Print guide
Transparent artwork for T-shirts: PNG vs JPG
A customer sends a logo for a black T-shirt. Printed, it sits inside an ugly white rectangle. The fix starts with the file type.
JPG cannot be transparent
JPG files always have a solid background — usually white. On a white T-shirt you will not notice; on a coloured or black one, that background prints as a box. For logos, names and cut-out photos on garments, you need a file with a transparent background, most commonly a PNG.
| PNG | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparent background | Supported | Not supported |
| Best for | Logos, text, cut-outs, graphics | Ordinary photographs |
| Compression | Lossless (no detail lost) | Lossy (some detail lost each save) |
| File size | Larger for photos | Smaller for photos |
The fake checkerboard trap
Image search results often show a grey-and-white checkerboard behind a logo. Sometimes that checkerboard is part of the picture itself — the file is not transparent at all, and the squares will print. To check, open the file on a coloured or dark background in your design software: real transparency shows the background colour through; a fake one shows the squares.
Other things to check on T-shirt artwork
- Size. Artwork for a chest print is several inches wide. Check the PPI at the actual print size, just like a photo — see print resolution explained.
- Contrast. Dark text on a dark garment disappears. Ask for a light version of the logo for dark shirts.
- Edges. Backgrounds removed in a hurry leave a thin white halo, which shows on dark fabric. Zoom in on the edges.
- Your printing method. Whether you can print white, how fine the detail can be, and which fabrics work depend on your process. Agree this with the customer before you start.
What to ask the customer for
- The logo as a PNG with a transparent background — or, better, the original vector file (such as SVG, PDF, AI or CDR) if a designer made it.
- A light and a dark version, if they have both.
- The print width they want, so you can check the resolution.
The PrintSimplify Store designer warns customers about text that is hard to read on the chosen T-shirt colour and includes a remove-background tool. See the online store.