6 Ways To Make Custom T-Shirts At Home

Custom T-shirts are a fun thing to do, and you can even make extra money from home.

Thankfully, there are many ways to make high-quality custom T-shirts at home easily.

In this article, we recommend 6 popular DIY T-shirt methods, so let’s get started!

DTG Printing (Direct-to-Garment Printing)

If you’re looking for a professional-grade way to print intricately designed T-shirts, DTG printing may be your best option.

How to Print T-Shirts Using DTG

• Create your print design on a computer using design software.
• Place the pre-treated T-shirt in the printer and print the design directly onto the fabric.
• Heat the heat press to cure the design on the fabric and increase color fastness.

Necessary equipment and materials: DTG printer, DTG ink, pre-treated cotton t-shirts, and heat press.

Pros

• Perfect for detailed and colorful designs.
• Works well for small batches or even single prints.
• Produces a soft, high-quality finish that doesn’t feel heavy on the shirt.

Cons

• DTG printers are expensive and have high upfront costs.
• Best suited for 100% cotton or cotton blends, limiting material choices.
• DTG t-shirts are less durable against washing and sunlight than screen-printed t-shirts.

Difficulty level: Moderate

The operation process is simple, but it takes time to learn the software and maintain the equipment.

DTF Printing (Direct-to-Film Printing)

If you like to print on a variety of fabrics, DTF printing may be the right choice for you.

How to Print T-Shirts Using DTF

DTF printing prints the design onto a special transfer film by printing. After printing, hot melt powder is evenly applied to the patterned part and then heated to activate the adhesive. Finally, a heat press is used to transfer the design to your T-shirt.

Pros

• Compatible with a wide range of fabrics, including cotton, nylon, denim, leather, silk, polyester, and blends.
• Prints are brightly colored, detailed, washable, and wear-resistant.
• Ideal for small batches or single prints.

Cons

• Requires specialized equipment and consumables, such as DTF printers and transfer films.
• The process may cause gas emissions due to sticky powders.
• The process is more complex and time-consuming than DTG.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Although the steps are easy to master, it takes more practice to handle the glue powder and transfer.

Dye-Sublimation Printing

If you are printing on polyester t-shirts, sublimation printing is an excellent choice.

How to Print T-Shirts Using Dye-Sublimation

Sublimation Printing uses sublimation ink to print your design onto sublimation paper. Once the design is complete, the paper is placed on the t-shirt, and a heat press is used to transfer the design to the fabric. The result is a printed design that blends into the fibers of the t-shirt.

Necessary equipment and materials: sublimation printer, sublimation paper, heat press, sublimation ink, blank polyester T-shirts.

Pros

• Produces vibrant, high-resolution designs that won’t crack or peel.
• Extremely durable, as the design becomes part of the fabric.
• Great for all-over prints and light-colored shirts.

Cons

• Only works on polyester fabrics or polyester-coated materials.
• Doesn’t work well on dark fabrics, as the ink blends with the shirt color.
• Requires specific equipment, like a sublimation printer and heat press.

Difficulty level: Moderate

The process is simple, but you can only print on polyester and light-colored fabrics.

Screen Printing

Screen printing is an old classic method. It is perfect for simple designs and mass production.

How to Print T-Shirts Using Screen Printing

Screen printing requires creating a stencil for each color in the design. A scraper is used to push the ink through the stencil and onto the fabric. Once the ink is applied, it is allowed to dry to form the pattern.

Equipment and Materials Needed: Screen, good quality ink, scraper for inking, wax paper, blank shirt, pocket knife.

Pros

• Produces vibrant, durable designs that last a long time.
• Cost-effective for printing in bulk.
• Works on a variety of fabrics.

Cons

• Requires multiple stencils for multi-color designs, making the setup time-consuming.
• It could be better for detailed or small-batch prints.
• Requires some space and practice to perfect.

Difficulty level: Advanced

This method is more challenging for beginners because it requires multiple steps and specific techniques.

Embroidery

If you like high-end, three-dimensional graphics, embroidery is a great way to customize your T-shirts.

How to Make T-Shirts Using Embroidery

Embroidery involves sewing your design directly onto the fabric, which can be done by hand or with an embroidery machine. If you use a machine, you’ll need to load your design into the software, secure the T-shirt in a hoop, and then let the machine do the stitching.

Necessary equipment and materials: digital embroidery machine, embroidery needles, scissors, straight needles, tracing paper, embroidery thread, and blank cotton T-shirts.

Pros

• Creates a professional, high-end look.
• Extremely durable and won’t fade or peel.
• Adds texture and depth to your designs.

Cons

• Embroidery machines can be expensive.
• Best suited for simple designs or logos rather than intricate artwork.
• Takes longer to complete compared to printing methods.

Difficulty level: Advanced

Embroidery requires great precision and patience.

Heat Transfer Vinyl Printing

For beginners who want an affordable, accessible way to make custom T-shirts, heat transfer vinyl (HTV) printing is the way to go.

How to Use HTV to Print T-Shirts

HTV printing requires using a cutter to cut out the pattern from the vinyl sheet. Once cut, place the vinyl pattern onto the T-shirt and then use a heat press to attach it to the fabric.

Necessary equipment and materials: Cutter/plotter, weeder, heat press, heat transfer vinyl, blank t-shirts.

Pros

• Affordable and beginner-friendly.
• Works on a variety of fabrics.
• Produces bold, clean designs.

Cons

• Limited to solid colors unless you layer multiple vinyl sheets.
• Designs can peel over time if not applied correctly.
• It could be better for highly detailed artwork.

Difficulty Level: Low

HTV operation is relatively simple and low-cost, making it suitable for novice operators and trial and error.

How to choose the best method for customizing your T-shirts at home?

Choosing the right method is key to success, and you can find the right printing solution for you based on the following.

Ask yourself these key questions:

What is your budget?

If you have a limited budget, start with HTV printing or screen printing.

If you have a larger investment, consider DTG, DTF, or sublimation printing.

What kind of fabric do you want to use?

For cotton shirts, DTG, DTF, or screen printing works best.

For polyester or lightweight fabrics, dye sublimation is ideal.

How detailed is your design?

For complex, multi-color designs, choose DTG or DTF printing.

For bold, simple designs, choose screen printing or HTV printing.

Do you prioritize durability?

Embroidery and screen printing provide the most durable results.

Are you making one shirt or multiple pieces?

DTG, DTF, or HTV printing is a great choice for small batches or single pieces.

For large orders, screen printing is the most affordable.

Final Tips

• Beginners: Choose heat transfer vinyl (HTV) to start, as it is easy to use, inexpensive, and safe to try and fail.
• Intermediate users: Try DTF or sublimation printing for colorful, intricate designs.
• Expert users: Go for DTG printing for professional results or screen printing for mass production
• Luxury projects: Use embroidery for premium, textured results.

The best method will depend on your specific needs, but with the right tools and creativity, either technique can help you create amazing custom t-shirts at home!

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