- Send vector files (AI, EPS or PDF) for logos and text, and keep raster formats for photos at 300 DPI or higher.
- Resolution must hold at final print size, so a 4 inch left chest print needs at least 1,200 pixels across.
- Use Pantone spot colors for screen printing and a transparent RGB PNG for DTF, and outline fonts before saving.
- For screen printing keep text at 8pt or larger and strokes at 1.5pt or thicker, or fine details will drop out.
Why Artwork Matters
Bad files are expensive. Good files are free.
Submit print-ready artwork and you pay nothing extra. Submit the wrong file and it costs you:
- Art setup fees: $30 to 60 flat
- Production delays: 24 to 48 hours
- Color shifts from the wrong color mode for your print method
- Pixelated edges, blurry prints, rejected runs
We've seen every version of this mistake. It's avoidable every time. This guide tells you exactly what we need, and why, so your job moves straight to production.
Accepted File Formats
Vector (Best):
AI (Adobe Illustrator): Industry standard. What we prefer.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript): Universal vector, works everywhere
PDF (Print-ready PDF): Preserves vectors, widely supported
Raster (Acceptable with conditions):
PNG (Transparent background, 300+ DPI)
JPG (High quality, 300+ DPI)
TIFF (Print industry standard, large files)
PSD (Photoshop, layers preserved)
Not Accepted:
GIF: Low resolution, 72 DPI. Won't print.
BMP: Uncompressed, bloated files, no benefit
WEBP: Built for the web, not the press
SVG: Web vector format; not all RIPs support it
When in doubt, send vector. It's the format that never causes problems.
Vector vs Raster
Understanding this distinction saves you money.
Vector (Recommended):
- Built from mathematical paths, not pixels
- Scales to any size: no quality loss, ever
- Sharp, clean edges at 1 inch or 100 inches
- Small file size, easy to work with
- Separates cleanly for screen printing
Best for: Logos, text, icons, simple graphics
Raster (Acceptable with caveats):
- Built from pixels, resolution is fixed at creation
- Enlarging it degrades quality. You can't recover lost pixels.
- Large file size at print-ready DPI
- Color separation is difficult and time-consuming
Best for: Photos and complex gradients only
The rule is simple: Vector for logos and text. Raster for photos. Mixing them up is the single most common mistake we see.
DPI Requirements
Minimum: 300 DPI at actual print size.
That last part matters. A lot of people check DPI in their file editor and miss that the resolution has to hold at the final printed dimensions, not the file dimensions on screen.
Here's how the math works:
| Print Size | Minimum Pixel Dimensions |
|---|---|
| 4" × 4" left chest | 1,200 × 1,200 px (4 × 300) |
| 8" × 8" full back | 2,400 × 2,400 px (8 × 300) |
| 12" × 14" full front | 3,600 × 4,200 px |
The mistake we see constantly: A 1,000 × 1,000 pixel file looks sharp on your monitor. Stretch it to an 8" print and you're at 125 DPI. That's blurry. That's a rejected file.
Formula: Pixels ÷ Inches = DPI
Quick field test: Zoom to 400% in your image editor. If edges look jagged or soft, the file isn't print-ready. Fix it before you submit.
Color Modes
Spot Colors: Pantone (Best for Screen Printing):
- Exact, repeatable color matching using PMS numbers
- Solid, vibrant, consistent across every run
- Separates cleanly, one color, one screen
Use for: Logos, brand colors, text, anything where color accuracy is non-negotiable
CMYK (Process Color for Screen Printing):
- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, the four-color process
- Used for four-color and simulated process screen print jobs
- Our DTF printers print with CMYK ink, but you do not need to convert DTF files yourself
Use for: Four-color screen print artwork when your designer works in process color
RGB (Best for DTF):
- Red, Green, Blue, the color mode your design software and screen use
- Send DTF artwork as a transparent PNG in RGB at 300 DPI
- Our RIP converts it to CMYK with our print profile and adds the white underbase and choke for you
For DTF, send a transparent RGB PNG. For screen printing, use Pantone spot colors when exact color matching matters.
Grayscale:
- Black and white only
- Converts to halftone for screen printing
- Perfectly acceptable for single-color jobs
Screen Print Color Separation
What is separation? It's splitting your design into individual color layers, one per ink color. Each layer becomes its own screen. Each screen prints one pass.
The process:
- Each color isolated on a separate layer
- Exported as individual files
- One screen burned per color
- Colors printed in registration, layer by layer
How to set up your file:
- Use AI or EPS with layers named by color
- Specify Pantone numbers for every color
- Flag whether the garment is dark and needs an underbase
- Note print order (light to dark is standard)
Example: 3-color logo:
| Layer | Color | Pantone |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1 | Blue | PMS 300 |
| Layer 2 | Yellow | PMS 123 |
| Layer 3 | Text | PMS Black |
That's 3 screens. 3 setups. If you don't separate it, we do, and that's where art fees come from.
DTF Artwork Requirements
DTF is forgiving on color, strict on resolution. Here's exactly what to send.
Accepted File Formats:
- PNG with transparent background, 300+ DPI
- AI, EPS, PDF (vector, converted to CMYK)
- JPG at high quality, 300+ DPI
Color Mode:
Transparent RGB PNG is ideal: our RIP converts it to CMYK with our print profile and adds the white underbase and choke
- Do not convert DTF files to CMYK yourself, it can dull colors
- Spot colors convert to CMYK process values
Resolution:
- 300+ DPI at print size, no exceptions
- Vector files: unlimited, no DPI concern
Bleed and Transparency:
- No bleed required, DTF cuts to the edge of your design
- Leave a 1/8" margin as a safety buffer
- PNG files must have a transparent background, no white boxes
Embroidery Digitizing
Embroidery doesn't print, it stitches. That requires a different kind of file entirely.
What is digitizing? It's the process of converting your artwork into stitch instructions. A digitizer analyzes the design and assigns stitch types, directions, underlay patterns, and pull compensation. The output is a machine file: .DST, .PES, or .EMB.
What we need from you:
- Vector artwork: AI, EPS, or PDF
- Clean, simple designs, detail that's visible at 2 inches works; detail that isn't, doesn't
- Text at minimum 1/4" height
- No gradients, thread doesn't blend the way ink does
Digitizing Fees:
| Complexity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard (left chest or hat) | $30 |
| Combo (left chest + hat) | $45 |
This is a one-time fee. We store your stitch file, reorders cost nothing extra.
Common Artwork Mistakes
We've seen all of these. Multiple times this week.
Mistake #1: Low Resolution Web graphics are 72 DPI. Print requires 300. They look identical on screen and completely different on fabric. Always request 300+ DPI source files from your designer.
Mistake #2: Wrong Color Mode for the Method Screen printing needs Pantone spot colors for exact matches. DTF needs the opposite: a transparent RGB PNG, because our RIP handles the CMYK conversion, white underbase and choke with our print profile. Converting a DTF file to CMYK yourself usually dulls the colors.
Mistake #3: Raster Logos A logo saved as a PNG from a website is not a logo file. It's a screenshot. Request the original vector from whoever created your brand, AI or EPS.
Mistake #4: Missing Fonts If we don't have your font, the text substitutes or breaks. Outline all text before you save the file. No font file required, no substitution possible.
Mistake #5: No Color Separation Merged layers mean we separate the file manually. That's labor. That's an art fee. Provide separated layers for screen printing and it's a non-issue.
Mistake #6: Tiny Text Screen printing has physical limits. Text under 6pt won't hold detail. Embroidery text under 1/4" won't stitch cleanly. Minimum 8pt for screen print; 1/4" height for embroidery.
Mistake #7: Hairline Strokes Lines under 1pt will drop out in production. They're too thin to hold ink. Set a minimum of 1.5pt for any stroked path in a screen print file.
Mistake #8: No Bleed on Full-Bleed Prints If your design runs to the edge of the garment and there's no bleed, any slight shift in cutting shows a white gap. Add 1/8" bleed on all sides. Every time.
Art Setup Service
Don't have print-ready files? Not a problem. We handle it.
What's included:
- Vector conversion, raster artwork rebuilt as clean vector paths
- Color separation for screen print
- Print-ready file preparation from scratch
- Pantone color matching
- Size adjustment to your print area
Pricing:
| Complexity | Fee |
|---|---|
| Simple (1 to 2 colors) | $30 |
| Moderate (3 to 4 colors) | $45 |
| Complex (5+ colors or photos) | $60 |
Turnaround: 24 to 48 hours.
One-time charge. Your file gets stored on our end, reorders go straight to production, no additional art fees.
Print-Ready Checklist
Run through this before you submit. If every box is checked, your job starts without delays or fees.
□ File format: AI, EPS, or PDF (vector), or PNG at 300+ DPI □ Resolution: 300+ DPI at actual print dimensions □ Color mode: Pantone spot for screen print, RGB for DTF (transparent PNG) □ Text: Outlined or fonts fully embedded □ Colors: Pantone numbers specified (screen print jobs) □ Layers: Separated by color (screen print jobs) □ Transparency: PNG with transparent background (DTF jobs) □ Dimensions: Correct size for your print area □ Bleed: 1/8" added on all sides (full-bleed designs) □ Effects: Transparency flattened, drop shadows removed
All ten checked? You're print-ready. Submit with confidence.
Get a Quote
Every quote includes a free artwork review. We'll flag any issues before your job goes to press, no surprises, no hidden fees.
Three ways to get started:
Business Quote Form: Upload your artwork directly
Email: sales@arnoldprints.com, Attach your files
Call: (561) 323-7573, Talk to someone who knows what they're looking at
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