Artwork files are essential to the print process. We require certain formats for different print methods and in order to achieve the highest quality prints we’ll need things to be spot on.

We put together some general guidelines to help you get started.

For both screen printing and embroidery, the artwork format is similar. We require ‘vector’ artwork and artwork files need to have different colours separated into different layers. This is because we use a different screen or embroidery disc for each colour in your designs, so we will need to be able to ‘separate’ them before we print.

Vector artwork is created in a program like Adobe Illustrator. We won’t get into the maths of it… but essentially vector graphics use algorithms which allow the images to be scaled or modified without losing resolution. For this reason, we need vector files for both screen printing and embroidery. When necessary, we can often “vectorise” your artwork ourselves for a small fee.

Above: PANTONE matching for screen printing.

We print in PANTONES for screen printing and embroidery. These are set colour codes which we match our inks to. It’s best if you can supply us with your desired PANTONES (company branding guide, etc.) but we’re also happy to do our best and match them for you.

For DTG printing, we require a high-resolution image for print. The file should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) but doesn’t need to be vector. With this method, we aren’t able to PANTONE match as colours are printed in CMYK.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the start, don’t worry! Please reach out via email or give us a call and we can chat more about artwork file preparation.