What is screen printing?

Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh screen, one screen per color, directly onto the fabric. It’s the classic method behind most of the custom shirts you’ve owned. Because each color needs its own screen and setup, screen printing is most cost-effective when you’re ordering larger quantities of the same design, especially designs with a few bold, solid colors. The ink sits into the fabric for a soft, durable finish that holds up wash after wash.

Screen printing is a great fit when:

• You’re ordering in bulk (team rosters, company staff, event shirts, fundraisers).
• Your design uses one to a few solid colors.
• You want the lowest possible per-shirt price on a big run.

What is DTF printing?

DTF (direct-to-film) printing prints your full-color design onto a special film, then heat-presses it onto the garment. Because there are no screens to set up, DTF has no per-color charges and no high minimums — making it ideal for detailed, multi-color artwork and smaller quantities. It also applies cleanly to a wide range of fabrics and colors.

At Rocky Mountain Promotional Products & Apparel, DTF is printed in-house at our Grand Junction shop, which means faster turnaround and tighter quality control on every order.

DTF printing is a great fit when:

• Your design is detailed, photographic, or uses many colors and gradients.
• You need a smaller quantity (even a single shirt) without a big setup fee.
• You want fast turnaround on full-color artwork.

Screen printing vs. DTF printing: side by side

So which one should you choose?

A simple rule of thumb: if you’re ordering a lot of shirts with a simple design, screen printing usually wins on price. If you’re ordering a smaller batch or a detailed, colorful design, DTF is usually the better call. And if you’re not sure, that’s exactly what we’re here for — we’ll look at your artwork, quantity, and budget and recommend the method that gives you the best result for the money. There’s no wrong choice when it fits the job.

Frequently asked questions

Is DTF or screen printing more durable?
Both are very durable when done right. Screen printing’s ink is absorbed into the fabric for a classic soft feel, while DTF creates a strong, flexible full-color layer on top. For everyday wear and washing, both hold up well for years.

Which is cheaper?
It depends on quantity and colors. Screen printing gets cheaper per shirt as the quantity climbs, so it’s the value winner for big orders. DTF has no per-color or setup costs, so it’s the better value for small or highly detailed jobs.

Can you print detailed logos and photos?
Yes — that’s where DTF excels. Full-color, gradient-heavy, and photographic designs reproduce beautifully with DTF, with no extra charge for the number of colors.

Do you have minimums?
DTF lets us handle very small orders, even a single piece. Screen printing is most economical for larger runs. Tell us what you need and we’ll point you to the most cost-effective option.

Get a free quote

Whether it’s a bulk screen-printing run or a full-color DTF order, our family-owned team in Grand Junction makes it easy — serving businesses, teams, schools, and nonprofits across Western Colorado and nationwide. Request your free quote today and we’ll recommend the perfect method for your project.

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What Is DTF Printing?

DTF is a digital printing process that prints your design onto a special film using CMYK plus white ink, coats it with a hot-melt adhesive powder, cures it, and then heat-presses it directly onto the garment. The film peels away, and what’s left is a vibrant, full-color design bonded to the fabric.

Unlike older methods, DTF doesn’t care about fabric color, texture, or type. Cotton, polyester, blends, performance wear — it all works, with no pre-treatment required and no loss of detail on dark garments.

Why DTF Is Revolutionizing Full-Color Printing

For decades, screen printing has been the standard for bulk apparel — and it’s still a great option for large, simple-color orders. But screen printing has real limits: every color needs its own screen, setup costs add up fast on detailed designs, and gradients or photo-realistic art are difficult or impossible to reproduce well.

DTF sidesteps all of that. Because it’s a digital process, there’s no meaningful difference in cost or setup time between a one-color logo and a full-color, photo-quality design. That single change has opened the door to:

• Unlimited colors and gradients at no extra cost
• Sharper, more detailed prints, including fine text and small logos
• Smaller minimum order quantities, since there’s no per-color setup to justify
• Faster turnaround on complex, multi-color jobs
• Soft, flexible prints that hold up well to washing and stretching

And the technology keeps improving. Newer DTF printers, films, and powders released over the past couple of years have meaningfully boosted color vibrancy, wash durability, and print consistency, while automation in the powder and curing stages has driven costs down and reliability up. What used to be a niche, finicky process is now a mature, dependable production method — which is exactly why more shops (including ours) have leaned into it.

How Rocky Mountain Promotional Products Has Embraced DTF

We’ve been watching this technology mature for a while, and starting in 2025 we made a serious investment in it: six new DTF presses, giving us the in-house capacity to handle everything from small custom orders to the largest bulk jobs in the valley — without the long lead times or per-color setup fees that used to come with detailed designs.

That means:

• Full-color, detailed logos and designs at prices that make sense for teams, nonprofits, events, and businesses of any size
• The capacity to take on large-volume orders without sacrificing turnaround time
• Consistent, vibrant, durable prints on everything from t-shirts, hoodies, and corporate apparel to hats and bags
• Competitive pricing, because more capacity means we can pass the savings on to you

As a small, family-run shop based right here in Grand Junction, Colorado, we’ve always tried to give local businesses and organizations the kind of pricing and quality usually reserved for the big guys. This investment in DTF printing is the latest step in that — and whether you’re outfitting a team in Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, or anywhere else on the Western Slope, we think it shows. Browse our full lineup of promotional products to see everything we can put your logo on.

DTF Printing FAQ

How long does a DTF print last?

With proper care (cold wash, low heat or air dry), a quality DTF print will hold up through dozens of washes without cracking, peeling, or fading — comparable to a well-done screen print.

What’s the minimum order for DTF printing?

Because DTF doesn’t require screens or color-based setup fees, we can print much smaller runs affordably than traditional screen printing allows — great for small teams, one-off events, or testing a new design before ordering in bulk.

Can DTF handle full-color or photo-realistic designs?

Yes — this is where DTF shines. Since it’s a digital printing process, gradients, photo-quality images, and unlimited colors all print in a single pass with no extra cost or setup time.

Does DTF work on dark or colored fabric?

Yes. DTF transfers include a white ink base layer, so colors stay vibrant and accurate on black, navy, or any other dark or colored garment — no pre-treatment needed.

Get a Custom Quote

Curious what DTF printing could do for your next order? We’d love to put together a custom quote for you. Just tell us a bit about what you need below — quantity, colors, decoration size, and your contact info — and feel free to upload your artwork right in the form. We’ll get back to you with pricing and next steps. You can also contact us directly with any questions.

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Search our complete line of Halloween Giveaways by clicking HERE

Halloween is right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to order your Halloween Giveaways.  We have a great selection of both spooky and not so spooky promotional products that you can use to promote your business. If you are planning on sponsoring a Trunk or Treat, Costume Parade or any other Halloween related event we have you covered with a lot of options.  Even Trick or Treat bags to hand out to your employees and customers for the kids. Here are some of our favorite picks for Halloween Giveaways that will delight your trick-or-treaters and customers:

Halloween Candy Everyone loves to get candy at Halloween time and we have some great options that you can use for the trick-or-treaters or just to have available to give to your customers when they come in. Below you will find some great options for Halloween Candy Giveaways:

Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bags One thing that every trick or treater needs when they venture out is a bag to put their goodies in.  Halloween bags are also great to use for events held near Halloween, this way your attendees have a bag to use to hold the items passed out and then they can take these bags home for their kids to use. Here are some great Halloween Trick-or-Treat bags to choose from

Non-Candy Halloween Promotional Items We have a great selection of items for Halloween that you can have your logo imprinted on that are not of the sweet variety.  These types of items are great because they often stick around past Halloween so you get a lot of marketing mileage from them. Some options are stress relievers, lip balms, colored pencils or we have several other options available so choose from.

Search our complete line of Halloween Giveaways by clicking HERE

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This year to celebrate we are sponsoring the Fireworks Spectacular at the Bookcliff Country Club held on the 3rd of July.

This will be a fun event and one that you will not want to miss.  The event starts at 5:30 on Friday July 3rd.

There will be fun slides and bounce activities along with cotton candy and snow cones.  The kid’s will love the face painting and pool fun.  The beer garden will be available for parents to gather with friends and have a cold refreshment.  There will also be a Colossal Family Picnic Buffet Available.

To attend the event and enjoy the Family Picnic Buffet and all activities you can purchase this for $18.95 Adults / $9.50 Kids 4-10 / Children 3 and under are FREE

They are offering wristbands to enjoy the outside activities and Fireworks for $5 – However, If you show your Rocky Mountain Promotional Product gear you can get FREE Admission.  Please feel free to stop by our office and pick up your FREE Pen to enjoy your Free Admission.

We are also Giving A Way a VIP Package to the event that will include 2 Wrist Bands for all of the festivities, Special VIP Seating, and 2 Camp Chairs that you can take home with you.   To enter to win just click on the image below.  Be sure to share with your family and friends for more chances to win!!

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Currently we are running a special promotion on all of our Hub Pens and are offering for 30% OFF the normal price.  To take advantage of this offer please enter 30Pens at check out.

Click Here to see our selection of Hub Pens

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The following are just a few opportunities that are available in February:

In February you also have the following marketing opportunities:

• Ground Hog Day – February 2nd
• National Wear Red Day – February 6th
• Valentines Day – February 14th
• Presidents Day – February 16th
• Mardi Gras – February 17th
• Chinese New Year – February 19th

It is also an Awareness Month for the following:

• Black History Month
• American Heart Month
• Library Lovers Month
• National Weddings Month
• Children’s Dental Health Month

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Fitbit Flex Tracker Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity & Sleep Wristband in black… This slim, stylish device is with you all the time. During the day, it tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. At night, it tracks your sleep quality and wakes you silently in the morning. Just check out the lights to see how you stack up against your personal goal. It’s the motivation you need to get out and be more active. Step-It Up Pedometer Translucent plastic pedometer with digital display and belt clip. Solar Pedometer Fitness and health industries promote their services and events with the popular pedometer and the new Solar Pedometer is run off of the sun’s energy. Large display is easy to read the distance in miles and also records step count and calories. Large LCD display. Solar Panel. Mode, reset and start button. Measures miles, steps and calories burned. Can be set to either Imperial or Metric. Belt clip. Auto Shut Off. Instruction booklet. Battery not replaceable. 1 3/4″ W x 1 1/8″ D x 2 1/8″ H HealthJournals – Exercise Journal Keep track of your lifestyle with the practical Health Journal. This version combines the Exercise and Nutrition into one all-purpose tool. Select your paper board covers from Cover Series 1. A one-color/location foil imprint or blind deboss is included. The health journal is filled with 100 sheets of stock specialty filler. Consider adding the full-color pre-designed Fitness or Nutrition Tips insert. The back cover can be replaced with the popular PenPort & Pen. Black binding wire is standard. Complies with FSC. 5″ W x 7″ H Pedometer w/ Translucent Case Pedometer with step counter, reset button and belt clip. 1 7/8″ W x 1 3/8″ H x 7/8″ D Lunch Wave Cooler This spacious lunch cooler will hold a 3 course meal! Front pocket and zipper closure. Grommet details on handles. Black body with grey accents and contrasting color on front pocket. 600D Poly with PEVA liner. 13.5″ W x 9″ H x 6″ D Automatic Counting Jump Rope Automatic counting jump rope is Made of PVC rope and plastic handle, which is suit for Game, teaching, fitness. The rope length can be adjustable. Custom LOGO is available . 114″ L Smilin’ Mood Stress Dude StressReliever (Spot Color) Stress squeeze material, figure with hair. Color changes with the heat of your hand, blue to white and orange to yellow. 3″ H Wooden Massager Who wouldn’t like receiving this Eco-friendly wooden massager? Customized with your company’s information, your clients will truly think of you in appreciation every time they use this massager. 6″ L x 3.5″ W Egg Anti-Stress Putty – Red, White, Blue Stretchy, tactile putty is a great way to get your mind off what’s stressing you out. Red, white or blue putty in fun egg shaped container. 2.25″ L x 1.5″ W Energy Boosting Foods Mega Mags Magnet Need energy but fear the crash that accompanies a sugar and/ or caffeine high? This magnets tells you all kinds of energy boosting foods. 3 1/2″ W x 6″ L x 20mil Thick

The post The beginning of the year is a great time to start a Health and Wellness Program appeared first on Rocky Mountain Promotional Products & Apparel.

Rocky Mountain Promotional Products & Apparel believes in giving back.  One organization we support is the Salvation Army, and at Christmas time we do this by donating toys that can be distributed to those that without the Salvation Army may not have anything to open under the tree on Christmas morning.

The Salvation Army is one of my favorite charities for the good they do all year long and especially Christmas.   We all could use a lesson in kindness and giving; The Salvation Army’s Christmas program teaches kids the importance of giving freely and taking care of our fellow humans.   While we all get wrapped up in our day to day struggles and chores; the Christmas season is a time of year to give thanks for all the wonderful things we have and share them with others.   It is MY PRIVILEGE to be able to give; it comes back in so many ways.

~ Tyler Riehl

If you would like to help us this year in supporting the Salvation Army with toys to give to those less fortunate please bring in any new up-wrapped toy before 12/19/2014 with your receipt and we will deduct that amount off your next purchase (up to $100).

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Here are just a few great options:

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It is hard to believe that we are now into August and fall is right
around the corner.  Fall is a great time of year.
School is starting, Football season is almost here and as we get into
September and October we will start to have some cooler weather.

As we head into fall we have several great items that are perfect for
this season.

For the back to school crowd we have some great apparel items as well
as the back to school items such as back packs, water bottles and lunch
bags.  These items are great for groups to help them celebrate
the start of a new school year.

Apparel Items

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For any questions on apparel please feel free to call us directly at (970) 245-9814

Back Packs

 

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Lunch Bags

 

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Water Bottles

 

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As you start to think about football season we have a ton of great items to really launch the season.

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Please feel free to contact our helpful staff for any of your promotional product or apparel needs.  We are always happy to
help you select the best options for you.

Rocky Mountain Promotional Products & Apparel

(970) 245-9814

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