Why “No Minimum” Matters for Your Team, Event, or Brand

“No minimum” means you can order exactly what you need—one shirt for a prototype, 12 for a team, or 87 for a pop-up—without paying set-up charges or being forced into a round number. At Graphic Impact in Tucson, our digital apparel printing lets you order small to mid-size quantities with the same rich, full-color results you’d expect from a large production run. If you’ve ever delayed a project because you didn’t need 48 or 100 pieces, “no minimum” is your green light.

Digital Printing’s Rise: Full Color, Soft Feel, Photographic Detail

Today’s digital methods—such as Direct to Film (DTF) and Direct to Garment (DTG)—shine for orders between 1 and 150 shirts. Why? You get vivid, full-color artwork (including gradients and photos), a soft hand on the garment, and incredible detail without screens, films, or long prep. Your design goes from file to fabric quickly, so samples, one-offs, and short runs are fast, simple, and budget-friendly. Digital Printing means apparel of all types without a minimum.

So Why Not Digital for Every Large Order—Right Now?

Two words: equipment and ink. High-end digital textile printers are capital-intensive, and specialized inks add cost. Historically, this is why screen printing has dominated high volumes; once screens are made, the per-shirt cost drops fast. But costs evolve, speeds increase, and the quality gap has closed for most artwork. As the technology improves, digital continues moving into quantities that once belonged exclusively to screen printing.

A Near-Future Snapshot: 15 Digital Presses, 450 Shirts per Hour

Picture this in the next three to five years at Graphic Impact: fifteen digital textile printing systems lined up, outputting light and dark shirts at full speed. At up to 450 shirts per hour in full color, we’d combine high throughput with overnight delivery options, giving you competitive pricing plus the flexibility of true on-demand production. No screens. No set-up. Just your design, produced at scale with the color and clarity you expect.

Digital vs. Screen Printing: How to Choose Today

• Artwork complexity: Digital crushes complex, photo-heavy, and gradient-rich designs. Screen printing is excellent for spot-color logos and bold vectors.
• Quantities: Digital is ideal from 1 to ~150 pieces (and expanding). Screen printing still has an edge on very large, single-design runs.
• Timelines: Digital is faster to start—no screens or lengthy prep—so tight deadlines are easier to meet.
• Garment variety: Digital handles a broad range of styles and colors, including small size mixes and personalized names/numbers without extra set-up.
• Price structure: Digital pricing is straightforward for short runs; screen printing scales well as quantities climb.

Where Screen Printing Still Excels

If you’re ordering hundreds or thousands of the same spot-color logo, screen printing often provides the lowest unit cost. It’s also a classic choice for specialty inks and effects (think metallics, puffs, or certain textures). For large uniform programs with consistent art, screen printing remains a proven and efficient solution.

Where Digital Printing Is a Clear Winner

• No minimum orders: Perfect for tests, samples, and limited drops.
• Personalization: Names, numbers, and versioned graphics with minimal fuss.
• Color freedom: Photographic images, gradients, and intricate details print beautifully.
• Speed: Rapid file-to-garment workflow means quick turnarounds and easier reorders.

Fabric, Feel, and Durability

Modern digital prints deliver a soft hand and vibrant color across cotton and many blends. DTF excels on a wide range of garment colors (including darks) and maintains color pop and wash durability with proper care. DTG is loved for its soft feel on cottons and ringspun styles. Our team helps you match the right method to your fabric, color, and usage so you get the best look and longevity.

Speed, Sustainability, and Inventory Smarts

Digital workflows reduce waste because you produce exactly what you need, when you need it. That means fewer obsolete boxes in storage and less guesswork on sizes. Short, frequent runs also keep your art fresh and your inventory tight—great for teams, campus groups, retail drops, and events where designs change often or demand is hard to predict.

Our Take: Digital Will Overtake Screen Printing for Many Jobs

We believe digital will become the go-to choice for a growing share of apparel orders—especially as speeds rise and costs fall. In the near term, screen printing remains a smart, cost-effective option for high-volume, spot-color projects. But for full-color designs, personalization, and agile ordering, digital is already the better fit—and its sweet spot is expanding every year.

What This Means for You—Right Now

• Start small with no minimums and no set-up fees.
• Order exactly what you need in full color—no compromises.
• Reorder fast as your team or event grows.
• Scale confidently as digital capacity continues to climb.

Ready to Print?

Whether you need one shirt or a fast mid-size run, Graphic Impact can help you choose the best method for your art, fabric, and timeline. Visit our Tucson showroom, explore options online, or call 520-795-7446. We’ll make your design look great today—and position you for even faster, more flexible production tomorrow.