File prep for apparel prints: PNG, DPI, and what we need from you
What apparel print shops need in your logo file: transparent PNG, sizing, and common art mistakes that delay quotes.
Most quote delays in our Calgary shop start with a low-res logo pulled from a website header. Send a print-ready file and the rest of the order moves faster.
Formulated Apparel is the company swag and event merch line from the FormulatedPrints shop in Calgary. We quote bulk apparel. We do not pretend a one-click checkout covers every size mix and deadline.
What we need in the file
We quote faster when the file already answers size, background, and color. Fix the art before you argue about unit price.
Steps that keep the order honest
1. Lock the file at final print size
Export a transparent PNG at the size you want on the garment. Left-chest logos often land around 3 to 4 inches wide. Huge chest prints look loud on camera and rarely age well for company wear. Screenshots from social apps are not production files.
2. Count real people, then add sparse spares
Use a short size survey. Add a small spare count for stains and late hires. Do not invent a warehouse of extras "just in case" unless storage and budget already exist.
3. Pick blanks for wear, not only for price
If staff will wash the garment weekly, fabric weight and feel matter more than saving a dollar on a blank that pills. Dark blanks hide wear. Light blanks show ink opacity issues faster.
Where software helps the print shop
Formulated Apps builds Pro Transfers Builder for Shopify print shops. The point is cleaner customer uploads and gang sheet layout tied to the order, so production is not rebuilding art from email attachments.
Checklist before you send the quote
- Artwork locked as transparent PNG at final print size
- Garment blank and color chosen for real wear, not only unit price
- Size counts from a survey, plus a small spare buffer
- Delivery method chosen: Calgary NE pickup or Canada-wide shipping
- One person owns approvals so two people are not editing the logo in parallel
- Date communicated with art-lock and production buffer, not wishful thinking
Read Formulated Apps on Shopify auto gang sheet builders
Ready when you are
If you already have a logo and a rough headcount, build a mockup and request a quote. If the file is not ready, fix the file first. Printing faster never fixes unclear art.