How to design a custom t-shirt
A great custom shirt starts with print-ready artwork. Here's what to send us, what to avoid, and the tips that take a design from amateur to pro.
1. Start with the right file type
Vector files (SVG, AI, PDF) scale to any size with zero quality loss — the gold standard for logos, text, and clean graphics. Raster files (PNG, JPG) work too, but they need to be high resolution: at least 300 DPI at the size you want it printed. Pulled a logo off a website? It's likely 72 DPI and will look pixelated on a tee.
2. Size your art for the print area
Full-front prints run roughly 12" wide × 14" tall on an adult shirt. Left-chest logos are typically 3.5–4" wide. Build your art at the final print size whenever possible.
3. Pick colors that punch
- High contrast between art and shirt color reads from across a room.
- Bright neons and rich blacks sublimate beautifully on polyester.
- For embroidery, simplify to 8 colors or fewer — every thread change adds cost.
4. Avoid the rookie mistakes
- Tiny text under 0.25" — embroidery especially won't read.
- Photos with busy backgrounds — isolate your subject first.
- Hairline strokes that vanish when scaled down.
- JPGs with white backgrounds you forgot to remove.
5. Tell us what you don't know
Don't have a designer? Send us a sketch, a Pinterest board, or a description. We have AI-assisted tools that clean up rough scans and an in-house design team that can mock up revisions before press. No setup fees on standard sublimation runs.
Ready to upload?
Jump into the design studio to drop your art onto a real garment preview, or send us the details and we'll quote within one business day.