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Artwork Guidelines for T Shirt Printing

DTG • DTF • Embroidery • Screen Printing | Artwork Guide
T-Shirts • Polos • Hoodies

To ensure your design prints clearly, accurately and at the best possible quality, please follow the artwork guidelines below. Preparing your files correctly helps us avoid delays and ensures you receive the best results.

General Artwork Requirements (All Print Methods)

File Formats We Accept

Preferred (Best Quality):

  • PDF (vector)
  • AI (Adobe Illustrator)
  • EPS (vector)
  • SVG

Also Accepted:

  • PNG (300dpi, transparent background)
  • JPG (high resolution)

✔ Design Size

Please supply artwork at the exact size you want printed, or tell us the width in centimetres.

Typical print sizes:

  • Front chest: 8–12 cm wide
  • Left chest logo: 8–10 cm wide
  • Full front: 25–30 cm wide
  • Full back: 30–35 cm wide

Colour Mode:

Use RGB or CMYK.
(RGB preferred for DTG/DTF)

Resolution:

Minimum 300 dpi at print size.

✔ Transparent Background:

Where possible, supply PNG/SVG with no background.

Multiple Logo Positions:

If your order includes prints on:

  • Front
  • Back
  • Sleeve
  • Pocket

Please supply each artwork as a separate file with clear naming procedure OR clearly label each placement.

Example:

If its artwork for the pocket. Label it: pocket-logo.jpg

DTG (Direct-to-Garment) Artwork Guidelines

Best for: Full-colour images, photos, gradients, detailed graphics.

DTG works like a high-quality fabric printer.
To get the best results:

File Requirements

  • PNG, JPG, PDF, EPS
  • 300 dpi at final print size
  • Transparent background preferred
  • No blurry edges or pixelation

 

Avoid For DTG

  • Low resolution Facebook/Instagram photos
  • Screenshots
  • Images with watermarks
  • Tiny text under 8pt
  • Designs stretched larger than original size

 

Recommended Garments for DTG

  • AS Colour Staple, Maple Tee
  • AS Colour Basic Tee
  • Gildan Softstyle, Gildan HeavyCotton
  • RAMO cotton tees
  • AS Colour Hoodies (Supply)

 

White Underbase

DTG prints a white base on dark garments — this improves vibrancy.

If your design contains white that should not print (e.g., background), please remove it or request help.

DTF (Direct-to-Film) Artwork Guidelines

Best for:

  • Bright colours
  • Small detail
  • Multi-logo placements
  • Polyester, blends, nylon, sports fabric
  • Jobs requiring high durability

 

File Requirements

  • PNG with transparent background
  • Vector files preferred
  • 300 dpi minimum

 

 Best Uses

  • Small chest logos
  • Sleeve logos
  • Multi-colour logos
  • Sports team shirts
  • Polos
  • Hoodies

 

What to Avoid

  • Low-resolution stretched images
  • Fuzzy edges
  • Hidden background colours

 

Recommended Garments for DTF

  • Polos (JB’s Wear / Aussie Pacific)
  • Sportswear
  • Hoodies
  • Hi-Vis shirts
  • Polyester tees

Screen Printing Artwork Requirements & Guidelines

Screen printing delivers sharp, vibrant and long-lasting prints — especially for bulk orders. To achieve the best results, please follow the artwork requirements and production rules below.

 

🎨 1. Accepted File Types (Best for Screen Printing)

Screen printing requires high-quality, vector artwork so each colour can be separated into its own screen.

Preferred file formats (vector):

  • AI (Adobe Illustrator)
  • EPS
  • PDF (editable vector)
  • SVG

 

✔ High-resolution raster files also accepted:

  • PNG (300 dpi minimum)
  • TIFF (300 dpi minimum)
  • PSD (300 dpi minimum)

 

Not accepted:

  • Screenshots
  • Word documents
  • Blurry JPEGs
  • Low-resolution images
  • Photos of logos taken on a phone

If your artwork is not print-ready, we can convert it to a vector format for an additional fee.

 

🎨 2. Screen Printing Colour Rules

Screen printing works best with clean, solid colours.

Maximum colours per print area:

Most screen printers recommend 1–4 colours for best results and lowest cost.

✔ For complex artwork:

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  • Designs with shading, gradients, or photographic detail may require digital printing instead (DTG or DTF).

✔ Multi-colour prints require:

  • One screen per colour
  • Colour-separated artwork
  • PMS or CMYK colour references (optional but helpful)

✔ Best practice:

Keep designs simple and bold for the cleanest print.

 

🧵 3. Minimum Order Requirements

Screen printing is most cost-effective when ordering in bulk because each colour requires a setup screen.

Minimum order:

20 garments per design

To achieve the best price:

Order 50+ shirts to maximise value - price per shirt drops significantly.

Bulk screens apply per design + per location:

  • Front print = 1 location
  • Back print = another location
  • Sleeve prints = additional screens

Each screen has its own setup cost.

 

🎨 4. Artwork Setup Rules

To prepare your artwork properly for screen printing:

✔ Use solid, non-transparent colours

No gradients or soft fades.

✔ Convert all text to outlines / curves

This prevents font issues during production.

✔ Remove hidden layers, background colours or unwanted elements

Your print should be isolated on a transparent background.

✔ Provide PMS colour references (optional)

This ensures colour accuracy for branding or uniforms.

✔ Minimum line thickness: 2–3mm

Ultra-thin lines may not print cleanly.

 

🖨️ 5. Best Practices for Perfect Screen Prints

✔ Higher quantity = better pricing

Screen printing favours bulk orders because each screen has a setup cost.

✔ Choose 1–2 colour artwork for maximum savings

Ideal for event shirts, charity tees, staff uniforms and sportswear.

✔ Send the highest-quality artwork you have

This avoids delays and vector redraw fees.

✔ Ensure your artwork fits within print size limits

 

Common print sizes:

  • Standard chest: 28–32cm wide
  • Full back: 32–36cm wide
  • Pocket print: 8–10cm wide

✔ Avoid watercolour or photographic images

These are better suited to DTG or DTF printing.

 

📦 6. When to Choose Screen Printing vs DTG/DTF

✔ Choose Screen Printing when:

  • Printing 20+ shirts
  • Design uses 1–4 solid colours
  • You want the lowest bulk cost
  • You need long-lasting, durable prints
  • You want bright corporate/promo colours
  • You’re doing uniforms, sports kits, or event shirts

 

✔ Choose DTG/DTF instead when:

  • You need full-colour, photorealistic images
  • Your order is under 20 shirts
  • You want no minimum order

 

📥 7. Not Sure if Your Artwork Is Suitable?

Send your artwork to us:

📧 support@customtshirtprintingonline.com.au
We’ll check:

  • Vector quality
  • Colour count
  • Placement
  • Print method compatibility
  • Whether screen printing or DTG/DTF is more cost-effective

You’ll receive a clear recommendation and a quote.

 

Embroidery Artwork Guidelines

Best for: Polos, hoodies, corporate wear, uniforms, simple logos.

Embroidery requires different artwork preparation compared to printing.

File Requirements

  • Vector files preferred: AI, PDF, EPS, SVG
  • High-resolution PNG accepted
  • All text converted to outlines (not editable fonts)

 

Embroidery Rules

  • Minimum text height: 5mm
  • No thin lines under 0.8mm
  • No gradients or shadows
  • Solid colours only
  • Maximum 12 colours

✔ Digitising Fee

Your artwork must be digitised (converted into an embroidery stitch file).
We can do this for you.

 

Recommended Garments for Embroidery

  • Polos (JB’s Wear, Aussie Pacific)
  • Hoodies
  • Crew neck jumpers
  • Caps & beanies
  • Workwear (Syzmik)

 

Not Ideal for Embroidery

  • Very thin fonts
  • Complex photographic images
  • Grunge textures
  • Metallic gradients
  • Caps & beanies
  • Workwear (Syzmik)

Artwork Sizes for Common Print Locations

Location Recommended Size
Full Front 25–30 cm wide
Full Back 30–35 cm wide
Left Chest 8–10 cm wide
Sleeve Print 8–12 cm wide
Oversized Print            32–40 cm wide
Front of Hoodies 25cm W by 25 cm L

How to Prepare Artwork For Your Order

✔ 1. Upload Directly on Our Website

Our designer tool allows easy upload of:

  • PNG
  • JPG
  • SVG

✔ 2. Or Send Artwork via Email/Message

Perfect for event organisers and bulk jobs.

 

✔ 3. Need Help Fixing Your Art?

We offer:

  • Artwork clean-up
  • Vector conversion
  • Background removal
  • Colour adjustments

Common Artwork Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Screenshot images

Often low resolution → blurry print.

❌ Web images (downloaded from Google)

Usually too small for printing.

❌ Low-res company logos

Ask your marketing team for the original vector file.

❌ Hidden background colours

This can cause unwanted print boxes.

❌ Incorrect print size

Always confirm in centimetres.

Need Help Getting Your Artwork Ready?

If you’re unsure whether your file is suitable, send it through —
we’ll check it for free before you place your order.

We’ll confirm:

  • Print method suitability
  • Required fixes
  • Recommended garment types
  • Final print size
  • Colour accuracy
  • Delivery timeline

Final Section

For bulk jobs or event organisers, we offer a full artwork check and personalised quote service.

📍 Admin Office (by appointment only):
12 Mumbil Street, Stafford Heights QLD 4053

📍 Same-Day Pickup Locations:
Brisbane – 80 Bellevue Avenue, Gaythorne QLD
Melbourne – 20 Rose Street, Fitzroy VIC

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