How to Prepare Artwork & Vector Files for Custom T-Shirt Printing (300 DPI & Transparency Guide)

Submitting crisp, high-resolution artwork is the single most effective way to ensure your custom printed apparel turns out sharp, vibrant, and professional.

Low-resolution web graphics (like 72 DPI screenshots or transparent GIFs) often result in pixelated edges, muddy colors, and visible blur when scaled onto a chest or back print zone.

Here is our studio guide to preparing print-ready design files for Custom Print Works.

1. Resolution & DPI Requirements

Minimum Resolution: 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch) at 100% physical print size.

Physical Canvas Size: For a standard front chest print, set your design canvas to 12" x 16" (3000px x 4000px) at 300 DPI.

File Format: High-resolution PNG (with transparent background), SVG, PDF, or AI (Adobe Illustrator).

Studio Tip: Saving a 72 DPI website image as a 300 DPI file in Photoshop will not add missing details. Always start with vector artwork or high-resolution original source files!

2. Transparent Backgrounds

When submitting artwork for dark or colored garments, ensure your file background is transparent, not solid white or checkerboard.

PNG-24 Format: Export with transparency enabled so only your logo or text is printed.

Check Hidden Layers: Remove background canvas layers before exporting to prevent solid white boxes around your logo.

3. Vector vs. Raster Artwork

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Artwork Type	Description	File Extensions	Recommended Use
Vector Artwork	Mathematical lines & curves; infinitely scalable without quality loss.	`.svg`, `.ai`, `.eps`, `.pdf`	Logos, typography, crisp brand graphics.
Raster Artwork	Pixel-based grid image; fixed resolution.	`.png`, `.tiff`, `.psd`	Photographic designs, digital paintings, detailed shading.

4. Font & Typography Conversion

If submitting vector PDF or AI files, always convert all text fonts to outlines or curves (Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + O or Cmd + Shift + O in Illustrator). This prevents font substitution errors if our studio system lacks your specific custom typeface.

5. Color Spaces: RGB vs. CMYK

DTG & DTF Printing: Design using sRGB color space. Modern digital textile printers use high-fidelity multi-ink spectrums that reproduce vibrant RGB tones.

Screen Printing: If exact corporate brand matching is required, provide Pantone (PMS) C color codes in your design notes.

Let Our Studio Pre-Flight Your Artwork

Don't worry if you aren't a graphic designer! When you submit an order request on Custom Print Works, our studio team pre-flights your artwork within 24 hours to verify print resolution, alignment, and transparent zones before sending your payment link.