How to Prepare Your Artwork for Custom Printing (Files, Resolution & Colors)

TL;DR

Best file: a vector (.ai, .eps, .svg, or vector .pdf). It scales to any size with zero quality loss.
No vector? Send the highest-resolution PNG you have — ideally 300 DPI at full print size, with a transparent background.
Colors: name your Pantone (PMS) colors for screen printing; send RGB/CMYK for DTF.
Don't have print-ready art? Our team can clean it up or recreate it — you'll approve a proof before anything prints.

Vector vs. raster (the one thing that matters most)

Vector art is built from math — lines and curves — so it scales infinitely. A vector logo prints razor-sharp whether it's a left-chest embroidery or a full-back print. Formats: .ai, .eps, .svg, and vector .pdf.

Raster art is built from pixels (photos, screenshots, most PNGs/JPGs). Blow it up past its native size and it goes blurry or jagged. It can print fine if the resolution is high enough at the size you're printing.

What file to send, by method

Method	Ideal file	Also works
Screen printing	Vector (`.ai`, `.eps`, `.pdf`)	300 DPI PNG at print size
DTF (full color)	Vector or 300 DPI PNG, transparent bg	High-res JPG on white
Embroidery	Vector or clean, bold PNG	Any clear logo (we digitize it)

For embroidery, we convert your art into a stitch file ("digitizing"), so a clean, bold version of the logo matters more than the file format. Very fine lines and tiny text don't stitch well — see embroidery vs screen printing.

Resolution: the 300 DPI rule

If you're sending a raster file, it should be 300 DPI at the actual size you want it printed — not 300 DPI at 1 inch blown up to 12.

Quick check: a print-ready 10-inch-wide design should be roughly 3,000 pixels wide (10 in × 300 DPI). If your file is 600 pixels wide, it'll look soft at full size no matter what.

Color: get the print to match your brand

Screen printing uses spot colors. Tell us your Pantone (PMS) numbers and we'll match them exactly. If you don't know them, we'll match as closely as possible and confirm on the proof.
DTF is full-color (CMYK/RGB). Bright neons and some ultra-saturated tones can shift slightly from screen to fabric — the proof is where we confirm.
Garment color matters. A design made for a white shirt may need a white underbase (or tweaks) to pop on a dark garment. We handle this, but flag it if the shirt color is unusual.

Sizing & placement

Standard left chest: ~3.5–4 inches wide.
Full front / back: ~11–12 inches wide is typical for adult sizes.
Transparent background: send PNGs with the background removed so we're not printing a white box around your logo.
Convert text to outlines in vector files (or include the font) so your fonts don't substitute on our end.

Common mistakes that slow orders down

Sending a tiny web logo and expecting a large sharp print.
A JPG with a white background for a print on a colored shirt (that white box will print).
Screenshotting a logo off a website — always low-res.
Fonts not outlined/included — text reflows or substitutes.
No color guidance — "match my brand blue" without a Pantone means we guess (then confirm on the proof).

Don't have print-ready art? That's normal.

Most customers don't have a perfect vector on hand — and that's fine. Our art team can recolor, clean up, re-vectorize, or design from scratch, and every order gets a free proof you approve before we print. Nothing goes to production until it looks exactly right.

Send us your artwork