Dear customers, to facilitate our cooperation, we have prepared a manual that will help you design textile gadgets using the sublimation technique. We have also provided examples of the most common mistakes to avoid when designing.
Designing in CMYK and Designing in PANTONE
In our print studio, we work with files prepared in CMYK or PANTONE Solid Coated.
What is CMYK, and how does it differ from RGB?
The CMYK color space is built from four process inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and key black. These four inks combine during printing, creating tens of thousands of tones and shades.
CMYK is used for print on paper. RGB is the color system displayed on screens, such as computers and phones.
Files delivered in RGB are automatically converted to CMYK, which may cause the final print colors to differ considerably from what you see on a monitor. These shifts are unpredictable and cannot be reliably referenced, which is why all artwork must be prepared directly in CMYK. We do not take responsibility for color changes resulting from RGB to CMYK conversion and we inform clients about this before placing an order.
What is PANTONE?
PANTONE is a standardized color matching system used in design and print. Every shade is assigned a unique number, which ensures that designers and printers can achieve the same color result.
This system is fully reliable on paper. On textiles, however, colors can behave differently because fabrics absorb dyes in various ways. All PANTONE based print results are produced as the closest possible match to the official swatch, and slight shade variations may occur depending on the material. Even so, PANTONE remains the most accurate and safest form of color reference. Only PANTONE allows precise color selection. CMYK does not provide this level of control.
How we define acceptable color variations
Due to the natural instability of textiles, we accept small deviations from the PANTONE swatch. Perfect reproduction of PANTONE is possible only on paper. On fabrics, colors are measured with a spectrophotometer.
Delta expresses the difference between the official PANTONE sample and the final printed product. Since PANTONE on fabric is only an approximation, shade variations are expected, depending on the textile and sublimation process. Delta allows us to determine whether the variation is within the acceptable tolerance. A complaint regarding PANTONE color is not justified when Delta is below 8.
Important
The PANTONE Solid Coated palette contains four categories of colors that cannot be reproduced for technological reasons: Basic Colors, Pastel Basic Colors, Neon Basic Colors and Metallic Basic Colors.
If we receive artwork that uses unsupported PANTONE colors, it will be automatically converted to CMYK.
Gradients
Gradients, also known as tonal transitions, are risky on sublimated products. Subtle color shifts often become invisible in print. A gradient that appears smooth on a screen can print as two visible endpoints with the middle transition blending into one flat color.
Important
Gradients must always be created in CMYK. PANTONE cannot be used for gradient effects.
Low Contrast
Low contrast is highly subjective and depends on the artwork. If color tones are overly similar or share the same saturation level, parts of the design may disappear in print.
White Color Bleed
White color bleed (white tinted by a saturated background color) can occur when heavily saturated colors are placed next to lines or shapes at the minimum acceptable thickness. During sublimation, thin white elements may absorb surrounding colors. The thicker the lines and the heavier the shapes, the safer the print. Minimum visibility requirements vary by product and are indicated on the visual proof.
How to Prepare a File for Print
We strongly prefer vector files over bitmap files. Only vector based artwork can be properly prepared and protected for the print and sublimation process.
Bitmaps may be used, but the results are unpredictable, and we do not take responsibility for print issues resulting from bitmap use when vector files were recommended.
Supported File Formats
Vector files: ai, pdf, eps
Bitmap files: png, jpg, tiff, minimum 300 dpi
Bitmap Requirements
Some designs are not suitable for bitmap use, for example flattened logos with background, low resolution files under 300 dpi or artwork with lines below the minimum thickness. If such a file is received, the client is notified and must provide a suitable format.
Even with correct resolution, a bitmap may still be unusable. For example, when the product requires resizing that would degrade the image quality. In such cases, the client is informed on the visual proof.
Should a bitmap always be vectorized? No, some designs require a bitmap, such as background photos. They do not need to be converted to vectors; we only require good resolution—a minimum of 300 DPI.
Files cannot contain transparency.
Any form of transparency, including gradient shadows, semi transparent white overlays or filter effects, requires revision and the file will be returned for correction.
The final product has visible pixels because the file is a bitmap. Our graphic designers always inform you about this possibility of error.
Bleeds
Clients must always provide files that include the required bleeds.
Bleed dimensions differ depending on the product and are specified on the visual proof.
If a client insists on proceeding without bleeds, the final product may show irregular white lines along the edges that cannot be claimed as a defect.
Text Size and Line Thickness
Minimum text sizes, and line thicknesses are listed on the visual proof. They vary by product and material. Files that do not meet the requirements can still be printed, but the visual proof will include a warning about possible legibility issues and such orders cannot be claimed under warranty.
Typos and Content Errors
The graphic designer is not responsible for typos, spelling errors or unwanted elements within the client file. We prepare files only from a technical standpoint, and the content is not edited.
Typos are not considered to be complaints.
