly ship to:
