Custom Apparel Glossary: Screen Printing, Embroidery and DTF Terms Explained

Short answer: this glossary defines 88 terms you will hear when ordering custom apparel, from plastisol and mesh count to digitizing, DTF gang sheets, CVC fabric and crown profile. Each definition is short and plain, and where we have a deeper guide, the term links to it.

Use the menu to jump to a section, or link straight to any term (every term has its own anchor). If a word on your quote or proof is not here, call us and we will explain it.

Screen Printing Terms

Screen printing

Pushing ink through a fine mesh stencil onto the garment, one screen per color. It has the lowest cost per piece on larger runs and the most durable print. Learn more in what is screen printing.

Plastisol

The standard screen printing ink. It is a PVC-based ink that sits on top of the fabric, stays bright on any color shirt and does not dry until it is heated. See plastisol vs water-based ink.

Water-based ink

Ink that uses water as its base and soaks into the fibers instead of sitting on top. The result is a very soft print you can barely feel, best on cotton. See our water-based and discharge printing page.

Discharge ink

A water-based ink that removes the dye from a cotton shirt and replaces it with color, so a bright print on a dark shirt still feels soft. It only works on dyes that discharge, so results vary by garment. Read what is discharge ink.

Underbase

A layer of white ink printed first on a dark garment so the colors on top look bright and true. It is flash cured before the top colors go down. Read underbase printing explained.

Flash cure

A quick blast of heat between colors that sets the ink so the next color does not smear into it. Plastisol gels around 220 to 250°F during a flash. It is not the final cure.

Cure temperature

The heat the whole ink layer must reach to bond to the garment for good. Standard plastisol cures around 300 to 330°F, and the exact number comes from each ink's data sheet. Undercured prints crack and wash off. See the ink curing temperature guide.

Mesh count

The number of threads per square inch in a screen. Low counts (around 110) lay down more ink for bold coverage; high counts (200 to 305) hold fine detail and give a softer feel. See the mesh count guide.

Emulsion

The light-sensitive coating on a screen. Where light hits it, it hardens; where the artwork blocks the light, it washes out and leaves the open stencil ink passes through. See emulsion and exposure.

Color separations

Splitting a design into one film or layer per ink color, since each color gets its own screen. Clean separations start with good artwork. Read the screen printing artwork guide.

Spot color

A solid ink mixed to one exact color and printed from its own screen. Most logos are printed as spot colors, and each one adds a screen to the setup.

Halftone

A pattern of tiny dots that fakes shading, gradients or lighter tints using a single ink color. Bigger dots read darker and smaller dots read lighter. See the halftone and simulated process guide.

LPI (lines per inch)

How fine a halftone dot pattern is. The mesh count should be roughly 4 to 5 times the LPI, or the dots and mesh fight each other and cause moiré.

Moiré

A wavy, checkered interference pattern that shows up when a halftone dot grid lines up badly with the screen mesh. It is fixed with the right mesh count and halftone angle.

Simulated process

A way to print photo-like or full-color art on dark shirts using a handful of spot colors with halftones, usually over an underbase. It gives a realistic look with fewer screens than you might expect. See the simulated process guide.

Four-color process (CMYK)

Printing full-color art with cyan, magenta, yellow and black halftones that blend in the eye. It works best on white or light garments.

Pantone / PMS

The Pantone Matching System, a numbered color library used to spec exact colors. Give us your PMS number and we mix ink to match it as closely as the garment allows. Read the Pantone matching guide.

Puff ink

A screen printing ink with an additive that rises when heated, giving a raised, spongy 3D print. It is popular on hoodies and caps. See specialty inks and our puff print hoodies page.

Specialty inks

Inks beyond standard colors: metallic, glitter, shimmer, glow-in-the-dark, high density and puff. Most need a lower mesh count so the particles pass through. See puff, metallic and glow inks.

Hand (soft hand)

How a print feels when you run your hand over it. A soft hand means you barely feel the ink; water-based, discharge and higher mesh prints feel softest.

Print-flash-print

Printing a color, flash curing it, then printing the same color again for a brighter, more opaque result. It is common for white ink on dark shirts.

Registration

How well each color lines up with the others. Good registration means no gaps or overlaps between colors on a multi-color print.

Platen

The flat board the garment is loaded onto for printing or pressing. Platen size limits how big a print can be; sleeves and oversized prints need special platens.

Dye migration

When the dye in a polyester garment bleeds into the ink during curing, turning a white print pink or gray. Low-bleed inks and lower cure temperatures help prevent it. See our Dri-Fit shirts page.

Embroidery Terms

Embroidery

Stitching a logo into the garment with thread using a computer-controlled machine. It is the go-to for polos, hats, jackets and workwear. Read what is embroidery.

Digitizing

Redrawing your logo as a stitch file that tells the machine where every stitch goes. It is a one-time charge starting at $16.99, and we keep the file for reorders. See embroidery digitizing services.

Stitch count

The total number of stitches in a design. Bigger and denser logos have more stitches and take longer to sew, which affects price. See how much custom embroidery costs.

DST file

A common embroidery machine file format (Tajima). It holds stitch instructions, not artwork, so you cannot open it like a logo or resize it much. Read why your logo needs redrawn for thread.

Satin stitch

Long, side-by-side stitches that zigzag across a shape, giving a smooth, shiny finish. Used for lettering, borders and narrow shapes.

Fill stitch

Rows of shorter stitches laid in a pattern to cover large areas. Also called tatami. It is flatter and sturdier than satin on wide shapes.

Run stitch

A single line of stitches, like a pencil line. Used for fine outlines, small details and underlay.

Underlay

Foundation stitches sewn first under the visible stitches. They hold the fabric flat and keep the top stitches from sinking in.

Backing (stabilizer)

Material hooped under the fabric to support it while it is stitched, so the design does not pucker or shift. See the stabilizer guide.

Cutaway backing

A stabilizer that stays in the garment after stitching and is trimmed around the design. It is used on stretchy knits like polos and tees so the logo keeps its shape.

Tearaway backing

A stabilizer that is torn away after stitching. It is used on stable fabrics and caps where the material holds its own shape.

3D puff embroidery

Stitching over a foam layer so the design stands up off the fabric. It is a hat classic and needs its own digitizing. See flat vs puff vs 3D foam embroidery.

Hooping

Clamping the garment and backing tight in a frame before stitching. Straight, tight hooping is what keeps logos level and pucker-free.

Multi-head machine

An embroidery machine with several sewing heads that stitch the same design on several items at once. It is how bulk orders get done efficiently. See single-head vs multi-head machines.

Embroidery thread

Usually polyester or rayon. Polyester is tougher and more colorfast; rayon has more sheen. See thread types compared.

Puckering

Wrinkling of the fabric around a stitched design. It comes from the wrong backing, loose hooping or too many stitches for the fabric.

DTF and Transfer Terms

DTF (direct to film)

Printing a design onto a clear film, adding adhesive powder, then heat pressing it onto the garment. It does full color with no screens and works on cotton, polyester and blends. Read the complete guide to DTF or see custom DTF transfers.

DTF film

The clear PET plastic sheet the ink is printed onto. It carries the design until it is pressed, then gets peeled away.

Powder adhesive

A hot-melt powder shaken onto the wet DTF print and cured. It is the glue that bonds the transfer to the fabric under the heat press.

Gang sheet

One DTF sheet filled with as many designs as will fit. Sheets are priced by size, not by how many designs are on them, so a tight layout saves money. Most run on 22-inch-wide film. See how to build a gang sheet.

Hot peel

A DTF film you peel off right after pressing while it is still hot. Fast, but only for films made for it.

Cold peel

A DTF film you let cool completely before peeling. Peeling it hot can lift the transfer. Some films are warm peel, in between. See the DTF heat press settings.

Heat press

The machine that applies set heat, time and pressure to bond a transfer. Common DTF starting points are 300 to 325°F for cotton and 265 to 285°F for polyester, always per the film's instructions.

DTG (direct to garment)

Inkjet printing straight onto the shirt. It is a different process from DTF. See DTG vs screen printing.

Sublimation

Dye that turns to gas under heat and bonds into polyester fibers. It only works on light-colored polyester. See DTF vs sublimation.

Blanks and Fabric Terms

Blank

An undecorated garment from a maker like Gildan, Bella+Canvas, Independent Trading Co. or Port & Company, bought to be printed or embroidered. See best blank t-shirts.

Ring-spun cotton

Cotton yarn twisted and thinned on a ring frame, making a smoother, softer, stronger yarn than open-end. Most retail-feel tees use it. Read what is ring-spun cotton.

Combed cotton

Cotton brushed to pull out short fibers and debris before spinning. The yarn is smoother and the shirt pills less. Combed and ring-spun often go together.

Open-end cotton

Yarn made by a faster, cheaper spinning method. It is a bit coarser and thicker, common in budget and heavyweight basics.

Tri-blend

Fabric made from three fibers, usually cotton, polyester and rayon. It is very soft and drapey with a faded, vintage look. Read what is a tri-blend shirt.

CVC (chief value cotton)

A blend where cotton is the majority fiber and polyester the rest, such as 60/40. It is soft like cotton but shrinks and wrinkles less. Example: the Next Level 6210 CVC.

50/50

Half cotton and half polyester. It is durable and holds its shape, and prints differently than 100% cotton.

Polyester (performance)

A synthetic fiber used for moisture-wicking shirts. It dries fast and resists shrinking, but needs low-bleed inks to avoid dye migration. See does polyester shrink and cotton vs polyester shirts.

GSM

Grams per square meter, a fabric weight measure. Higher GSM means a heavier, thicker fabric. One ounce per square yard is about 34 GSM. Read t-shirt fabric weight explained.

Ounce weight (oz)

Fabric weight in ounces per square yard. Lighter tees feel thin and drapey; heavier tees feel sturdy and boxy. Check the maker's spec sheet, since brands measure differently. See t-shirt fabric weight explained.

Heather

A mottled color made by mixing different colored or different fiber yarns. Heathers often include polyester, which matters for ink choice.

Garment-dyed

Dyed after the shirt is sewn instead of before. It gives a soft, lived-in look with slight color variation from shirt to shirt. See Comfort Colors shirts.

Pre-shrunk

Fabric treated to reduce shrinkage before the shirt is sold. It cuts shrink down, but cotton can still shrink a little in a hot dryer. Read does cotton shrink.

Tear-away label

A neck label made to tear off cleanly, so a brand can add its own printed or woven label. Common for private label lines. See private label apparel.

Dri-FIT

Nike's trademarked name for its moisture-wicking fabric. People use it for any performance shirt. See custom Dri-Fit shirts.

Hat Terms

Structured cap

A cap with a stiff backing (buckram) behind the front panels, so the crown stands up on its own. It gives embroidery a firm base. See structured vs unstructured caps.

Unstructured cap

A soft cap with no front backing that relaxes to the head, like a dad hat. Keep logos simpler since there is less support. See custom dad hats.

Buckram

The stiff fabric behind the front panels of a structured cap that holds its shape.

Crown profile

How tall the front of the cap sits: low, mid or high. It changes the look and how much room the logo has. Compare models on custom hat models compared.

Panel count (5, 6, 7 panel)

How many fabric sections make the crown. A 6-panel has a seam down the front center; 5- and 7-panel caps have a seamless front for logos and patches. See 5-panel hats and 7-panel hats.

Snapback

A cap with an adjustable plastic snap strap at the back. One size fits most. See custom snapback hats.

Flexfit

A stretch-band cap with a closed back that fits by size range instead of a strap. See Flexfit 6277 hats and the hat size chart.

Fitted cap

A closed-back cap sold in exact head sizes, with no adjustment.

Mesh back (trucker)

Breathable mesh rear panels with a foam or fabric front. That is the trucker hat. See trucker hat vs baseball cap.

Rope

A decorative cord across the front of the bill on rope hats and golf hats. See custom rope hats.

Bill (brim)

The visor of the cap. Flat bills stay straight; precurved bills come bent. Either can be shaped somewhat by the wearer.

Sweatband

The band sewn inside the crown where the cap meets the forehead. It absorbs sweat and affects comfort.

Ordering Terms

Proof

The final art you approve before production, showing colors, size and placement. Production starts from your approval, so check it closely.

Mockup

A picture of your design on the garment. A good mockup lists print width in inches and placement, not just a picture. See the print placement guide.

Vector art

Artwork built from lines and shapes (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG) that scales to any size without blurring. It is the best file to send for printing or digitizing. Read why your logo looks bad on a t-shirt.

Setup fee / screen fee

The one-time cost to prepare a job. For screen printing it is $20 per screen, one screen per color. For embroidery it is digitizing. See how much screen printing costs.

Minimum

The smallest quantity a shop will run for a method or price. It depends on decoration type and the job, so ask us for yours.

Price break

The quantity where per-piece price drops. One-color screen printing starts at $4.85 each at 24, $3.79 at 48 and $2.38 at 120, plus screens.

Turnaround

The time from proof approval to your order shipping. Ours is 10 to 14 business days. See how long custom embroidery takes.

Size run

The breakdown of how many of each size you need, such as 4 S, 10 M, 12 L, 6 XL. See our size charts.

Left chest

The most-requested logo spot for company shirts: about 3 to 4 inches wide, 3 to 4 inches below the collar seam. See the print placement guide.

MAP pricing

Minimum Advertised Price, the lowest price a brand lets sellers advertise its product for. Premium brands such as Nike and The North Face set MAP, so those blanks price from that floor.

Reorder

Running a past design again. With no art changes, we reuse the saved screen separations or stitch file, so setup usually is not charged again. See reorders and artwork storage.

Customer-supplied garments

Garments you bring in to be decorated instead of buying through us. We cannot guarantee results on them. See our FAQ.

Glossary FAQ

What is the difference between screen printing, embroidery and DTF?
Screen printing pushes ink through a screen, one per color, and is cheapest per piece on bigger runs. Embroidery stitches your logo in thread and suits polos, hats and jackets. DTF presses a full-color film transfer with no screens, which fits short runs. Compare them in screen printing vs embroidery vs DTF.

What is a screen fee?
It is the one-time setup cost for each screen, and each ink color needs its own screen. Ours is $20 per screen.

What file should I send for my logo?
Vector art (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG) is best. A large, clean PNG can work too. If you only have a fuzzy file, ask us.

What does GSM mean on a shirt?
Grams per square meter. It measures fabric weight, so a higher GSM shirt is heavier and thicker.

Why do I pay for digitizing?
Embroidery machines need a stitch file, not a picture. Digitizing builds that file. It starts at $16.99 one time, and we keep it on file for reorders.

Ready to put the vocabulary to work? Request a quote, check pricing, or start with the beginner's guide to custom t-shirt printing.