Screen printing when one design goes on a lot of shirts. DTF when the art is full color or changes from guest to guest. Plenty of Triangle events run both at one station.
Screen printing
Ink is pulled through a screen on a real press. Once a design is set up it's quick, and the print is bold and lasts. It suits one- to three-color art at volume: an expo day at the Raleigh Convention Center, a festival gate at Coastal Credit Union Music Park, a career fair line at NC State. More on live screen printing.
DTF transfers
The design is printed onto film and heat-pressed onto the garment. There's no color limit and no screen, so a name, a team, a date or a photo-real logo costs the line nothing extra. It's the better fit for a Warehouse District launch night, or a biotech kickoff where each attendee's department goes on the sleeve. More on live DTF.
Running both
A two-color event logo on the press plus a DTF add-on for names is a common Raleigh setup. It fits the same footprint and lets guests choose. Send the art and we'll say which one earns the floor space.