Preparing files for DTF
DTF prints exactly what's in your file — every pixel, including the ones you can't see. Get these five things right and your prints come out crisp.
1. Work at 300 DPI, at real size
Set your canvas to the size you'll print, at 300 pixels per inch. A 10-inch-wide chest print needs art about 3000 px wide. Enlarging a small image later doesn't add detail — it just makes the blur bigger.
2. Transparent background, always
Anything that isn't transparent prints — with a white base underneath. A leftover white box becomes a white box on the shirt. Export as PNG with transparency on. JPGs can't be transparent.
3. No half-see-through pixels
Soft shadows, glows, feathered edges and low-opacity layers don't print as "faded" — they print as speckles or a halo. Use solid colors, or convert fades to halftones. More on halos →
4. Thick enough to survive
Very thin lines and tiny text can break or peel. As a rule of thumb, keep lines at least 1 pt (about 0.35 mm) and small text at 6 pt or bigger.
5. Colors: design in RGB
Our printer handles the conversion. Bright neon and very saturated RGB colors can look a little calmer on fabric than on screen — that's normal.