Nine times out of ten, when an order is delayed, it is the artwork. The garments are in stock, the press is free, and the logo is a blurry screenshot. This guide covers what to send so your order goes straight into production.
Key takeaways
- We take JPG, PNG, GIF and TIF files. PNG is best when the background is transparent.
- Send the biggest, sharpest version you have. Artwork can be scaled down, never up.
- The online designer tells you when an image is too small: green is fine, amber is borderline, red will not print.
- Embroidery turns your artwork into stitches, so fine lines and small text need simplifying.
- Check the spelling on the proof. Once you approve it, that is what gets made.
Which file types work
For printing and embroidery we accept JPG, PNG, GIF and TIF.
If your logo sits on a white box, that white box will print too. A PNG with a transparent background avoids that, which is why we recommend PNG for logos and crests. Photographs are fine as JPG.
If all you have is a Word document or a PDF with the logo inside it, send it anyway. We can often get the artwork out, and we will tell you if we cannot.
Why size matters more than file type
A print is only as sharp as the file behind it. A 200 pixel logo copied from a website will look soft at chest size and worse across a back.
Ask whoever designed your logo for the original file. Designers usually have a large version tucked away, and it takes them a minute to send.
A good rule: if the image looks crisp when you zoom right in on your screen, it will print well. If it goes blocky, we need a bigger one.
How the online designer helps
Our online designer checks this for you. When you upload an image, it scales it as large as it can without losing quality, and shows a quality meter.
- Green: good to go.
- Amber: borderline. It will print, but it will not be as sharp as it could be.
- Red: the image cannot be printed or embroidered at that size.
If you see red, either upload a higher resolution version or make the design smaller. You can mix images, photos and text in one design, and save it with the Save Design button to come back to later.
Colours and the method
The method you are using changes what matters in the artwork.
- Screen printing uses one screen per colour. Fewer flat colours means a simpler, cheaper job on big runs. Gradients and photos do not suit it.
- DTF printing prints the whole design in one go, so gradients, photographs and designs with many colours are no bother. Any design with more than 7 colours goes this way with us.
- Embroidery has unlimited thread colours at no extra cost. What costs is stitch count and size, not colour.
Read more on screen printing and DTF printing.
What changes for embroidery
Embroidery does not print your file. We digitise it, which means turning the artwork into a map of every needle path, stitch type and thread colour change. Then the machine stitches it.
Thread is thicker than ink, so:
- Very fine lines become thicker or disappear.
- Small text under about the height of a grain of rice becomes hard to read.
- Subtle gradients become solid colours.
A clean, bold version of your logo stitches best. Send what you have and we will advise before anything is set up. More on embroidery.
The proof is your last check
We confirm a visual of the design with you before anything runs. Nothing is printed or stitched that you have not seen.
That makes the proof the most important email in the whole order. Check the spelling, the colours and the position. Spelling mistakes that were approved on the proof are not something we can redo for free, so read every word.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you redraw a poor quality logo? Often, yes. Send what you have and we will tell you what is possible.
- Do you need a vector file? It helps for screen printing and embroidery, but it is not required. A large PNG is usually enough.
- Can I put a photo on a t-shirt? Yes, with DTF printing. Send the original photo, not a copy from social media.
- Can I see the design before I pay? You see a visual before anything is produced, and an order is only confirmed once we have payment and artwork.
- Can I combine print and embroidery on one garment? Yes, the online designer lets you combine both in a single design.
Have the file ready? Ask for a price and attach it, or upload it in the designer and see how it looks on the garment.
