🖼️Creating the perfect print file (DTG, DTF, etc.)

Learn about the best practices for creating assets to be used for DYLI

Tips for Preparing Your Design Files for DYLI

Tips for Preparing Your DTG/DTF Design Files for DYLI

1. Save as PNG: Use a transparent background and save your design as a PNG to avoid unwanted white backgrounds that can diminish your design quality. Always check transparency before uploading and consult our transparency guide.

1. Choose the Right Color Space: Create your design in the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 color profile for the best accuracy. Our system converts your file to CMYK for printing, so using the correct color space ensures your colors stay true.

1. Use the Right DPI: DPI (dots per inch) affects print quality. For most DYLI products, your file should be at least 150 DPI, while items like phone cases and stickers need 300 DPI. Avoid exceeding 300 DPI and maintain high DPI when resizing your design to preserve quality.

1. Consider Garment Details: When designing for items with seams, ribbing, or zippers, keep in mind that these features can affect the final print. For ribbed garments, the print might stretch and reveal gaps, so plan accordingly.

Transparency in DTG printing

Learn how to avoid transparency mistakes in direct-to-garment (DTG) print designs

Transparency (often referred to as opacity) is measured by how see-through colors are in a design. We distinguish two types of transparency:

Full transparency—completely invisible graphic elements

Semi-transparency—somewhat opaque, see-through graphic elements

Why semi-transparency doesn’t work for DTG prints

In DTG printing, all inks are concentrated pigments rather than diluted. This means that all DTG printers will try to make up for the missing information by spreading the ink. The prints will end up with a lot of gaps with a visible white base. This is most evident on dark fabrics.

How to tell if your designs have semi-transparent elements

Open your design in a graphic editor. If the background is peeking through your design, the design is semi-transparent. If you’re using advanced graphic editors (e.g., Adobe Photoshop) that indicate transparency, you can:

• Unlock the background layer and turn off the layer by clicking the eye icon—if you see the checkered canvas through your design, it’s semi-transparent

• Duplicate the design layer (use keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd ⌘ + J) and see if the areas in question become more opaque

How to get the best results with faded designs

Skip semi-transparent elements If you have semi-transparent elements in your DTG print design, the printer will try to make up for the missing information by spreading ink over the area. You’ll end up with gaps where the white base will be visible. To prevent blotchy, uneven prints due to transparency, we advise using solid colors for your designs and avoiding pressure-sensitive brush tools. Have a solid design element underneath If the element has a background, you can create a solid element, add a layer mask, and then use a soft brush to feather the edges of the element. That will result in a much better-looking print.

However, we don’t recommend trying to get a transparent design element by adding a design background that matches the color of the garment. All DTG prints have a white under base, so the colors in your design will come out lighter than the garment color.

Use a halftone effect You can also use a technique called halftoning. Essentially, this means patterns of dots that create the illusion of an image.

Not all fabrics are created equal

Print outcomes vary depending on the fabric you choose. DYLI offers:

• 100% cotton blends,

• Poly blends (50% cotton, 50% polyester)

• Tri-blends (50% polyester, 25% cotton, 25% rayon or 50% polyester, 37% ring-spun combed cotton, 13% rayon).

Our standard printing process works best with 100% cotton products. If you’re looking for the most opaque result, 100% cotton is your best bet. This fabric has a better result due to its tight weave. However, if cotton is too thick, it can absorb the ink and the design may look more faded.

Designs printed on blended garments will have a faded/vintage outcome with DTG printing due to their looser weave and combination of fabrics. The fabric of the garment will often show through the ink.

For our DTG prints, we use Kornit machines and inks. Kornit uses high-quality, water-based vegan and cruelty-free inks that they formulate, test, and produce in their own factories.