Artwork Guidelines
Artwork Guidelines
To ensure the best possible results for your embroidered or printed workwear, please follow these artwork guidelines when sending us your logo or design. Don’t worry if your artwork isn’t perfect — our in-house team can work with most formats and we’ll always send a free proof before production.
Preferred File Formats
For the sharpest results, send us your artwork in a vector format. Vector files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
| Format | Type | Best For | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| .AI (Adobe Illustrator) | Vector | Embroidery & Print | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| .EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) | Vector | Embroidery & Print | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| .SVG (Scalable Vector) | Vector | Embroidery & Print | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| .PDF (with vector paths) | Vector | Embroidery & Print | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| .PNG (high resolution) | Raster | Print only | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| .JPG (high resolution) | Raster | Print only | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Resolution Requirements
- Vector artwork — no resolution limit, scales perfectly. Always our preference.
- Raster/bitmap images (PNG, JPG) — minimum 300 DPI at the intended print size. Higher is always better.
- Avoid — low-resolution images pulled from websites, social media, or screenshots. These typically print at 72 DPI and will appear blurry or pixelated.
Colour Information
To match your brand colours accurately:
- Pantone (PMS) references — the gold standard for colour matching. If you have Pantone codes for your brand, include them.
- CMYK values — used for full-colour printing.
- Thread colours — for embroidery, we match to the nearest available thread colour from our extensive library. Pantone references help us get the closest match.
- RGB/Hex values — useful as a guide but these are screen colours and may not translate exactly to fabric.
Logo Placement & Sizing
Standard logo positions and recommended sizes:
| Position | Recommended Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Left breast | 80mm–100mm wide | Most popular position for workwear logos |
| Right breast | 80mm–100mm wide | Often used for name badges or secondary logos |
| Centre back (large) | 250mm–300mm wide | Ideal for company name or large logos — print recommended |
| Upper back (between shoulders) | 200mm–250mm wide | Great for hi-vis and safety workwear |
| Sleeve | 60mm–80mm wide | Compact designs work best |
| Cap front | 50mm–60mm wide | Limited space — simple designs recommended |
Not sure which position or size works best? We’ll include our recommendation with your free digital proof.
Embroidery-Specific Guidelines
- Simplify complex designs — very fine details, gradients, and photographs don’t translate well to embroidery. Bold, clean designs with solid colours produce the best results.
- Minimum text size — text smaller than 5mm tall is difficult to read when embroidered. We’ll advise if any text needs enlarging.
- Maximum colours — we can accommodate up to 15 thread colours per design, though most logos use 2–6 colours.
- Stitch count — this determines the embroidery cost. A simple left-breast logo is typically 3,000–8,000 stitches. We’ll confirm the stitch count with your proof.
Print-Specific Guidelines
- Full colour — our printing methods handle unlimited colours, gradients, and even photographic images.
- Transparent backgrounds — send PNG files with transparent backgrounds so your logo sits cleanly on the garment.
- Hi-vis garments — printing on hi-vis and safety wear must not cover reflective tape. We’ll position your design to maintain EN ISO 20471 compliance.
Don’t Have Artwork?
No problem. If you have a rough idea, sketch, or even just your company name, our team can create a design for you. We also offer:
- Logo recreation — we can redraw your logo as a clean vector file from a photo or low-res image
- Text-only designs — company name, job title, or employee names in a range of fonts
- Design advice — not sure what will look good? We’ll guide you based on nearly 20 years of experience
How to Send Your Artwork
Email your files to us or upload them with your order. For large files, we can provide a file upload link. Once received, we’ll:
- Review your artwork and check it’s suitable for your chosen method
- Contact you if any adjustments are needed
- Send a free digital proof showing the design on your chosen garment
- Begin production only after you’ve approved the proof
Ready to get started? Send us your artwork or call us to discuss your project. We’re based in Haverhill, Suffolk, serving businesses across Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, and the whole of the UK.