A guide to supplying print files for clothing

Why good file supply matters

A usable design file is more than a logo that looks good on a screen. With this guide to supplying print files, you reduce the risk of delays, colour differences and decorations that turn out too small, blurred or illegible. Always supply a source file, the desired final size and a clear placement instruction. Then the chosen technique can be assessed before your clothing collection goes into production.

This guide is intended for growing online clothing and merchandise stores that have a collection personalised and at the same time want to keep control of quality, stock and fulfilment. The right way of supplying files doesn't just limit correction rounds. It also helps apply the same decoration consistently across different sizes, colours and product batches.

Choose the technique for your design first

A print file is not the same for every decoration technique. A detailed illustration, for example, can suit DTF or DTG well but be less suitable for embroidery. Conversely, a bold, simple embroidered logo can actually look too small in print if the placement is not right.

• DTF. Most useful file: vector file or PNG with a transparent background. Pay particular attention to this: small text, fine lines and soft transitions have to be assessed at actual size. A transparent background is something different from semi-transparent pixels within the design itself: soft edges, faded transitions and drop shadows with semi-transparency can reproduce poorly with DTF or be less wash-resistant.
• DTG. Most useful file: PNG with a transparent background at final size. Pay particular attention to this: the colour of the garment and the base affect the result. A low resolution is not suitable.
• Embroidery. Most useful file: vector file or a clear PDF as the basis for digitising; a sharp raster reference with sufficient resolution can also be usable. Pay particular attention to this: photos, colour transitions, ultra-fine lines and very small lettering are often less suitable.
• Badges. Most useful file: vector file or a clear graphic PDF. Pay particular attention to this: the outer shape, border and smallest details have to remain technically feasible.
• Appliqué. Most useful file: vector file with clear colour areas and outlines. Pay particular attention to this: complex illustrations with many small separate shapes often need simplifying.

Placement and available space

So decide not only what you want to have made, but also where the design goes: on the chest, sleeve, back, hood or, for example, on a label. The available space differs per garment model and size. A chest logo that looks right on a size M can have different proportions on an XS or 3XL.

By file type: supply vector when shape and sharpness matter

A vector file consists of lines and shapes instead of pixels. As a result, a logo stays sharp when it is made larger or smaller. For logos, text, badges and graphic designs with solid areas of colour, vector is therefore usually preferred.

A print-ready PDF is often a practical choice, provided the text has been converted to outlines and the shapes are preserved. Where possible, also supply the original vector file. That makes it easier to check a detail or make a small technical correction.

A JPEG is not a suitable source file for a logo that still needs to be adjusted. This file type usually has a fixed background and can become blocky when scaled up. A screenshot from an online store, social media post or presentation is mainly a visual reference, not a production file.

Use PNG for images with transparency

A PNG is suitable for designs with transparent areas, such as illustrations, photo elements or a design without a rectangular background. Save the file at the actual size at which you want it applied. Enlarging a small web file does not add any sharpness.

For raster images, 300 ppi at the intended final size is a commonly used guideline. Align the final file requirements with the chosen technique and the design. What matters most is that the number of pixels matches the physical final size. But the ppi value alone doesn't say everything. A file can technically be 300 ppi and still look blurred if the original image was already small or compressed. So check at 100 per cent view whether the edges, text and details are clean. That view shows the pixels, not automatically the physical print size; check the final size separately using the dimensions in centimetres.

Don't use transparency if a white or coloured background actually needs to be printed. In that case, state this explicitly in the visual. Fully transparent pixels are not printed as visible white. If you want a white area to be visible, for example on dark textile, supply it as an opaque white part of the design.

Don't pass on colours by feel alone

The colour on a screen is not a fixed production colour. Screen settings, the fabric colour, the structure of the textile and the chosen technique all affect how it is perceived. So don't supply your design on the assumption that every RGB or CMYK value will automatically come out exactly the same.

If you have fixed brand colours, list the colour references used in a separate accompanying document. Also state what colour the garment is. A light grey logo on an ecru hoodie may lack sufficient contrast, while the same logo works strongly on black. For a collection with several garment colours, it is sometimes wiser to supply a light and a dark version of the logo.

Don't convert files from RGB to CMYK or the other way round on your own initiative if you don't know which workflow is used. Keep the original file and share it. Then the production party can assess which colour management suits the technique.

State size, position and version clearly

A good file without instructions still leaves room for interpretation. So always state the desired width or height in millimetres or centimetres. Also indicate whether this size is fixed or only a preference. For a chest logo, for example, the width is often decisive, while for a back print the maximum print area of the garment may be what matters.

A placement visual helps a great deal here. Use a photo or technical sketch of the garment and mark the position. State whether the measurement is taken from the centre, the neckline, a seam or the bottom of the armhole. For a sleeve decoration, also make clear whether it is the left or right sleeve from the wearer's perspective.

Give files a fixed, logical name. For example: collection_product_colour_decorationposition_version. A name like logo-new-final-final2 quickly leads to mistakes, especially when several people are working on a collection. Keep the approved version separate from earlier versions and working files.

Also use this short checklist before you send files:

• the source file is a vector file or a PNG at a sufficient size;
• the background is deliberately transparent, white or coloured;
• the final size and position are stated per decoration;
• the correct garment colour and product variant are specified;
• the file name contains a clear version;
• a visual shows what the end result should look like.

Common mistakes that delay production

• A logo taken from a screenshot. Result: jagged edges and insufficient quality. Better approach: supply the original vector file or a large PNG file.
• A white background instead of transparency. Result: an unintended white area around the design. Better approach: export with a transparent background, unless the area is deliberately part of the design.
• A design without dimensions. Result: the decoration may turn out larger or smaller than expected. Better approach: note the width or height and add a placement visual.
• A raster logo for embroidery. Result: details are difficult to assess and digitise. Better approach: supply a vector or a sharp raster reference with sufficient resolution; that can also be usable for digitising. Allow for simplification.
• Several versions in one folder. Result: a risk of production with the wrong version. Better approach: designate one final production version.

Small text and thin lines

Pay particular attention to small text and thin lines. What is clearly legible on a laptop can become too small on a chest logo or badge. This varies by technique, size, fabric and design. Don't make a detail thinner without consultation to keep the design refined. Sometimes a slightly thicker line or a simplified icon is the better choice for a consistent result.

Make approval part of your collection process

For a growing brand, an incorrect file rarely concerns just one garment. The design may be linked to several SKUs, colours, stock locations and online store variants. So agree in advance who in your team checks the files and who gives the final production approval.

Ideally, work with one approved master per decoration. Then link the correct placement, colour variant and product variant to it. A visual complements the source file, but does not replace it. The visual shows the intention. The technical file contains the information with which the decoration is made.

If there is doubt about legibility, colour contrast, suitability for embroidery or the right technique, first arrange a technical assessment or sample. That is especially wise with a new logo, a new garment model or a design that has to go on several types of textile. A sample helps you not only with the decoration itself, but also with decisions about packaging, stock and delivery of your collection.

Think beyond the design file

For brands that combine decoration with fulfilment, structure in files is part of the operation. If an online store variant has a different logo colour or placement, for example, that has to be reflected unambiguously in the product information. Otherwise there is a risk that a correct stock line is linked to the wrong decoration file.

So record per product which file belongs to which colour, size series and decoration position. Keep changes traceable. An adjusted logo can have consequences for new production, existing stock and product photos in your online store. By identifying that in advance, you keep the transition manageable.

If you would like a file checked before you schedule a collection, send the source file along with a visual, garment model, colour and desired dimensions. AJDN can then indicate more specifically which technique suits your design and which details need attention first.

Advice on your design files

Unsure about your file, the size or the placement? Email your question to info@ajdn.com or ask it in the AJDN App, where recognisable AI specialists help you with communication and advice.