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How to Prepare Your Artwork for Sublimation Printing

Getting your file right before you upload means faster turnaround, sharper prints, and colors you'll love. Follow this guide and your order will sail through our review process.

Accepted File Formats

We accept the following file types for sublimation printing:

  • PNG – preferred for designs with transparency or hard edges
  • JPEG / JPG – good for full-bleed photographic artwork (no transparency)
  • PDF – ideal if your file was built in Illustrator or InDesign

If your design includes text or vector shapes, a PDF or PNG exported from vector software will give you the sharpest result on press.

Resolution

Sublimation dye is heat-transferred at a fine dot level, so low-resolution files will appear noticeably blurry on the final product.

  • Minimum: 150 DPI at final print size
  • Recommended: 300 DPI at final print size

Check your DPI in Photoshop under Image > Image Size. Do not upsample a low-resolution file — enlarging a small image never adds real detail and the blurriness will still show in print.

Bleed & Safe Areas

Because sublimation wraps ink edge-to-edge, keeping critical elements away from the trim is essential.

  • Bleed: extend your background color or pattern at least 0.125 in (3 mm) beyond the finished edge on all sides
  • Safe area: keep all text, logos, and important design elements at least 0.25 in (6 mm) inside the finished edge

Anything outside the safe area risks being cut off or sitting too close to a seam on items like mugs, apparel, or panels.

Font Outlining

If your file contains editable text layers, please convert all fonts to outlines (paths) before exporting.

  • Adobe Illustrator: Select all text → Type > Create Outlines
  • Adobe InDesign: Export as PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 with fonts embedded
  • Photoshop: Flatten or rasterize text layers before saving

Outlined fonts prevent substitution errors if we don't have the same font installed, and they render crisply at any size on the sublimation transfer.

Color & What to Expect from Sublimation

Sublimation inks bond directly into the coating of the substrate (mug, panel, fabric, etc.), producing vivid, photo-quality results — but there are a few things to know:

  • Color profile: design in RGB. Sublimation printers output in RGB dye sets; CMYK files will be converted and may shift slightly.
  • Screen vs. print: colors on monitors are backlit and will always appear brighter than the printed result. Expect some variation, especially in very deep blues, purples, and neons.
  • White substrates only: sublimation works on white or light-colored coated surfaces. Designs printed on colored substrates will be tinted by the base color — plan your artwork accordingly.
  • True white: white in your design = the white of the substrate showing through. There is no white sublimation ink, so white areas in your file will be the base product color.

How to Upload Your Artwork

  1. Browse our Custom Products collection and choose your item.
  2. On the product page, tap or click Add your file (or use the file upload field in the customization options).
  3. Select your prepared PNG, JPEG, or PDF from your device.
  4. Review the on-screen preview to confirm placement and cropping.
  5. Add the item to your cart and complete checkout.

You'll receive an order confirmation email once payment is processed. That email is your proof that your file and order details were received.

Artwork Review & Turnaround

Every file is reviewed by our team before it goes to press.

  • Review window: we check files within 1–2 business days of your order.
  • If your file has a resolution, sizing, or format issue, we'll contact you by email with specifics and a chance to re-upload before anything is printed.
  • Orders with approved files move immediately into the production queue.

Submitting a file that meets all the specs above is the fastest path to press.

Still Have Questions?

If your artwork situation doesn't fit neatly into the guidance above — odd dimensions, specialty substrates, bulk orders, or anything else — reach out before you order and we'll make sure everything is set up correctly.

  • Use the Contact form on our website
  • Or email us directly and reference your order number if you already have one

We're here to make sure your print comes out exactly the way you envisioned it.