How To Prepare a Design File for Screen Printing

Screen Printing file setup is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving a high-quality print, and this is largely due to minimal knowledge on how screen printing works. There are specific ways in which the artwork needs to be submitted for your printer to ensure a perfect print. We will go over two file types and their attributes as well as the common mistakes made and which file types to avoid.

What Type Of File Should I Have?

There are two main types of files for apparel printing that you should know, Vector and Raster. A vector file is always the best option and most printers will ask for this file type as it will always produce the best results. Raster files are the alternative option and a necessary option in some cases, especially for photographic artwork. Raster files should be high-resolution with minimal compression for the best print possible.

The most problematic files are those that are low-resolution and compressed raster images, which is the reason why vectors are favored as they will not require as much work to prepare for printing, and in some instances, bitmap files will require for the artwork to be recreated entirely.

Vector & Rasters

There are instances where both file types are needed for one single print. A raster can exist within a vector file, for example, if a graphic requires an element of smoke or a photograph then the raster file will need to be converted by using a raster imaging processor; This is a software program like a PostScript Driver that can convert the raster artwork and the information it holds to halftones. When converting to a vector format, or rasterizing, image parameters such as resolution, antialias, color mode and color profile are set.

Vector Graphic Files

A vector graphic is made up of points and distance between those points where each of these point relates to each other and define the shapes of the graphic elements. This type of graphic is based on the Cartesian Coordinate system which is based in complicated mathematics. Within the vector file, there are other components of the data that include colors, gradients, font type, and effects. One of the best features of this type of file is the ability to resize your graphic as big as you need it to be without losing the quality, as well as taking up less space in your computer’s hard drive because instead of mapping large pixel arrays it just maps out the coordinates of the points in the file.

There is a downside to Vector files, however, if the grid has a lot of points this may cause a delay whenever a change is made as it will re-calculate each point and will require a lot of RAM.

Raster Graphic Files

A raster file is a grid of pixels that has information stored for each one of them containing the position, color, and brightness. A raster file is a less complex file than a vector, it is the simplest way to present image data. JPEGs, TIFFs, and PNGs are common raster image types. Almost all of the photos found on the web and in print catalogs are raster images.

View fullsize

Because raster graphics are created from pixels, when you expand your image, you are expanding those pixel blocks. That’s why the image becomes blurry if you make it too large.

““Raster graphics are pixel-based and work on a large grid. Think of a mosaic where all the tiles up close just look like a bunch of different colors, but when you view it at a distance it becomes a very detailed picture of the Mona Lisa.””

— Alex Meiners, Family Industries Head of Art Department

Preparing Your File

Photoshop

Before creating your artwork in Photoshop you should ensure that your file is set to RGB color mode and at least 300 dpi. If this is not set correctly before you begin your design phase, resizing it later will result in a blurry image and jagged edges on fonts.

Adobe Illustrator / Affinity Designer / Corel Draw

If you are designing your artwork on Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer or Corel Draw all you need to do is set your file to the size you want to print. Programs like illustrator will have an option to turn your Raster artwork into a vector.
Normally, any raster artwork (created in Adobe Photoshop or CorelDRAW PHOTO-PAINT or other raster software program) has to be separated into four process colors or simulated process color prior to printing out the films used to expose each screen.

Transparent Background

To isolate the white channels in a color separation an image needs to be masked onto a transparent background. Using a transparent background provides control over the transition from the garment color to the printed colors, and can be used to manage the ink deposit as well. Image areas that fade to shirt color when screen printed should fade to a transparent background in the image file.

Most Common Mistakes

Fonts

The most common error people make when submitting a design to a screen printer is not converting the fonts into outlines. This means converting your editable text into shapes, this will save your printer time, otherwise, they will need to find the exact font then download it and load it into your design. Keep in mind that once a font is converted into shapes, you cannot edit your text.

View fullsize

Luckily, at Family Industries, we understand this process can be overwhelming, but there’s no need to worry! Our super knowledgeable staff are here to help you get through any design challenges that come your way. Ask Us How!

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

How To Create A T-Shirt Design

design by Coco Nella

Designing a t-shirt can be a daunting task, some will hire a designer and some will take the DIY route. Regardless of how you decide to do it, it’s important that your design translates well on a t-shirt and for this reason, we came up with a checklist for you to follow and make sure you’re on the right track.

Design Checklist

1. What’s your goal?

Before starting your design, it’s important to understand what you are trying to accomplish with your t-shirt. What is your primary goal? Are you trying to raise money for a cause? Are you trying to gain recognition as a new clothing brand? or are you simply trying to sell as many t-shirts as possible? Maybe you’re simply creating a shirt for your team at work or for your family reunion. Establishing a goal will help you narrow down your design and pricing choices.

2. Brainstorm

Brainstorming will help you determine the colors, the fonts, words, and imagery for your t-shirt design. It’s crucial to have a list of guidelines around your design to have a starting point when you begin your creative process. It will also help you make sure you include everything you need, especially if you are designing apparel for a specific event or cause.

3. Gather inspiration

This is the fun part! start googling images or looking through Instagram or Pinterest for inspirational images that best fit the aesthetic and vibe you are going for. There are also tons of books containing great and famous designs from now and past decades that may be helpful to you if you’re trying to create something that is unique to this time period.

Here are some important details to consider once you have settled on a design:

• Size

  The size of your graphic should be based on the design, and the properties of the garment to be printed. Depending on the shape of the design, it can look much bigger than what it should. For example, square or circular shapes tend to look better when they are sized smaller than standard.

  Some may print the design on a sheet of paper and hold it up to the t-shirt to ensure the sizing is right. Others may use an online t-shirt mock-up generator.

• Font

  Some fonts look better than others and if this is an integral part of your design, you will need to make sure it translates well on a t-shirt or sweatshirt. If you are struggling with finding the right way to properly visually represent your brand, typography is a great way to start, Typography can become a voice of design.

• Placement

  With methods such as screen printing, there are a few options for placement. The most common areas are the center of the chest, left chest, full front, oversize front, upper back, center back, and full back. The placement, most of the time, will be determined by the design, the shape, or the purpose. If it’s important for the image or design to be visible, a center chest placement may be ideal. Other less common placements are the sleeves, sides, or back of the neck, which are increasingly becoming more popular among streetwear clothing brands.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

While you may have a great design ready to print, there are common mistakes people make when they are ordering t-shirts to be printed. Here an outline of some of those mistakes to avoid:

• Sizing

  This is the most common and avoidable mistake people make when submitting a design to a print shop. The size of the artwork is important and vital as well as figuring out the cut of the t-shirt that the artwork will be printed on.

• Placement

  This may seem straight forward, however, one common placement mistake is printing the design at belly level which is not flattering. Generally, when the artwork is submitted, the printer will advise on placement and adjust your file to the best fit. Alternative placements such as sleeves or sides are possible and your printer should be able to help you with such requests to ensure the design will translate properly.

• Typography

  There are millions of font types, some better than others and not all will work for a t-shirt design. typography is the art of typesetting or arranging type in a way that makes sense, along with choosing typefaces (fonts) making sure that the spacing is correct, and the way it interacts with the graphic elements is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Your font choice can say a lot about the way your design is received, and convey certain ideas or evoke emotions that may not be intentional. A good rule of thumb to ensuring your design looks good is to never use more than 3 different fonts in one design. Check this site to get a crash course in typography!

• Composition

  Composition in terms of design is everything. Every design has elements that are arranged in relation to each other, and this relation is what makes up the overall composition. Some will say that composition is in the eye of the beholder, but there are certain rules to follow when creating a design. A typical mistake would be the spacing or the entire design could be off-balance, drawing the eye to the wrong thing. Here are a few resources to help you with composition.

• Image quality

  Nobody wants a blurry design on their t-shirt and this is one big mistake people often make when they submit a file to the printer. To ensure your design or image is big enough and is high-quality, check the resolution (pixels). Ideally, images should be 200dpi or higher to guarantee a clear and detailed print.

• Contrast

  Low contrast can lead to very hard to see designs against specific color t-shirts. If the contrast is off, your design won’t shine. So, what is contrast? It’s the degree of visual difference between the darker and lighter parts of an image, or the way shades of colors correspond to each other. The strongest contrast is between colors is black-on-white or vice versa. And of course, bright colors on a dark background are going to also be high contrast.

• Details

  Fine details, small text, or very thin fonts can be difficult to discern on printed t-shirts. What might look good in black and white on paper or even on your high-quality phone screen can be hard or almost impossible to read on a t-shirt. Your design should have thick lines with also bold font or font that is big enough to translate well on a shirt.

• Borders

  This mistake often happens when the design is a photograph. Designs that have a border can often look boring or cheap, that’s why it’s advised to take out any blank border from an image or design. Removing the border can make a huge difference and make the t-shirt more appealing to your customers. You may remove the background using photoshop, or if you don’t have photoshop, our team at Family Industries can help you.

  Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator
  

Family Industries has experts standing by ready to help you with any of these roadblocks. We offer graphic design help and we also consult on print options. Click Here to Contact Us!

Wearing Who You Are: How To Start A Clothing Business in 2023

Author: Irene Floridia

Our clothing doesn’t just cover us up, it showcases who we are. For many of us, the brands we choose to support align directly with our personalities. Clothing brands aren’t just started to make money, they’re founded on the idea of self-expression. For many of us, what we wear is an essential part of our identity. It’s the brands that are able to tap into that identity who stand the test of time.

In the fast-paced, internet-driven world we live in today; starting a successful clothing brand has become more challenging than ever, but it’s also the most exciting time to jump into the game. That’s why we’re here to help you in your quest to bring your new clothing brand to life.

5 Essential Steps Before Starting your Business

Besides the obvious actions you will need to take when contemplating starting your own business, there are preliminary steps you should take before spending money on merchandise or other services such as screen printing t-shirts. When starting your own brand, you will want to follow these steps as a guide to ensuring you have a successful launch.

1. Do your research

   Market research is important when looking for the right product or the right look for your brand. You will want to ask yourself if there is enough of a demand for the product you would like to sell and identify who you want to market to. How to evaluate a business idea before taking the plunge.

2. Design

   A well-thought-out design with unique elements that will best set you apart from the competition is critical. Having a brand identity can help you set yourself apart and the more creative the better! Check out 5 Steps to Building a Strong Brand Identity.

3. Create A Mockup

   As you narrow down your design and create a brand identity, you will want to make sure that your design looks good on clothing. T-shirt mock-ups allow you to see what the finished product will look like and it also allows you to edit your work before you submit it to a printer. Plan out your design with these 19 Ready-To-Use Online T-Shirt Templates and Mockups.

4. Source Your Products

   From personalized thank you notes to branded packaging, you will want to source the best materials to create trust with your customer. Sourcing the best materials will not only ensure quality but will ensure that the buyer will come back for more. At Family Industries we work with the best apparel brands to bring quality to your apparel. We also provide finishing services such as tags, packaging, and stickers.

5. Fulfillment

   Packaging and shipping can be a stressful task, that’s why most businesses implement a shipping software like ShipStation to help them print labels and automate some of those tedious steps when shipping a product. If the time and labor required to get this done is too much, Family Industries also provides a fulfillment option for those that don’t have the time for manual labor and want to focus on the big stuff.

… but why work with Family Industries?

Family Industries does not only guarantee quality prints, we also offer branding services which include a team of graphic designers to help you with your logo or t-shirt design. We also offer white-labeling fulfillment which includes branded packaging, branded garment tags, stickers, tote bags… you name it, we print it! At Family Industries, we treat your brand as our own; quality assurance and A-to-Z guided support to help you succeed.

• Quality

  Because Family Industries takes such pride in the work that we do, we guarantee top-notch quality prints. We offer top of the line apparel along with inks such as plastisol, discharge, and waterbased inks as well as foils and metallics. We also use the latest printing, embroidery, and heat press equipment to get the job done and ensure customer satisfaction.

• Options

  Because we are a full-service print shop, we have several options for applications such as screen printing, DTG, sublimation, embroidery, heatpress, transfers, and vinyl. Our wide variety of application techniques allow us to also offer high-quality merchandise such as t-shirts, flat stock, hats, tote bags, stickers, and other promotional items.

• Branding

  Branding is everything - When starting your own clothing brand you need your tags to have your logo or your tag line, at Family Industries we understand the importance of branding and this is why we offer custom hang tags, woven hem, and neck tags as well as branded packaging.

• Fulfillment

  Because sorting through orders, packing, and driving to the post office to drop off your packages can be so time-consuming we also offer fulfillment options that include your product with branded tags, branded shipping labels, and packaging.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Do you have a lot of ideas for your own clothing brand but don’t know where to start? Our team of graphic designers would love to help you get started. Send us a message!