Shop › Guides › Art file guide: what to send for the cleanest printArt file guide: what to send for the cleanest print
A practical reference for the file formats, resolutions, and color modes that produce a clean print on the first try. Plus what to do if you only have a JPG of your logo.
90% of "this print looks bad" issues trace back to the source file. Sending the right format the first time saves a back-and-forth and an art charge.
The hierarchy (best to worst)
Vector files: .ai, .eps, .pdf (with vector content), .svg. The gold standard. Scales infinitely without quality loss.High-resolution raster: .png or .jpg at 300 DPI at print size or larger. Workable for most digital methods (DTF, full-color UV).Low-resolution raster (web logos, screenshots, etc.). Will need vectorization. Adds an art charge ($40-150).Image of a printed business card, photographs, etc. Possible but expensive to recreate from scratch.
Vector formats explained
.ai (Adobe Illustrator): The native source for most designed logos. Most flexible - we can edit colors, layout, scale. Send the original .ai if you have it..eps: Older but still universal. Compatible with every prepress system. Good fallback if .ai isn't available..pdf (vector content): Common output format. Make sure fonts are embedded or outlined. Watch for "raster image embedded in PDF" - that's not vector..svg: Web-native vector. Works for most decoration methods.
Raster formats: when they're enough
Full-color UV print, DTF, sublimation, dye-sublimation: 300 DPI raster at final print size is fine.Screen print: 300 DPI is a hard floor; vector is preferred for clean edges.Embroidery: 300 DPI is workable but vector helps the digitizer interpret intent.Laser engraving: Vector strongly preferred (lasers follow paths, not pixels).
Color modes
RGB (web): Red/Green/Blue. What screens show. Will be converted for print - colors may shift.CMYK (process print): Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black. What presses use. RGB → CMYK conversion can dull saturated colors. Provide CMYK if you can.Pantone (PMS) spot colors: The exact-color industry standard. Tell us the PMS codes for brand colors and we'll match them on press.
Common gotchas
"Vector PDF" that's actually a JPG inside a PDF wrapper. Open it in Illustrator - if you can't select individual paths, it's raster. Send the source instead.Fonts not embedded. If you don't outline fonts before exporting, the printer's machine substitutes a different font. Always outline + embed.Background "transparent" actually being white. Save as PNG with real transparency, not JPG.Logo too small in the file. Don't send a 100x100 pixel logo and expect a clean 4-inch print. Send vector OR upscale to 300 DPI at final size.Color drift in old files. "Forest green" 5 years ago might be a different RGB than your current brand standard. Verify against your current brand book.
What if I only have a low-res image?
We have an in-house art team. Light cleanup (color tweaks, background removal) is often free. Full vectorization of a simple logo is $40-80; a complex logo recreate is 00-200. Either way you get a digital proof before any production. Send us what you have - we'll tell you what's needed.
Common questions
Will my Canva-exported PDF work? Often yes, but check that you exported with "include vector data" enabled. Canva can flatten to raster on export.
Can I send an Illustrator file with linked images? Yes, but include the linked images alongside (or use "package" in Illustrator). Better: embed them before sending.
Do I need to outline fonts before sending? Strongly recommended. It guarantees the type renders identically on our end.
What about photos for sublimation? 300 DPI raster at final print size, RGB or CMYK both fine. Avoid screenshot-of-photo (compression artifacts compound).
