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DESIGN GUIDELINES & BEST PRACTICES
OVERVIEW
Product Decoration Details
Each item has a designated print method, Digital (DTG), Embroidery or Dye Sublimation. Any garment that has a full
chest design, like a t-shirt or hoodie, is digitally printed and pretty much any design can be done provided our design
specs are met, which are described below. All of these garments will be able to have a back print as a second location.
All garments with a left chest print, like a polo, jacket or zip-up hoodie, along with all accessories like hats, bags and
blankets are embroidered. There are limits to the amount of detail that can be done on embroidery products and the
embroidered garments do not have a back print option. The embroidery specs will be discussed further below. Other
accessories including mugs, cell phone cases and necklaces are printed with dye sublimation and similarly to DTG
we can print any type of design as long as the file’s specs are up to par.
What file formats are accepted?
To ensure the highest quality product, we prefer high resolution .png (with transparent background) or .jpg files
(minimum 1200x1200px at 300 dpi). Photos taken from a cell phone at 72dpi will also be accepted. We also accept vector
formats .ai, .svg, and .eps (See vector notes below).
PREPARING YOUR VECTOR FILE
The vector file you upload should have "Preserve Illustrator Editing
Capabilities" turned OFF. This will reduce the file size and help
minimize upload issues.
PREPARING YOUR SVG FILE
When saving your .svg file in illustrator it is VERY important to
choose the right settings from the “SVG Options” menu. Under
“Options” make sure the Image Location is set to Embed.
(See the example window to the left)
What size is the print?
The size of the print will depend on the designable area of
the product and the decoration method. Our largest print size
14 x 16 inches.
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DIGITAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
Dimensions/Designable area:
We are capable of printing at a maximum of 14x16 inches. Each product will have its own printable design area
depending on the size and shape of the product. Keep in mind that the print size will automatically scale depending on the
size and style of the product.
Color Specifications:
We do not up charge for additional ink colors. Feel free to include as many colors as you want in your design. We have
the capability of printing full color HD photographs on apparel!
Digital Restrictions:
CAREFUL WITH COLOR CHOICES
Our DTG printing process automatically removes colors that are similar to the garment from any design. So, printing Black
on Black (blue on blue, red on red, etc.) will result in that color not printing at all. Make sure your artwork is different
enough from the garment color to avoid issues.
NO CLIPPING MASKS
Our printers are not able to read clipping mask data from vector files, make sure your design does not include clipping or
vector masks. If your file is made with masks, the print will end up being a white box in the shape of the mask itself. Any
designs that NEED to use masks should be converted to a high resolution, transparent .png.
DYE SUBLIMATION PRODUCTS
To ensure the proper printing of our dye sub products, check our website/app for art templates to create your file. Once
you’ve followed the guides in the template, turn off all instruction layers and save as a .png (use a transparent .png if
you would like the product background to show through the design). When creating a product make sure to use “Keep
Exact Dimensions” if using our art templates.
Note: We do NOT print white ink on Dye Sub products. Silver products with white on them WILL NOT print.
EMBROIDERY DESIGN GUIDELINES
We will not be able to process designs that are overly intricate for embroidery. Note: Design may be simplified without
notice to seller or customer. See samples below.
We suggest using a simplified design with no more than a 2 color gradient (it will still look like solid colors not a true
gradient).
Stick to fonts that are larger than .18 inches in height, solid font (no distressed fonts if smaller than 1”), No drop shadow
or outlines around the text if it is smaller than .5 inches in height. NOTE: Distressed fonts may be simplified without notice
to the seller or customer.
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Make sure to fill all objects containing negative space under .2”W x .2”H (transparencies) with a solid color. Leaving
objects with negative space in your design will produce poor results.
CustomCat reviews all logo uploads and will notify you within 24-48 hours only if there is an issue with your logo. It is wise
to carefully read CustomCat’s logo email before beginning to market your product.
Embroidery Dimensions/Designable Area:
1st Option - Large Embroidery 2nd Option - Small Embroidery
• 4" x 4" Max • 4" x 2.4” Max
• Available on all products, except hats & beanies
•
Available on all products
• Great for more detailed designs
•
Great for less detailed designs
Thread Colors and Design Color Specs:
1. Royal Blue: R: 0, G: 85, B: 149
2. Athletic Gold: R: 249, G: 179, B: 36
3. White: R: 228, G: 232, B: 255
4. Forest Green: R: 45, G: 74, B: 56
5. Orange: R: 237, G: 85, B: 46
6. Columbia Blue: R: 59, G: 123, B: 176
7. Red: R: 180, G: 34, B: 50
8. Purple: R: 106, G: 85, B: 149
SEE EXAMPLES ON THE NEXT PAGES
9. Gray:
R: 116, G: 125, B: 135
10. Brown:
R: 82, G: 56, B: 52
11. Navy Blue:
R: 46, G: 60, B: 74
12. Black:
R: 47, G: 48, B: 50
13. Kelly Green:
R: 0, G: 124, B: 73
14. Maroon:
R: 108, G: 47, B: 65
15. Silver:
R: 169, G: 176, B: 177
16. Old Gold:
R: 202, G: 140, B: 63
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