DTF Artwork & File Requirements

Prepare Your Artwork for Premium DTF Printing

At The Stitch Studio Embroidery and Print, we want every design to look its best. Preparing your artwork correctly is essential for achieving vibrant colours, sharp details, clean edges, and professional-quality DTF transfers.

Whether you're using our DTF Gang Sheet Builder, uploading a premade DTF gang sheet, or ordering custom DTF transfers by size, please follow these artwork preparation guidelines before submitting your order.

1. Accepted Artwork File Formats

For the best printing results, we recommend the following file formats:

PNG (Recommended): High-resolution artwork with a transparent background.
PDF: High-quality, correctly sized artwork with suitable transparency settings.
AI (Adobe Illustrator): Vector artwork with fonts converted to outlines.
EPS: Vector artwork suitable for professional printing.
SVG: Scalable vector artwork with properly embedded design elements.

Important: File format compatibility may vary depending on the product uploader or gang sheet builder. PNG is our preferred option for straightforward artwork uploads.

Please avoid low-quality screenshots, compressed images, and artwork downloaded from social media.

2. Image Resolution – 300 DPI Recommended

For professional-quality DTF printing, we recommend artwork prepared at 300 DPI (dots per inch) at its final printing dimensions.

Artwork resolution guidelines:

300 DPI: Recommended for sharp, detailed printing.
150 DPI: May be acceptable for some designs, but fine details can appear less sharp.
Below 150 DPI: Not recommended due to the risk of pixelation and blurry prints.

Important: Increasing the DPI setting on a low-resolution image does not automatically improve its quality.

Always use the highest-quality original artwork available.

3. Transparent Background Requirements

For most DTF transfer designs, artwork should have a transparent background.

A transparent background ensures that unwanted white or coloured boxes are not printed around your design.

Before uploading:

Remove unnecessary backgrounds.
Export your artwork as a transparent PNG where possible.
Check for unwanted white boxes or background elements.
Remove stray pixels and unnecessary marks.
Make sure design edges are clean.

Remember: White elements intentionally included in your artwork can be printed using white DTF ink. Only remove white backgrounds that you do not want printed.

4. Artwork Size & Dimensions

Your artwork should be prepared at the exact dimensions you want printed.

DTF Gang Sheet Builder

Our DTF gang sheets have a fixed width of 60cm, with a maximum sheet length of 1000cm (10 metres).

Using our online builder, you can:

Upload multiple designs.
Resize artwork to your preferred dimensions.
Arrange designs on your sheet.
Make efficient use of available printing space.
Preview your layout before ordering.

Upload Your Premade DTF Gang Sheet

If you're uploading a completed gang sheet, your artwork must match your selected sheet dimensions.

Available sizes:

60 × 100cm (1m), 60 × 200cm (2m), 60 × 300cm (3m), 60 × 400cm (4m), 60 × 500cm (5m), 60 × 600cm (6m), 60 × 700cm (7m), 60 × 800cm (8m), 60 × 900cm (9m), 60 × 1000cm (10m).

Ensure that all designs fit within the sheet boundaries.

Custom DTF Transfers By Size

For individual transfers, enter your required artwork width and height.

Maximum width: 60cm
Maximum height: 1000cm
Pricing: Based on your selected artwork dimensions

Please double-check all measurements before completing your order.

5. Colour Settings & Printing Expectations

We use premium 9-colour DTF printing technology to produce vibrant colours, smooth gradients, and detailed designs.

For best results:

Use high-quality original artwork.
Avoid excessively dark or poorly contrasted designs.
Make sure colours are consistent throughout your design.
Avoid unnecessary colour conversions.
Where possible, provide a colour reference for important branded designs.

Please note: Colours displayed on computer and mobile screens may differ slightly from finished DTF transfers due to monitor calibration, printing processes, and garment materials.

Exact colour matching cannot be guaranteed unless specifically agreed upon before production.

6. Fonts, Text & Fine Details

Small lettering and detailed artwork require special attention when preparing designs for DTF printing.

We recommend:

Using clear, readable fonts.
Converting fonts to outlines when supplying vector artwork.
Avoiding extremely thin lines and tiny text.
Removing unnecessary details that may not reproduce clearly.
Checking all spelling before uploading.

Very fine details, small gaps, and thin lines may affect printing or transfer durability.

For designs containing small text or intricate elements, contact us if you're unsure about suitability.

7. Gang Sheet Layout & Spacing

When creating a DTF gang sheet, leave sufficient space between individual designs to allow easy cutting and separation after printing.

Recommended layout guidelines:

Leave approximately 5mm or more between separate designs.
Keep all artwork inside the printable sheet area.
Avoid overlapping graphics.
Remove unused background elements.
Check that each design is correctly sized.
Ensure artwork is not accidentally cropped.

These recommendations help create a cleaner, more practical gang sheet layout.

8. Avoid Low-Quality Artwork

Poor-quality files can result in blurry, pixelated, or incorrectly printed transfers.

Please avoid:

Screenshots of designs.
Low-resolution JPEG files.
Images copied from websites.
Blurry or pixelated logos.
Artwork with unwanted backgrounds.
Files containing watermarks.
Designs with unintentional transparent or missing elements.

For the best results, use original artwork or professionally prepared digital files.

9. Important Checks Before Uploading

Before submitting your DTF printing order, please review this checklist:

Artwork is high resolution, preferably 300 DPI.
Background is transparent where required.
Design dimensions are correct.
All text and spelling have been checked.
Colours and design details are correct.
No unwanted backgrounds or stray pixels remain.
Gang sheet artwork fits within the selected dimensions.
Individual designs have adequate spacing.
Your final file is ready for printing.

Please check your artwork carefully before placing your order.

10. Artwork Responsibility & Printing Quality

Customers are responsible for ensuring that submitted artwork is accurate, correctly sized, and suitable for printing.

Artwork supplied through our online ordering system may be printed according to the file and dimensions submitted.

Please be aware:

Low-resolution artwork may produce poor-quality results.
Incorrect dimensions may affect the finished transfer size.
Unwanted backgrounds may appear in the printed design.
Spelling mistakes or artwork errors may be reproduced.
Colours may differ slightly from those displayed on screens.

If we identify a potential issue during artwork preparation, we may contact you for clarification. However, artwork checking or correction is not guaranteed unless specifically arranged.

Customers must also ensure that they own their designs or have permission to reproduce the artwork submitted.

Need Help Preparing Your DTF Artwork?

Not sure whether your artwork is suitable for DTF printing?

At The Stitch Studio Embroidery and Print, we're happy to answer questions about DTF artwork preparation, gang sheet layouts, file resolution, transparency, and printing requirements.

Email: kerry@tcs-eco.co.uk

Phone: 07909 923890

Address: 7 Longford Avenue, kilwinning, KA13 6EX, United Kingdom

The Stitch Studio Embroidery and Print

Premium 9-Colour DTF Printing | Custom Gang Sheets | Professional Embroidery | Personalised Clothing

Great Prints Start With Great Artwork!