DTG Design & File Guidelines

Use the exact print area — and keep the full canvas

Every DTG product and print placement has its own production dimensions. Build your artwork on the full canvas assigned to that exact product and placement.

If the visible design is small, do not crop the file around it. Keep the complete production canvas and position the artwork where it should appear on the garment.

Incorrect

Canvas cropped to the artwork

The file no longer preserves the intended placement within the full production area.

Correct

Artwork positioned inside the full canvas

The complete canvas preserves both the intended design size and its garment placement.

Prepare artwork at high resolution

300 DPI is recommended at the final production size. Start with a high-resolution source file instead of enlarging a small raster image after the artwork is finished.

• Create artwork close to its intended print size.
• Use high-resolution source images.
• Avoid heavily compressed graphics.
• Inspect fine details at 100% before uploading.

Work in RGB color mode

Prepare and export your DTG artwork in RGB color mode. RGB gives you a wider working color range and is the preferred starting point for digital textile printing. During production, the artwork is processed through the printer’s color-management workflow, which translates the digital colors into the inks used on the garment.

The final appearance of a color can also be influenced by the garment color, fabric composition and the way the ink interacts with the textile. On darker garments, a light underbase is typically printed beneath the design to help colors remain visible and vibrant. This additional layer can slightly affect how some shades appear compared with the same artwork printed on a light garment.

For most designs, working in RGB and reviewing the product preview is the right approach. If precise brand colors are especially important, we recommend ordering a sample before launching the product.

Use transparency intentionally

Use a transparent background when only the artwork itself should print. A solid or designed background should remain in the file only when it is intentionally part of the finished design.

Before exporting, check for accidental white backgrounds, hidden objects or unwanted pixels around the artwork.

Check placement on the actual garment

Keep important text, logos, faces and other focal elements comfortably inside the printable area rather than directly against its edges.

Before publishing, review the design on every garment color you plan to sell and check the final scale, position, contrast and background transparency in the product preview.