Resources / Artwork and placement
Artwork and Placement Guidelines for Custom Apparel
A decoration is approved twice: once as a file, and once as a physical proof on the actual garment. Skipping either step is how a placement ends up visibly off, with nothing on record to show what was approved.
Four things to fix before a proof
Vector where the technique needs it, with colors separated and no live effects.
A named reference point on the garment, plus a distance in one unit.
Width and height at the smallest and largest sizes, and the scaling rule between them.
The physical strike-off or sew-out that will be kept as the reference.
The approved proof, not the illustration, is what production is measured against.
Who it is for
Who should read this before sending artwork
For buyers and designers preparing decoration files for a factory, and for anyone reviewing a proof on behalf of a brand.
Designer handing off
Stage 1
You have a finished visual and need to know what the factory can actually use. The file table below separates what the technique requires from what is merely convenient.
Buyer reviewing a proof
Stage 2
You have received a physical proof. Review it against the file and the placement note, not against your memory of the design.
Buyer changing artwork late
Stage 3
A late change is a new proof. Record what changed, re-approve, and check that the change did not alter the garment's construction or cost.
Before artwork is sent
A file that cannot be separated cannot be quoted accurately.
File and placement
What the artwork must state
Decoration problems are usually specification problems. These rows decide whether the file can be produced at all.
Artwork handoff requirements
| Element | What to supply | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Vector for line work and text; high-resolution raster only where the technique allows it. | An upscaled logo with soft edges cannot be recovered by the printer. |
| Color separation | Each decoration color identified separately, with the intended order. | Colors merge, or an extra screen is added to compensate and changes the look. |
| Color reference | A named standard for each element, not a screen color. | The proof matches a monitor and not the buyer's standard. |
| Placement datum | A named point on the garment and a distance from it, in one unit. | Placement is judged by eye and argued after production. |
| Scale across sizes | Whether the decoration scales with size or stays fixed. | A dimension that works on a small size does not automatically hold on a larger one: the distance from the datum and the available area both change. |
| Surface and seam interaction | Where the decoration crosses a seam, zip, pocket or panel edge. | The print breaks at a seam or the embroidery distorts the panel. |
A placement note that reads centered is not a measurement. Centered on what, measured to which edge, and in which unit are three separate answers.
Proof types
What each proof actually approves
Match the proof to the process. One proof type does not approve another.
Proof to process mapping
| Proof | What it approves | What it does not approve |
|---|---|---|
| Print strike-off | Ink color, coverage, edge definition and handfeel on the actual fabric. | Placement on the finished garment, or behavior after a garment wash. |
| Embroidery sew-out | Thread color, stitch density, letterform legibility and substrate distortion. | Print color, or the garment's fit after the panel is embroidered. |
| Heat transfer or DTF proof | Color reproduction and edge quality on the specified fabric. | Durability through the full wash cycle unless it is tested. |
| Patch or applique sample | Shape, edge finish, attachment method and thread match. | The rest of the garment's decoration. |
| Trim and hardware color | Color and finish of the component itself. | How it reads next to the garment color under another light. |
Approve each element separately, then approve the assembled garment. A perfect print on an unapproved fabric is not an approval.
Fix the file
Confirm the technique and supply a file that can be separated for it.
Fix the placement
Name the datum, give the distance, and state how it scales.
Approve the proof
Judge a physical proof on the actual fabric under a stated light.
Archive the approval
Keep the signed proof with the revision and the date it applies to.
Common mistakes
Six artwork errors that surface after production
None of these are design disagreements; each is an unrecorded assumption.
A screen-approved color
Monitors and phones render color differently. A screen approval is a preference, not a standard.
Upscaled raster artwork
A small logo enlarged beyond its resolution shows soft edges that no press setting fixes.
Placement without a datum
Centered, standard or normal are not measurements. Name the point and give the distance.
One size, one placement
A fixed placement across a full size range drifts visually as the garment grows or shrinks.
Decoration crossing a seam
Prints break and embroidery distorts where a decoration crosses a join that was not planned for it.
A late change without a new proof
A color or size change after approval invalidates the proof. Re-approve against the new file.
How KnitCertain uses this information
Decoration as a decision with a proof
KnitCertain works on made-to-order apparel made from knitted fabrics. What a proof approves depends on the chosen technique, the garment surface and a physical proof.
What a proof can show depends on the technique and the fabric. A proof on a different quality is a reference for color, not evidence of behavior on the production fabric.
The record matters as much as the proof: which revision was approved, on which fabric, and on what date. Without that, a later disagreement has no common reference.
Use it now
Copyable artwork handoff sheet
Give one sheet per decoration. Two decorations on one sheet is how placements get swapped.
Blank artwork handoff sheet
| Item | Your detail | Confirmed by | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decoration technique | |||
| Placement reference point | |||
| Distance and unit | |||
| Width and height at largest size | |||
| Scaling rule across sizes | |||
| Colors and standard reference | |||
| Proof type and date approved | |||
| Seam or trim interaction |
No downloadable file is published for this guide. The table above is the current working version.
Artwork and placement questions
Questions buyers ask about decoration files
These answers separate what a file controls from what a physical proof controls.
What file format should I send for a print?
How is placement specified without ambiguity?
Can a proof be approved from a photo?
What happens if artwork changes after the sample is approved?
Does KnitCertain set standard placement dimensions?
Start project evaluation
Send artwork with the placement intent stated.
Include the technique, the reference point and the size at the largest size. The review can then separate file problems from placement problems.
- Artwork file and color references
- Intended technique per element
- Placement reference point and distance
- Size range the placement must work across
- Any proof already approved
Choose one starting route
Include the technique, the reference point and the size at the largest size.