Artwork prep for custom tees: what to send and why
Good art is the difference between a proof the same day and a week of back-and-forth. Here is exactly what Battle Born Clothing needs for screen print, DTF and embroidery, and what we do when you do not have it.
File types, best to worst
| File | Screen print | DTF | Embroidery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI, EPS, PDF, SVG (vector) | Best | Best | Best | Scales to any size; colors separate cleanly |
| PNG, 300 dpi at print size, transparent background | Good | Best | Good | The DTF ideal; keep the background transparent |
| JPG, high resolution | Workable | Workable | Workable | White box around the art has to be removed |
| Screenshot, web logo, Word doc | Needs redraw | Needs redraw | Needs redraw | Adds time; we will tell you before we start |
Print sizes by location
| Location | Typical width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 3.5-4 in | Logo or wordmark |
| Full front | 10-12 in | Center chest, adult; 8-9 in on youth |
| Full back | 10-12 in | Sponsor lists, event names |
| Upper back (yoke) | 4-5 in | Company name under the collar |
| Sleeve | 2.5-3 in | Adds a $20 screen and a per-piece rate quoted per job |
| Pocket (PC54P) | Under 3 in | Keep it simple |
Ink colors and what they cost
For screen print, every ink color is a screen at $20 and a pass on the press. A 1-color front and 1-color back is two screens ($40). A 3-color front is three screens ($60) and a higher per-piece rate quoted per job. If your logo is four colors and the run is 48 shirts, ask whether a 1-color version is acceptable, or go DTF, which does not care how many colors there are. Give us ink colors as Pantone numbers if you have them, or by name; we match plastisol to Pantone.
DTF specifics
- Transparent background. A white box prints as a white box.
- 300 dpi at the size it will print. A 500-pixel web logo blown up to 12 inches will look like it.
- Avoid lines thinner than about 0.03 inch and text under 0.1 inch; they can lift at the edges.
Embroidery specifics
- We digitize the art into stitches: $18.99 once per design, standard 2 days.
- Lettering should be at least 0.25 inch tall. Thin serifs and tiny registered marks fill in.
- Gradients become solid colors. Photos do not embroider.
- We tell you the stitch count with the proof; prices on this site cover up to 6,000 stitches per design.
Licensed and borrowed art
Your logo is yours; print it. A sports team mark, a university logo, a movie quote in its font, a brand's logo on your shirt: those need the owner's permission, and we will ask. This comes up most with UNR club orders. Your own club name and lettering are fine; the university's licensed marks are not, without a license.
What happens if the art is not ready
We tell you what is wrong and what it would take. Simple cleanup (removing a background, redrawing a wordmark in a stock font) is usually fast and we fold it into the job. A full redraw of a detailed logo is quoted per job. Either way, nothing prints until you approve a digital proof.
Questions
Can you make the design for us?
We can do simple layouts: a name, a date, a wordmark in a stock font, a sponsor back. For a full logo design, hire a designer and send us the vector.
Do you keep our files?
Yes. Artwork, separations, thread numbers and the digitized embroidery file stay on file for reorders.
What is a proof?
A digital mockup showing the art at size on the shirt color with the ink colors noted. You approve it before anything is printed.