Artwork Specification for Custom Printing

A guide to preparing print-ready files for custom fabric printing.

File requirements at a glance

Our free Pattern Lab prepares files to these specifications automatically. No design software required.

1. Size & Resolution

The size your design prints at depends on both the dimensions of your file and its resolution (DPI).

We print at 300 DPI. If your file is supplied at a lower DPI, it will be converted to 300 DPI before printing — and this conversion makes the printed design smaller, not blurrier. The file simply does not contain enough pixels to print at 300 DPI at the size you intended.

How to check your file

In your design software, open Image Size or Document Properties and confirm both the physical dimensions and the DPI before exporting.

Important:

• Increasing the DPI of an existing low-resolution file does not improve quality. The file must be created at 300 DPI from the start.
• Screenshots are typically 72 DPI and are not suitable for printing.
• When scanning artwork, scan at 300 DPI to ensure your design prints at the intended size.

2. Seamless patterns

A seamless pattern tiles continuously across the fabric with no visible joins. The design that runs off one edge must continue precisely from the opposite edge — top to bottom and left to right.

If a pattern is not properly seamless, visible lines will appear at every repeat, affecting the quality of the finished fabric.

Three ways to create a seamless pattern:

1. Use our free Pattern Lab — seamless repeats are generated automatically.
2. Create one yourself in design software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, GIMP, or Inkscape. See our step-by-step guide.
3. Commission our bespoke design service — contact hello@customfabrics.co.uk for a quote.

3. Panels

We can print non-repeating panels with set dimensions, suitable for items such as tea towels, cushion fronts, and aprons.

• Maximum panel width is the width of the fabric (most bases are 150cm wide — please check individual product pages).
• Panels smaller than the fabric width will repeat across the width. For example, a 50cm × 50cm panel will repeat three times across a 150cm-wide fabric.
• For best use of fabric, design panels to match the full fabric width with your chosen height (e.g. 150cm × 100cm).

4. Colour profile

Files must be supplied in RGB colour profile. Our printers are calibrated for RGB; files in CMYK or other profiles may produce unexpected colour shifts.

A note for Procreate users: Procreate files are typically saved in Display P3 colour profile, which is designed for screens. Display P3 includes colours that cannot be reproduced in print, and converting these files for fabric printing can result in significantly different colours from those seen on screen. Before exporting, change your canvas colour profile to sRGB (Settings → Canvas → Colour Profile) for the closest match to printed results.

Colour expectations

Even with a correctly profiled file, screen and printed colours will not match exactly. This is the nature of digital printing on fabric and is true of all fabric printers. Several factors affect final colour:

• Monitor calibration varies between devices.
• Different fabric bases absorb ink differently, producing subtle variation between bases.
• Colour can vary slightly between print batches.

We strongly recommend ordering a sample before placing a larger order to confirm colour, scale, and fabric base are suitable.

5. Accepted file formats

We accept the following file formats: TIFF, PNG, JPEG, PDF, and PSD.

We cannot print:

• Screenshots
• Low-resolution images saved from websites or social media
• Files in formats other than those listed above

6. Copyright and image rights

By placing an order, you confirm you have the right to use the artwork supplied. We cannot print copyrighted material, including cartoon characters, logos, trademarks, or third-party photography and artwork without proper licence.

We reserve the right to refuse printing any image we consider offensive.

If you are unsure whether you have the right to print a particular image, please contact us before ordering.

7. Samples

We recommend ordering a sample before placing a larger order. A sample allows you to confirm:

• How your colours appear on fabric
• The scale of your design at full size
• The suitability of the fabric base for your project

Sample size: 16cm × 20cm. Please note:

• If your design is larger than the sample size, it will be cropped to the top-left corner of the design.
• If your design is smaller than the sample size, it will be repeated to fill the sample.

Order a sample of your own design here.

8. Changes and edits

• Scale changes: One adjustment is provided free of charge. Additional scale changes are £10 per file.
• Seam repairs and minor fixes: Often completed without charge, particularly for orders using our Expert File Review service.
• Larger edits: Quoted on a case-by-case basis depending on complexity.

9. How to send us your file

Files may be submitted in two ways:

1. Upload directly when adding the product to your cart (recommended).
2. Email the file to hello@customfabrics.co.uk, quoting your order number.

For files larger than 25MB, please use WeTransfer and send to hello@customfabrics.co.uk, including your order number in the message.

Orders submitted without a corresponding order number may be delayed.

For questions not covered in this guide, please contact hello@customfabrics.co.uk.