Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I just use a standard image like a JPG, PNG, WebP, or BMP?

These file formats are raster images — they are made of a fixed grid of coloured pixels. When you scale a small pixel-based image to fit across the chest of a hoodie, the computer has to guess how to fill the gaps. This results in “pixelation”: blurry, jagged edges that look terrible when printed or engraved.

We require vector graphics (usually .AI, .EPS, or .PDF files). Vector images use mathematical formulas instead of pixels to draw lines and curves. You can scale a vector graphic to the size of a billboard or shrink it to a pen cap, and it will remain perfectly crisp.

I re-saved my PNG/JPG as a PDF or EPS file. Why was it rejected?

Simply changing the file extension (e.g. renaming logo.png to logo.eps) or pasting a raster image into an Adobe Illustrator document does not convert it into a vector file.

The original pixel grid is still trapped inside the new file shell. To fix this, the artwork must be natively rebuilt or traced from scratch by a graphic designer using vector paths.

What is an embroidery DST file, and why is there a digitizing fee?

Commercial embroidery machines do not read standard image files. They require a specific instructional file format called a .DST file. This file tells the machine exactly where to drop the needle, which stitch style to use (such as satin or fill stitches), the order of colours, and when to cut the thread.

Digitizing is the highly skilled manual process of translating a graphic design into these machine instructions. It is not an automated conversion. A human digitizer maps out every single stitch by hand to ensure the fabric doesn't pucker, the text remains legible, and the design holds up through the wash. The one-time setup fee covers this expert labour.

Why do your standard fonts look better on embroidered items than custom text logos?

We offer a library of pre-digitized embroidery fonts. These letterforms have already been meticulously mapped and tested for stitch density, pulling, and spacing.

If you choose a font from our standard list, we can produce clean text quickly and without a setup fee. If you require a highly unique custom font or a custom text-based logo, it must go through the full manual digitizing process described above to make it machine-ready.

Why do you require 100% polyester apparel for sublimation?

Sublimation is a specialized print process where heat turns solid ink into a gas, causing it to chemically fuse directly with the fibres of the garment. This chemical reaction only works with synthetic polyester fibres.

100% Polyester

Yields vibrant, permanent, razor-sharp prints where the ink becomes part of the fabric itself — no cracking or peeling.

Blends (e.g. 50/50 Poly-Cotton)

Results in a faded, vintage look because the ink washes completely out of the cotton fibres on the first cycle.

100% Cotton

Cannot be sublimated. The ink will not bind to the natural fibre at all and will completely wash away.

What is Heat Press Vinyl (HTV), and what are its artwork limitations?

Heat Press Vinyl involves cutting shapes out of a solid-coloured roll of material using a precise plotter blade, peeling away the excess material (called “weeding”), and permanently melting the design onto the garment using heat and pressure.

Because we are working with physical sheets of solid-coloured vinyl, this method has two strict rules:

Solid colours only

We cannot produce gradients, colour fades, or photographic shading with standard HTV.

Simplified artwork

Extremely fine details, tiny text, or ultra-thin lines cannot be cut cleanly by the blade or reliably weeded by hand. Designs must be bold, clean, and separated by colour layers.