Common T-Shirt Printing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
The top t-shirt printing mistakes: low-resolution artwork, wrong file format, ignoring dark-shirt underbase, guessing sizes, leaving no time, and colour surprises. Each is easy to avoid with a little prep.
The most common garment-printing mistakes are avoidable with a few minutes' preparation: supplying low-resolution artwork, sending the wrong file format, forgetting that dark shirts need design consideration, guessing group sizes, leaving no time before a deadline, and expecting on-screen colours to print identically. None is catastrophic, and a good printer catches most — but knowing them means your order goes right first time.
The six that come up most
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Low-res artwork (screenshots, tiny logos) | Supply 300dpi at print size or vector |
| Wrong format (JPEG with white box) | Transparent PNG or vector |
| Ignoring dark-shirt underbase | Design bold; expect an underbase |
| Guessing sizes | Circulate a size chart; collect in writing |
| No lead time | Order ahead; rush is a rescue, not a plan |
| Colour surprises | Supply CMYK/Pantone; proof if critical |
The artwork mistakes cause the most reprints
By a distance, the biggest source of disappointment is a design that looked fine on a phone and prints soft or pixelated. A logo pulled from a website or social media is low-resolution by nature. Find the original file, or ask us to redraw a simple logo as vector — a one-time fix that improves every future order.
The size mistake causes the most frustration
Guessed sizes from a group chat produce shirts that don't fit and can't be reprinted on the day. A circulated size chart with garment measurements, collected against names, solves it — the discipline behind every smooth group order.
The time mistake causes the most stress
Great print needs a little runway — for stock, checks and a proof if colour matters. Same-day exists for emergencies, but ordering with a few days' notice removes the risk and usually the stress.
FAQ
Will you tell me if my file's too low-res? Yes — we check before printing and flag problems. What's the single best thing I can do? Supply good artwork: transparent PNG at print size, or vector. Can you fix a bad logo file? Simple logos, often yes — we can redraw as vector for a small fee.
Last updated: 3 June 2025