The secret to a flawless, vibrant, and long-lasting custom shirt does not just rely on the pressing technique—it starts with the artwork you upload. Even the best DTF printers in the world cannot make a blurry, low-quality image look good on a garment.
If you are new to RVA Transfers, setting up your files correctly will save you time, prevent printing delays, and ensure your final product looks exactly how you envisioned it.
To guarantee crisp lines and bright colors, here is exactly how you need to prepare and save your images before sending them to us.
1. Use the Golden Format: PNG Only
At RVA Transfers, we only accept PNG files.
Why? Because PNG files support transparent backgrounds. If you save your design as a JPEG (JPG), the file will automatically generate a solid white or black box behind your artwork. Our software reads that box as part of the design, meaning a giant white square will print around your logo. Always ensure your design canvas background is set to transparent before exporting your final PNG.
2. Export at 300 DPI (High Resolution)
Resolution is the most critical factor for print clarity. Your artwork must be saved at 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch) at the exact physical size you want it printed.
If you pull an image off a website or take a screenshot on your phone, it is usually 72 DPI. If you try to stretch a 72 DPI image to fit across a 10-inch shirt graphic, the edges will become pixelated, jagged, and blurry.
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Pro Tip: You cannot simply change a 72 DPI file to 300 DPI in your software and expect it to look better. You must create the design canvas at 300 DPI from the very beginning.
3. Size Your Artwork to True Print Size
Do not place a 3-inch pocket logo in the center of a massive 12x12 inch artboard with miles of empty transparent space around it.
Crop your design bounding box as close to the actual artwork as possible, and size the graphic exactly how you want it printed (e.g., 10 inches wide by 8 inches tall). This ensures that when you drop your file into our Gang Sheet Builder, the sizing is 100% accurate and ready to go.
4. Beware of Soft Edges and Drop Shadows
DTF printing involves laying down a layer of white ink (the underbase) beneath the colored ink. Because of this, DTF works best with solid, hard-edged graphics.
Effects like glowing drop shadows, smoke, soft fades into a transparent background, or semi-transparent pixels can confuse the printing software. The printer will often try to put a solid white underbase beneath those faded pixels, resulting in a harsh, blocky white halo instead of a smooth fade. Keep your colors solid and your edges sharp.
5. Convert Your Colors (RGB vs. CMYK)
DTF printers use CMYK inks to create colors. If you design in a super-bright neon RGB color space (which is meant for computer screens), those exact glowing colors may look slightly muted or different when printed with physical ink. While you must upload your final file as a PNG (which is inherently an RGB format), designing your artwork in a CMYK workspace will give you a much more accurate representation of how the final colors will press.
Taking a few extra minutes to prep your files correctly ensures your transfers roll off the printer looking perfect. Once your high-resolution PNG is ready, head over to rvatransfers.com to load it into our Gang Sheet Builder and place your order!