So you’ve got a logo. Maybe it’s a finished brand file from a professional designer, maybe it’s whatever you could grab off your own website in a hurry. Either way, that file is where it all starts. The most important thing to remember is that the better the quality of the file that we start with, the better quality of the print we’ll get in the end.
We’re Kong Screen Printing and we’ve been creating high quality uniforms and merch for breweries, restaurants, trades crews, schools, and nonprofits in Austin since 2011. This guide walks you through what makes a file print-ready, what to do if a website logo is all you’ve got, and why having a good quality art file helps ensure that you have an amazing result. If you’d rather just get the process started, click get a quote and send your file along with it.
The quick answer, before you read the whole thing
If you only read one part, read this.
- Vector files (AI, EPS, or SVG) print the sharpest. If you have it in one of these formats, you’re golden. They scale to any size without going fuzzy.
- Raster files (PSD, PNG, JPG, a logo pulled off your website) are less ideal than vector files, but can still work. Send it anyway and we’ll tell you what’s workable.
- Bigger prints need better files. Raster files lose resolution when scaled up. A logo that looks great as a left chest, may look blurry or have jagged edges as a full back.
- Fewer colors and simpler lines print cleaner, and usually set up faster too.
- Brand color matching is free. We mix ink to your Pantone colors on every screen-print order at no extra charge.
- Don’t have finished art yet? No problem. Tell us what you’re picturing and we’ll help you get there.
Why your file quality shows up in the final print
Screen printing is a lot like cooking. The better the quality of the ingredients that we start with, the easier it is to get a high quality final product. In short, better inputs = better outputs.
In screen printing, we use the digital file that you provide us to create a stencil for each color in your design. The quality of the stencil is directly related to the quality of the art file that we start with. We understand that most people ordering custom merch aren’t running a design department, and they shouldn’t have to be. That’s why we review every piece of art you send us before we quote it and tell you what we can do with what you’ve got.
Vector art: the sharpest option, and why
Vector files like AI, EPS, and SVG are built from math instead of pixels. What does that mean? Beats us! We just know that they can scale to any size without losing detail.
That matters because your logo might be an inch tall on the left chest and a foot wide on the back of a hoodie. A vector file handles both effortlessly, with no fuzzy edges or stair-stepping when we scale it up or down.
If your design came from a pro or lives in a brand kit somewhere, there’s a good chance a vector version already exists. Ask around before you assume it doesn’t. It’s the fastest path to a smooth production process, and it gives your art the most room to move between print sizes later on.
Raster images: what they can and can’t do
Sometimes (OK, a lot of times) you just have to work with what you’ve got. A JPG saved from a website, a screenshot, even things designed in Adobe Photoshop, are all raster images, built from a fixed grid of pixels. Design created in Canva and ChatGPT also fall into this category.
A raster file is still workable. If it’s created at a high resolution and at the final print size, it can even be as good as vector based art. Raster images look great at the size they were created at, but push it much bigger and the pixels start to show. Edges get jagged, small text turns to mush, and what looked crisp on your screen would look fuzzy on your shirt. This matters most on bigger prints. A small logo stretched to fill a full back design would look rough and pixelated.
Depending on what we’re given, we might rebuild parts of it, simplify a detail, or suggest a print size where it still looks sharp.
All you’ve got is a logo off your website? Send it anyway
This is totally normal and it’s a fine place to start. A logo pulled off a website is usually small, saved to load fast on a page rather than to print. It’s made for a different purpose, but it doesn’t mean it won’t work. Send it over! There’s a good chance we’ll ask if you have a better quality version. But, if that’s all you have then that’s what we’ll work with. Sometimes it prints great as-is at a smaller size. If not, we can rebuild it as a vector file so it holds up at whatever size you need. You don’t have to be a designer to order custom merch. That’s what we’re here for.
If you happen to have brand guidelines or a style guide, or even just the name of whoever designed your logo originally, pass that along too. It can save us both some steps.
Brand color, briefly
File prep and color matching are two different conversations, but they both start with the file you send. The digital colors that are specified in the file are what we use as the starting point to determine the ink colors we use the print. If you are able to specify Pantone colors, that’s amazing! If all we have are HEX, CYMK, or RBG values, we’ll approximate to the closest Pantone color. Even better, send your brand guidelines or color codes along with your artwork and we’ll take it from there. We go deeper on how the matching process works in our guide to Pantone and brand color matching in screen printing.
We’ll call out the Pantone colors in the digital proofs so you can check them before we print. Once those are approved, we mix ink to the Pantone color in the proof so it prints the same on this run and the next one. Custom color mixing is free on every screen-print order, no matter the size.
What to send us to get started
The more you can share up front, the faster we can tell you what your file needs:
- Your artwork, in whatever format you have. Vector if you’ve got it, raster if that’s all there is.
- Your brand colors or guidelines, if an exact match matters to you.
- The garment and print location you’re picturing, even loosely.
- A rough quantity and your deadline, so we can scope the right approach.
From there we’ll put together an easy to understand estimate, and even built a quick mockup if it helps. If your job leans toward full-color, photo-level detail on a small run, that’s often a better fit for DTF printing than screen printing, and we’ll say so. Our full breakdown of screen printing vs. DTG vs. DTF covers that comparison in more depth. And if embroidery is what you need: we’ve got you covered there too. Our screen printing vs. embroidery breakdown covers that call. Curious what drives the number on your quote too? Our guide to what goes into a custom screen printing quote walks through that. And our minimum orders and turnaround times guide covers how your count and calendar shape the schedule.
Key Takeaways
- Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) print the sharpest because they scale without losing detail.
- A raster logo (PSD, JPG, PNG) like one pulled off your website or downloaded from Canva is a fine starting point. Send it and we’ll tell you what’s workable.
- Bigger prints expose more flaws in a low-quality file than small ones do.
- Simpler art with fewer colors sets up faster and prints cleaner.
- Pantone color matching is free on every screen-print order, regardless of size.
- You’ll see a proof before we print, so nothing about your file is a surprise on the shirt.
Frequently asked questions
What file format is best for screen printing?
Vector files (AI, EPS, or SVG) print the sharpest because they scale to any size without losing detail. If you have a vector version of your logo, that’s the one to send. If you don’t, a raster file like a PNG or JPG can still work. Send whatever you have and we’ll tell you what we can do with it.
Can I still order if all I have is a logo from my website?
Absolutely! It’s a fine starting point. It’s usually small and built for a screen, not for print, but that’s normal. We’ll look at it and tell you what’s workable as-is and what might need to be rebuilt or simplified for a clean print.
Does resolution matter if my logo is already a vector file?
Nope. Resolution is a raster concern and isn’t part of the equation with vector art. It scales up or down without losing quality. If your file is a JPG or PNG, the size and resolution it was saved at limits how large it can print before the edges start to look soft or jagged.
What if my design has a lot of small detail or a gradient?
No sweat. We’re able to reproduce tiny details and blend colors to closely match the digital files you give us. If we have concerns about the size certain details or gradients in your design, we work through all of that in the beginning so that once you approve the digital proof you can be assured the rest of your project will go flawlessly.
Will my colors match my brand exactly?
We mix custom colors to match every job, free of charge. Send your brand guidelines or color codes along with your artwork and we’ll specify all the colors in your proof before anything prints.
I don’t have finished artwork yet. Can you still help?
Yes. Tell us what you’re picturing, whether that’s a rough idea, a hand sketch, or just a name and a vibe, and we’ll help your project to the finish line. You’ll see and approve a proof before anything runs, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Do you charge extra to fix or rebuild a logo file?
It depends on the state of the file and what it needs to ensure a print that we’ll all be proud of. The good thing is we’ll tell you upfront if there’s added work involved and give you an estimate of what that will cost, so there are no surprises.
Ready to start
Your custom merch deserves a partner, not just a printer. Send us your file, even if it’s rough, and we’ll tell you exactly what it needs to print fabulously. For the full picture on ordering in volume, see our hub, custom screen printing in Austin, made for business. Get a quote or contact our team and we’ll take it from there.
