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The right file for perfect textile printing

A good idea alone is not enough; only with the right print data will your design look truly impressive on the textile. Resolution, color profile, and file format determine sharpness, color effect, and production reliability. Here you can find out what is important to ensure that your file looks exactly as planned when printed.

Resolution – clear and sharp from the very first line

Different resolution requirements apply depending on the printing technique. For DTF, digital printing, or sublimation, we recommend at least 300 dpi at actual print size—especially if the design contains a lot of detail or fine color gradients. A scaled-up 72 dpi graphic is not sufficient. Vector files are ideal for screen printing because they work independently of the resolution and are printed with razor-sharp clarity, regardless of the size of the motif.

Color profiles – RGB looks good, but prints differently

In order for colors to appear in print as they do on screen, the color profile must be correct. What appears vivid in RGB on the monitor may appear flat or distorted in print. Therefore, print files should always be created in the CMYK color space. This is the industry standard for four-color printing and avoids unpleasant color deviations. If certain brand colors or recognition values are important, Pantone is also an option, especially in screen printing with special colors.

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File formats – what works, what doesn't?

Vector files such as .ai, .eps, or cleanly exported .pdf files offer the best print quality, especially for logos, fonts, and graphically reduced motifs. They are losslessly scalable and enable precise color dosing, especially in screen printing. High-resolution .png files with transparent backgrounds are also suitable for digital and DTF printing. .jpg files, on the other hand, are unsuitable: they do not contain transparency and are often compressed. Photoshop files (.psd) only work after consultation with the print shop and require a clean layer structure.

Typical Mistakes – and how you can avoid them

Many problems in textile printing arise from avoidable details. Low resolution, RGB color profiles, or open fonts can impair the print image or delay production. Effects such as shadows or transparencies should also be reduced as much as possible or integrated permanently. To be on the safe side, convert all fonts to paths and provide a clean print preview.

Ready to print? These points should be fulfilled:

  • The file is in the desired print size and at least 300 dpi.

  • The color space is set to CMYK – alternatively Pantone for spot colors.

  • For vector formats, all fonts are converted to paths.

  • Transparent backgrounds are created correctly – for .png or .pdf.

  • There are no superfluous effects or hidden layers.

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