Artwork & File Requirements

Prepare Your Artwork for the Best Print Quality

At Xstream 3D Prints, high-quality printing starts with high-quality artwork. Properly preparing your files helps us produce sharp details, vibrant colors, clean edges, and professional-quality DTF and UV DTF transfers.

Please review the following artwork requirements before submitting your order.

Recommended File Format

For the best results, we recommend:

PNG with a transparent background

Your artwork should be saved at the exact size you want it printed whenever possible.

Depending on the product, additional file formats may be accepted through our uploader or gang sheet builder.

Preferred File Specifications

  • File Format: PNG recommended
  • Resolution: 300 DPI recommended
  • Background: Transparent
  • Artwork Size: Actual intended print size
  • Image Quality: High resolution
  • Color Mode: RGB recommended for uploaded raster artwork

Resolution & Image Quality

For the best printing results, submit artwork at 300 DPI at the final intended print size.

Uploading a small image and enlarging it does not improve its resolution. Enlarged low-resolution artwork may result in:

  • Pixelated edges
  • Blurry details
  • Loss of fine detail
  • Poor-quality text
  • Less professional finished transfers

Always begin with the highest-quality original artwork available.

Transparent Backgrounds

Artwork intended to print without a surrounding background should be submitted with a true transparent background.

A white background in your image file is not the same as transparency.

Please remove any unwanted:

White backgrounds • Colored backgrounds • Boxes • Borders • Stray pixels • Unwanted shadows

Anything visible in your submitted print file may be reproduced as part of the design.

Submit Artwork at the Correct Size

Please size your artwork according to the actual dimensions you want printed.

For example, if you need a design to print at 10 inches wide, prepare or size the design to approximately 10 inches wide in your gang sheet.

Always review your dimensions carefully before submitting your order.

Important

Xstream 3D Prints will print artwork based on the size submitted or selected during the ordering process.

Do not assume that artwork will automatically be resized to a standard shirt or product size.

DTF Gang Sheet Requirements

When creating or uploading a DTF gang sheet, make sure all designs:

  • Are high resolution
  • Have transparent backgrounds
  • Are correctly sized
  • Fit completely within the printable area
  • Do not overlap unless intentionally designed that way
  • Have adequate spacing for cutting
  • Contain no unwanted artwork or hidden background elements

Before completing your order, carefully inspect your entire gang sheet.

Check Before Submitting

Size • Spelling • Orientation • Image Quality • Transparency • Placement • Quantity

Your gang sheet should be completely print-ready when submitted.

Uploading a Pre-Made Gang Sheet

If you're using our Upload Your DTF Gang Sheet or Upload Your UV DTF Gang Sheet service, your uploaded sheet should already be properly arranged, correctly sized, and ready to print.

We recommend creating the file at the exact dimensions of the gang sheet you are purchasing.

Do not submit a gang sheet with important artwork extending outside the canvas or printable area.

Small Text & Fine Details

Extremely small text, very thin lines, tiny distressed elements, and other fine details may not reproduce as expected.

For better results:

Use clean artwork, readable text, strong lines, and appropriately sized design elements.

What looks visible when greatly enlarged on a computer screen may be extremely small when printed at actual size.

Artwork With Effects

Use caution with:

  • Glow effects
  • Drop shadows
  • Semi-transparent pixels
  • Feathered edges
  • Extremely fine gradients
  • Low-opacity elements

These effects can reproduce differently through a transfer-printing process than they appear on your monitor.

For the cleanest results, use well-defined artwork with clean edges.

Color Accuracy

Colors displayed on phones, tablets, and computer monitors may differ from the finished printed transfer.

Screens produce colors using light, while printing reproduces colors using ink. Differences can also result from screen brightness, display calibration, artwork settings, substrate color, and application conditions.

For this reason, exact screen-to-print color matching cannot be guaranteed.

If precise brand colors are critical to your project, please contact us before placing a large production order.

DTF Artwork Requirements

For Direct-to-Film (DTF) transfers, we recommend:

300 DPI • Transparent Background • High-Resolution PNG • Correct Final Size

DTF artwork is ideal for custom apparel, T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, uniforms, tote bags, merchandise, and other compatible fabrics.

Make sure your artwork contains only the elements you actually want printed.

UV DTF Artwork Requirements

For UV DTF transfers, artwork should also be clean, high resolution, correctly sized, and prepared with transparency where required.

UV DTF is designed primarily for compatible hard surfaces such as:

Glass • Acrylic • Metal • Plastic • Tumblers • Signs • Packaging • Promotional Products

Fine details should be carefully reviewed because UV DTF graphics are often used on smaller products where imperfections can be more noticeable.

Do Not Upload

For the best results, avoid submitting:

  • Screenshots
  • Images downloaded from social media
  • Blurry or pixelated graphics
  • Tiny images enlarged to print size
  • Files with unwanted backgrounds
  • Watermarked artwork
  • Artwork you don't have permission to reproduce
  • Incomplete gang sheets
  • Files with incorrect dimensions

Whenever possible, use the original high-resolution artwork file.

Customer Responsibility

Customers are responsible for reviewing and approving their artwork before submitting an order.

Please carefully verify:

Spelling • Grammar • Dimensions • Resolution • Colors • Transparency • Placement • Orientation • Design Quantity

Xstream 3D Prints is not responsible for errors contained in customer-supplied, print-ready artwork that are reproduced as submitted.

If you discover an artwork issue after placing your order, contact us as quickly as possible. Once production has started, changes may no longer be possible.

Need Help With Your Artwork?

Not sure whether your artwork is ready for DTF or UV DTF printing? Contact Xstream 3D Prints before placing your order.

Phone: 310-508-4037
Email: xstream3dprints@gmail.com

Our goal is to help you achieve clean, vibrant, professional-quality transfers while making the ordering process as straightforward as possible.

Better Artwork = Better Prints

Start with a high-resolution, properly sized, print-ready file for the best possible results from Xstream 3D Prints.