Sending a design to a printers - Some questions

[jive]

What's the best format to send a design to a tshirt printers? A hires JPG? PSD?

Basically, the image (the logo from www.monochromemusic.co.uk) is going to be put on orange tshirts (for crew etc) and I have them all on different layers in Photoshop...So yeah, what format is the best?

 

[Blue Velvet]

Why don't you ask them?

If it's silk-screened, they'd probably rather have separations run out as PDFs or if it's a transfer a TIFF would do the trick. You may even have to provide it in RGB rather than CMYK.

I would ask them. Just to be sure.

 

[Lau]

Can you get hold of the original vector/illustrator image? It would be crisper as an .eps or even a .pdf from the vector file if possible.

Having said that, your best bet is to phone the printers and have a word and see what they would prefer. If you explain what you have, and what you want to do, they're usually really helpful about what to use.

Edit: beaten by the guru!

 

[jive]

That's the thing - it's through someone else for them. Last time they used a really low res version and scaled it - t came out pretty crisp. I'll get the guy to ask for next time.

 

[Lau]

That's the thing - it's through someone else for them. Last time they used a really low res version and scaled it - t came out pretty crisp. I'll get the guy to ask for next time.

It's probably worth finding out which printer he's using so you can speak to them directly, especially if you intend to do more in the future. Even if he is the guy who gives the file to the printer, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to speak to them throughout the process.

 

[jive]

It's a very simple b&w design, so I just saved it as .jpgs of the size that they're needed and at 300dpi.

They should be able to work with it quite easily.

 

[adk]

If it's only a one color screen a lot of formats should be acceptable. If it's multicolor they're gonna want something with layers. Illustrator would be best, but they could probably easily handle a .psd too.