The decoration method determines how your artwork will be produced on the garment. Available methods depend on the product, placement, artwork, and production requirements.
Add artwork to the product.
Select the artwork in the workspace.
Open its settings if the Artwork drawer is not already visible.
Find the decoration-method picker.
Select a method and review the size, color, and quality controls that appear.
Changing the decoration method can change the available artwork size, color options, pricing, minimum quantity, and production requirements.
Digital printing is a useful choice for detailed, full-color artwork, gradients, photographs, and designs with many colors.
With digital print, you can:
Use full-color raster artwork.
Review the artwork's physical size and quality.
Remove a white background when the option is available.
Optionally recolor suitable artwork or add a stroke.
Transfer printing is useful for artwork that will be produced as a transfer and applied to the garment. It can support detailed, full-color designs and transparent artwork.
With transfer print, you can:
Review and adjust the physical artwork size.
Check artwork quality at the selected size.
Remove white when supported.
Optionally recolor suitable artwork or add a stroke.
A small stroke can help reinforce fine details, although the best setting depends on the artwork.
Screen printing produces artwork using a defined set of production colors. It is often best for bold designs with a limited color palette and larger order quantities.
When screen print is selected:
Choose the production colors used by the design.
The customizer can map selected colors to the closest prominent colors in suitable artwork.
Review any minimum-quantity message shown by the customizer.
Keep small details and thin lines appropriate for production.
The selected production colors are part of the saved design and affect pricing and production.
Embroidery converts artwork into stitches. It is well suited to logos, lettering, and designs with shapes that can be reproduced cleanly with thread.
When embroidery is selected:
Choose the thread colors requested for the design.
Review the estimated stitch information when available.
Keep the artwork within the supported embroidery size.
Simplify very small details that may not translate well into stitches.
New embroidery artwork may require digitization. Digitization prepares the stitch instructions used by the embroidery machine and costs $11.
If you select a previously digitized file, its method is locked to embroidery. Its production size and colors cannot be changed, but you can move, rotate, or remove it from the product.
Learn more: Use a digitized embroidery file.
| Decoration method | Often best for | Color handling | Common consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital print | Detailed or full-color artwork | Full-color file | Artwork resolution at print size |
| Transfer print | Detailed artwork prepared as a transfer | Full-color file | Fine details and edge durability |
| Screen print | Bold artwork with fewer colors | Selected production colors | Color count and order minimums |
| Embroidery | Logos, lettering, and stitch-friendly shapes | Selected thread colors | Digitization and fine details |
Confirm the correct decoration method for every artwork.
Review the physical size and placement.
Check quality or production warnings.
Confirm selected print or thread colors.
Review pricing because decoration choices can change the product cost.
Review the design on every selected garment color.