If you only remember one thing: send vector files when you can, high-resolution PNG when you can't, and never send a screenshot. The format you send your artwork in often matters more than the artwork itself.
Here's a complete ranking of every common file format, from "we love it" to "please send something else." Use this as a quick reference next time you're prepping artwork for a print job.
If you have any of these, send them.
In order of preference: .ai (Adobe Illustrator), .eps, .pdf (vector), .svg. If you only have raster, send a .png at 300 DPI or higher at actual print size. Avoid .jpg for logos. Never send screenshots, Word documents, or images pulled from a website.
The hierarchy, ranked
Vector formats — always preferred
Adobe Illustrator
The native format of professional logo design. Almost every logo created by a designer in the past 20 years exists in this format somewhere. If your designer can find it for you, send this.
Best for: Logos, type-based designs, geometric artwork. Note: Requires Adobe Illustrator to open and edit, but print shops have it.
Encapsulated PostScript
The universal vector format. EPS files work in almost any design program and have been the print industry standard for decades. Often easier to find than .ai files because they're more portable.
Best for: Logos, illustrations, vector graphics of any kind.
PDF (vector)
A vector PDF is one of the most versatile files you can send. Created from Adobe Illustrator or other design programs, it preserves vector quality and works in nearly any software.
Watch out: Not all PDFs are vector. PDFs created from scanned documents or Word files with embedded images are raster. Open the PDF, zoom in, and check whether it stays sharp.
Scalable Vector Graphics
Common for logos used on websites. SVG is a true vector format that prints beautifully. If your logo lives on a website, the original SVG is sometimes still available — ask your web developer.
Best for: Web logos that need to print at apparel size.
Raster formats — usable but less ideal
PNG
The best raster format for printing. PNG uses lossless compression (no quality loss when saved) and supports transparency, which is critical when a logo needs to print without a background box around it.
Send only if: The PNG is at least 300 DPI at the size you want it printed. A 4-inch logo needs to be at least 1200 pixels wide. Anything less and the print will look soft.
TIFF
A high-quality raster format primarily used for print-ready photographs. Less common than PNG for logos but works equally well when properly resolved.
Best for: Photographic prints, full-color complex artwork. Large file sizes are normal.
JPEG
JPG is fine for photographs but causes problems for logos and designs with text. JPG uses "lossy" compression — it throws away small details to keep file sizes small. The result is often visible artifacts around sharp edges, plus an inability to support transparency (so the background of your logo becomes part of the image).
Acceptable for: Full-color photographic prints. Avoid for: Logos, type, anything with hard edges or solid colors.
GIF
GIFs are limited to 256 colors and were designed for low-bandwidth web use in the 1990s. They're almost always too low-resolution for printing and don't support modern color depths. If a GIF is the only thing you have, vectorization is almost certainly necessary before printing.
Screen captures
Screenshots are taken at screen resolution — typically 72 to 96 DPI. That's about a quarter of the resolution needed for crisp printing. A screenshot might look fine on your monitor but will print noticeably fuzzy or pixelated.
If a screenshot is your only file, the best move is to find the original source. Otherwise, vectorization is your only path to a clean print.
Word and PowerPoint files
Word documents and PowerPoint slides typically contain low-resolution embedded images that won't print well. Even if your logo looks great in PowerPoint, extracting it usually leaves you with a low-quality JPG or PNG. If you only have the logo in a Word or PowerPoint file, send the document anyway and let the print shop see what they can extract — but expect to need vectorization.
"Nine out of ten artwork problems we see come down to format. Customers send what they have, not what they need. The good news: most files can be fixed once we know what you're working with."
What to do if you're not sure
Honestly? Send what you have and let the print shop tell you. Every reputable shop reviews artwork before they print, and we'll tell you up front if there's a problem. That's much better than guessing wrong, paying for shirts, and being disappointed when they arrive.
If you're emailing a quote request, attach every version of the file you have access to. Got an .ai file from a designer plus a .png the office uses on letterhead? Send both. The shop will pick the best version and let you know if more is needed.
The Badger take
We'd rather have a 5-minute artwork conversation up front than print 100 fuzzy shirts. Send whatever you have, however you have it, and we'll tell you exactly what's going to work and what isn't.
If your file needs work, we offer vectorization for a small fee — typically a one-time cost that pays for itself the next time you order anything with that logo. Once you have a clean vector version, you'll never have artwork problems again.
Common questions
What file format is best for custom shirt printing?
Vector formats are best — specifically .ai (Adobe Illustrator), .eps, or a vector .pdf. These files scale to any size without losing quality, which is essential for printing on apparel. If vector isn't available, a high-resolution PNG at 300 DPI or higher at the actual print size is the next best option.
Can I send a screenshot to a print shop?
We strongly recommend against it. Screenshots are typically taken at 72 DPI (screen resolution), which is far too low for printing. The result will look fuzzy or pixelated. If you only have a screenshot, ask the source for the original file or have the artwork redrawn before printing.
Is PNG or JPG better for printing?
PNG is generally better for printing than JPG. PNG uses lossless compression and supports transparency, while JPG uses lossy compression that introduces small artifacts. For logos and designs with text, always use PNG over JPG when sending raster files. JPG is acceptable for full-color photographic prints where the slight quality loss is invisible.
What resolution should my artwork be?
300 DPI at the actual print size is the standard for raster files. A 4-inch wide design at 300 DPI is 1200 pixels wide. Files below this resolution will print noticeably less sharp. Vector files don't have a resolution to worry about — they scale infinitely.
Can a print shop fix or improve my low-quality file?
To a limited extent, yes. Print shops can sometimes upscale or clean up minor issues. For low-resolution files, the best option is usually vectorization — manually redrawing your artwork as a vector file. Most shops offer this service for $25 to $75. For severely damaged or pixelated files, the only real fix is to start over with the original artwork or have it redrawn.
