We can work with almost anything — a phone photo of a napkin sketch has become a real shirt in this shop more than once. But there is a meaningful difference between art we can print immediately and art that needs a rebuild before it touches a screen. Here is what separates them.
Vector Is Always The Gold Standard
Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) describe shapes with math instead of pixels. Scale one to the size of a billboard and the edges stay razor sharp. For screen printing, vector art also separates cleanly into individual ink colors, which is exactly what our press needs.
If your logo was designed professionally, a vector version exists somewhere. Ask your designer for the working file — it is worth the email.
If You Only Have A Raster File
PNG and TIFF files work when they are big enough. The rule of thumb is 300 DPI at the actual print size. A design that will print 12 inches wide should be roughly 3,600 pixels wide. Anything pulled from a website or a social profile is usually 72 DPI and far too small.
A transparent PNG background helps enormously. A logo sitting on a white box will print with that white box unless we mask it out first.
- 300 DPI at final print size
- Transparent background where possible
- No screenshots, no re-saved JPEGs of JPEGs
- Include the original if you have layered source files
Color Matters More Than You Think
Screens are RGB; ink is not. A neon green that glows on your monitor may not exist in physical pigment. If your brand has Pantone (PMS) values, send them — we will mix to match. If not, we will pick the closest achievable ink and show you the swatch before printing.
Fonts And Effects
Convert type to outlines before sending vector files, or include the font file. Otherwise your carefully chosen typeface silently becomes something else on our machine.
Gradients, drop shadows, and soft glows are achievable in screen printing through halftones, but they add color count and complexity. If your design leans heavily on those effects, DTF printing is often the better and cheaper route.
When You Have Nothing But An Idea
That is a completely valid starting point. Our design team builds artwork from scratch every week — sketches, verbal descriptions, mood references, competitor examples. You will get a digital mockup to approve before anything goes to press.
The Takeaway
Send vector when you can, 300 DPI when you cannot, and tell us your Pantone colors. Everything else we can handle.