Introduction
A custom apparel project can stall at the artwork stage for reasons that have nothing to do with design talent. The logo file was saved as a low-resolution JPEG. The embroidery digitizer received a blurry screenshot instead of a clean vector. The Pantone code on the tech pack does not match the physical fabric color. The label file is missing fiber content because the buyer did not know it was required. The packaging artwork was sent without a dieline, and the printer guessed the trim edge.
These are file preparation problems, not production problems. They are also some of the easiest things to fix before the first sample is cut — if you know what the factory actually needs. This guide covers file formats that hold up in production, placement specs that scale across sizes, label requirements for different markets, packaging file setup, and how to organize everything so the factory uses the right version.
File Formats and Color Modes That Survive Production
The most common artwork problem in custom apparel is a buyer sending a JPEG screenshot of their logo — pulled from a website or social media — and asking the printer to blow it up across the back of a hoodie. That file might have 800 pixels of usable width. At a twelve-inch print size, that works out to roughly 67 DPI, about a third of what most print methods need to stay sharp. The printer can try to work with it, but the result will be soft at best and pixelated at worst.
Vector files avoid this entirely. An AI, EPS, or PDF with embedded vector artwork can scale from a chest print to a full back graphic without losing an edge. If your designer works in Illustrator, send the native file with all fonts outlined. If you use Photoshop for photo-based artwork, send the PSD with layers intact and flatten a separate TIFF for reference — that way the printer can adjust elements without rebuilding your file from scratch.
Color mode catches buyers off guard more than it should. A screen shows RGB, which is backlit and punchy. Screen printing, DTG, and embroidery all live in the physical world, where CMYK and Pantone actually exist. Sending RGB files and hoping for the best is gambling. A bright RGB turquoise can print as a muddy teal on a cotton tee if nobody converts it to the nearest Pantone match before the screens are burned.
A simple rule that prevents most color mismatches: if your brand relies on a specific shade for recognition, pick a Pantone solid coated or uncoated code and send a physical Pantone chip to the factory with your sample. Codes help, but a physical reference removes the argument when the print strike-off looks different from what you expected. For full-color photographic artwork, convert your files to CMYK, embed the profile, and request a print strike-off on the actual bulk fabric before approving production. Different fabric textures absorb ink differently — a print that looks perfect on a smooth sample swatch can look faded on a brushed fleece hoodie.
Embroidery files need their own conversation. A vector file gives the digitizer a clean shape to trace, but you also need to specify stitch type, stitch direction, and density. If the embroidery feels stiff and puckers the fabric, the stitch count is too high for that garment weight. If the small text on your logo closes up into an unreadable blob, the lettering is below the minimum size that embroidery can resolve cleanly — usually around five to six millimeters in height for san-serif fonts, larger for serifs. Send a reference photo of embroidery you like (not just a digital mockup) and note the backing type, thread brand, and whether the finish should be flat or raised.
Logo Placement That Works Across a Full Size Run
A placement note that says "center chest" is not enough. Center chest on a size small might sit seven centimeters below the neckline. On a 2XL, that same measurement looks like it is drifting toward the stomach. The factory needs an anchor point and a measurement tied to the base size, usually medium or large, and clear direction on how it scales.
Start with your base size. Measure the logo width, the distance from the neckline seam (or shoulder seam, or center front, or hem — pick one), and the distance from center. Write those down. Then decide how the placement adjusts for smaller and larger sizes. Two common approaches work here: keep the absolute distance the same so the logo moves proportionally with the garment, or scale the distance as a percentage of the garment width so the logo stays visually centered. There is no single right answer, but there is a wrong one: leaving the decision to the factory and finding out during bulk inspection.
For prints with multiple placements — say a left chest logo, a sleeve print, and a back graphic — create a simple placement diagram. It does not need to be a polished tech pack page. A photo of a reference garment with arrows, measurements, and notes scrawled on it in red works better than a vague line of text in an email. Mark which placements use which artwork files, and call out whether any prints need to be mirrored for left and right sleeves.
When you are unsure about placement, request a digital mockup on a flat garment photo first. It costs nothing and catches obvious positioning issues. Then, before bulk, approve a physical print strike-off on the actual garment with the actual fabric color. A white print on a black tee behaves nothing like a white rectangle on a screen, and the only way to confirm opacity and hand feel is to hold it in your hands.
Labels That Keep You Legal and On Brand
Labels pull double duty. They carry your brand identity and they carry information that customs, retail platforms, and consumer protection laws actually require. Skip the legal side and your shipment can get held at the border or flagged by a marketplace compliance review.
Most markets need at minimum: fiber content by percentage, country of origin, care instructions with standardized symbols, and a registered business identifier (RN number in the US, CA number in Canada). The EU adds REACH compliance for chemical safety. If you make organic or sustainability claims on your hangtag, those claims need to be backed by certification — GOTS, OEKO-TEX, or equivalent — and the certification body's reference number often needs to appear on the label itself.
For the label type, match it to the garment. A woven damask label with fine text works on a structured jacket but feels stiff and scratchy on a lightweight jersey tee. A soft satin woven or a heat-transfer neck print suits lighter garments better. Printed cotton labels age nicely on casual pieces but can fade faster than woven polyester. If you are unsure, ask the factory to send a few label samples on the actual fabric so you can check the hand feel, stitch-down quality, and how it sits after washing.
Care label content should come from your factory's wash testing, not from a guess. If the garment shrinks three percent on the first warm wash, the care label needs to say "cold wash, line dry" or the grade pattern needs to account for that shrinkage. Get the test report, then write the care instructions. Doing it the other way around is asking for returns.
Provide label artwork as a separate file from your main garment artwork. Include the exact dimensions, fold type (center fold, end fold, straight cut), and stitch-down preference. If the label needs to be sewn into a specific seam — say, the left side seam two centimeters above the hem — put that in the file notes. A photo of a reference garment with the label in position takes ten seconds to take and eliminates a whole category of sample revisions.
Packaging Files That Actually Work in Production
Packaging design falls into a weird gap. The buyer treats it as part of the brand experience. The factory treats it as a logistics requirement. If the packaging file package lands somewhere in the middle with unresolved specs, it gets interpreted — usually wrong.
Start with the format and material. Polybag with adhesive strip, or self-seal polybag with a tear notch? Flat pack or folded? If you want a branded polybag with a printed logo, provide the print dimensions, placement, color, and accept that minimum order quantities apply to custom-printed bags the same way they apply to custom garments. A run of five hundred plain polybags is easy; five hundred custom-printed polybags with a three-color logo is a different conversation.
For boxes, hangtags, tissue paper, and insert cards, send dielines or templates in vector format with bleed and trim marks. If you do not have dielines, ask the packaging printer to provide them based on your dimensions. Then place your artwork inside their template and send back the packaged file. Never send loose artwork and a separate dimension note and expect the printer to figure it out. They might, but you will not know until the printed box lands on your desk looking off-center.
Kraft boxes, recycled paper, and compostable mailers photograph beautifully, but confirm the printable surface with your supplier before designing for it. Uncoated kraft absorbs ink differently than coated white board. A bright white logo that looks crisp on a coated mailer sample can look muddy and washed out on uncoated recycled material. Ask for a physical print sample on the actual stock.
If your packaging includes a barcode, SKU label, or QR code, test it. Print one at the actual size on the actual material and scan it with a phone. If it does not scan cleanly in under a second, adjust the contrast, size, or quiet zone before ordering a thousand units.
File Organization and Version Control
A factory receiving five different versions of the same logo file across three different email threads will use the wrong one. This is not carelessness. It is what happens when version control is left to the last person who opened an attachment.
Set up a simple folder structure before you send anything:
- /Garment_Artwork/ — print and embroidery files, one subfolder per placement
- /Labels/ — brand labels, care labels, size labels
- /Packaging/ — polybags, hangtags, boxes, tissue
- /Reference_Photos/ — garment references, label placement photos, packaging examples
- /Approved_Final/ — the one folder the factory should actually use
Name files with the garment style code, content, version, and date. "Logo_Chest_V3_2026-06-02.ai" tells the factory more than "final_logo_FINAL2.ai". In the Approved_Final folder, put only the files that match the signed-off pre-production sample. Delete or archive everything else. If the factory's shared drive still has old versions sitting next to new ones, someone will pick up the wrong file.
Share files through a single channel. A shared Google Drive folder or Dropbox link that stays the same throughout the project is better than multiple WeTransfer links that expire. Add a simple readme text file in the Approved_Final folder that lists every file, what it is for, and the date it was approved. It takes thirty seconds and it stops a surprising number of production mistakes before they happen.
For version tracking, keep a changelog — even a one-line note in the filename or a separate text file — that records what changed and when. If a label dimension was adjusted or a print color was switched, write it down. When the factory questions a spec six months later during a reorder, you will have the answer instead of a vague memory.
The projects that move fastest through sampling are almost always the ones where files are organized, placements are clear, and approved versions are locked down before the first sample is cut. If you are unsure what your particular factory needs for artwork, labels, or packaging, Juese Clothing offers production support that covers file preparation, tech pack review, and pre-production file checks. You can find more at jueseclothing.com.
FAQs
1. **What file format should I send for a logo that will be screen printed and embroidered on the same garment?**
Send a vector file (AI, EPS, or PDF) for both. For screen printing, the printer separates colors from the vector art. For embroidery, the digitizer traces the same vector to create the stitch file. Include a separate note specifying whether the embroidery should be flat, 3D puff, or tonal, because the digitizing setup changes for each. If your logo has small text or thin lines, flag those early — what works at screen print scale may close up as embroidery.
2. **What is the difference between CMYK and Pantone, and when should I use each?**
CMYK is a four-color process used for full-color photographic printing. Pantone is a standardized spot-color system where each color is mixed from a precise formula. If your brand has a specific shade that needs to match across T-shirts, hoodies, hangtags, and boxes, use a Pantone code and send a physical Pantone chip. For artwork with gradients, photographs, or many blended colors, convert to CMYK and approve a strike-off. Do not assume a CMYK screen proof will match a Pantone ink job — they are different processes.
3. **Can I use the same artwork files for garment prints and packaging?**
You can reuse the design, but do not send the same file. Garment print files often need to be larger and may use different color specs (screen inks vs offset printing). Packaging files need bleed, trim marks, and a layout that fits the dieline. Create separate output files for each application.
4. **How do I make sure my logo placement looks right across all sizes?**
Start with your base size (usually medium) and measure the position from a fixed anchor point like the neckline seam or center front. Decide whether the distance stays the same across all sizes or scales proportionally. Request mockups or sample prints on your smallest and largest sizes, not just the base size. A placement that looks balanced on a medium can look too high on a small and too low on a 2XL.
5. **Do care labels need to be in multiple languages?**
If you sell into multiple countries, yes. The EU typically requires care instructions in the official language of the country where the product is sold. The US and Canada require English and French respectively. Ask your factory for a care label template that includes standardized care symbols — those symbols are language-independent and cover most washing, bleaching, drying, and ironing instructions in a compact format.