A photo or a painting
Digital Printing on cotton garments, Sublimation on mugs and polyester, and a fine art print for the wall.
Lots of colour and soft shading suit methods that print, not stitch.
Making guide
Which method suits your design?
Many products can be made more than one way. The editor opens on one of them and says what each is good for; switch whenever you like. These are rules of thumb, likely outcomes rather than promises: every design is different, and the choice is always yours.
Start from your design
A bold graphic in flat colours
Digital Printing or a DTF Transfer. On dark fabric, a DTF Transfer usually keeps colours strongest.
Crisp edges and solid shapes come out clean with either.
A logo or a short word
Embroidery, on caps, beanies, polos and the chest of a hoodie or sweatshirt.
A few flat colours and simple shapes stitch best.
A pattern
All-over print: leggings, swimwear, all-over tees and hoodies, pillows and blankets.
Repeating patterns usually hide the seams best.
The methods
Digital Printing
Likely best for: Photos, gradients and detailed art with lots of colour.
Worth knowing: Use a transparent background so the garment colour shows around your design. Soft shadows and half see-through edges may print as a faint box.
DTF Transfer
Likely best for: Bold, flat graphics with crisp edges, and strong colour on dark fabric.
Worth knowing: Large solid blocks of colour may feel a little stiff.
Embroidery
Likely best for: Logos, simple marks and short text in a few flat colours.
Worth knowing: Gradients, photos and very small text likely won't stitch cleanly, and colours are matched to the nearest thread.
Sublimation
Likely best for: Full-colour art and photos, edge to edge.
Worth knowing: White can't be printed: white areas show the base material instead.
All-over print
Likely best for: Patterns and full-coverage art.
Worth knowing: Seams may cut through details near the edges. Repeating patterns usually hide seams best.
Fine art print
Likely best for: Photos, paintings and lettering, on posters and canvas.
Worth knowing: Make the design in the print's shape so nothing important gets cropped.
Getting the design ready
Start simple. One clear subject and a few bold colours leave less to go wrong. Thin lines and tiny text are usually the first things to blur.
Use a transparent background on clothing, so the fabric shows around your design instead of a box.
Make it in the product’s shape. Name the product when you create, and the design is made to fit its print area.
Keep important detail away from edges and seams, on all-over products, mugs and phone cases especially.
Value, Everyday and Premium
Some products come in more than one quality. We label them only where the fabric makes the difference clear.
Value is lower in price, a good place to start for events and gifts.
Everyday is soft and smooth, and usually takes detailed designs well.
Premium is usually heavier, with more structure.
A starred product is our pick in its group: a good place to start if you are not sure.