Artwork: what we need and why
Most production delays start here. Ten minutes of reading saves a week.
The short version
Vector is best
EPS, AI or PDF. Send this if you have it.
Raster works too
JPG or PNG at 300 dpi at final print size, ideally on a transparent background.
Send Pantone references
If brand colour is critical.
Only have a logo from your website?
Send it anyway. We'll tell you whether it needs redrawing before it costs you anything.
Vector vs raster
A logo that looks crisp on your website at 5cm can be unusable at 30cm across a back print. That's not a quality problem, it's a maths problem - and it's why we ask for vector.
By method
What each decoration method needs from your file.
- Vector preferred
Embroidery
Your artwork is digitised into a stitch file - a one-off process. Fine detail and small text won't reproduce, and gradients can be stitched but aren't recommended. Our team can recommend what will work, and if you've had it embroidered before and want to match it, send us a photo.
- Vector or raster
DTF / UltraColour™
Vector, or 300 dpi raster at final size. A transparent-background PNG works well.
- Spot colour
ScreenPrint PRO™
Solid spot colours, matched to Pantone - send the references. Not suited to gradients or photographic images.
- Vector required
Heat transfer vinyl
The design is physically cut, so it has to be vector.
- Print-ready PDF
Print (paper)
3mm bleed, fonts outlined or embedded, CMYK, 300 dpi minimum.
Placement and size
Every garment and every method has its limits - how much area you can decorate, and how small detail can go before it stops reading.
Send us the logo and the garment, and our team will guide you on what it needs to get the best result.
Proofs
New designs get a digital proof before anything goes into production. Approving it confirms spelling, layout, colours, sizing and placement - and locks the artwork.
Straight repeat orders skip the proof and go directly into production, which is part of why reorders are faster. We keep your artwork and order specifications on file, so a repeat runs from exactly the same files and settings as the original.
What we'll fix, and what we'll quote for
Part of the job
Small adjustments
Our in-house design team reviews every file before production. Repositioning, resizing and cleaning up an edge are all part of the job.
Quoted before we start
Redrawing a logo
Redrawing or vectorising a logo from scratch is a separate piece of work, and it's quoted before we start. You'll never get a surprise line item.
Tell us the date. We'll tell you how it's possible.
Most quotes come back the same business day. Give us quantity, branding and deadline, and we can usually map out a way to get there.