Print On Demand Sleeve Placement Guide (t shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts)

So you want to print on sleeves, but there is something holding you back.

Maybe you aren’t sure exactly what will look right.

Perhaps you know what you want, but you don’t quite know how to put it into words.

Well great news you are in the right place.  This quick guide breaks down the most popular sleeve printing options for on demand production and provides Apliiq’s recommendations for getting great results.

3 Key Design References To Nail Sleeve Placements

When you are setting up your design for sleeves, there are two important principles you need to understand, because they are related to each other and have a direct correlation on getting good results.

The first thing to understand is the placement or location of your print on the sleeve.  For example, positioning your artwork near the end of the sleeve versus up towards the shoulder of the sleeve.  In order to work with your manufacturing partner to get the results you want it's important that you can describe these placements in ways that will make sense,

Use this simple Sleeve Print "cheat sheet" to clearly communicate the placements you want;

Shoulder Prints

When printing near the shoulder, it's best to use the distance down from the shoulder as a placement reference.

Center Prints

With longer prints, due to variable sleeve lengths, it's best to "center" prints between the shoulder and cuff.

Cuff Prints

For prints at the end of the sleeve, it's best to measure the distance up from the cuff.

Artwork Files Sizes for Sleeve Prints

The second thing to understand is the size of your artwork file.  The best way to arrive at the best size for your artwork file is based on the location you want to print.  Each location placement lists out the ideal size for your artwork.

For shoulder prints, sizes up to 4" x 4" can fit, but print sizes around 3" x 3" tend to look best.

For cuff prints, it's best to keep your artwork size small, like 1" x 1"

Lastly, for any print that's larger than 4" x 4", it's best suited as a centered sleeve print.

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