Why is my order on hold?

Your order may be on hold if it requires changes or if we need to verify something with you. Most often, it’s due to print file issues, security concerns, and address confirmation. Here’s what to do for DTG, AOP, or any other print graphics holds: 1. Find an email titled “You need to review your order/shipment ASAP” or go to your Dashboard , then to the Orders section , and find the order with On hold status. 2. If an update is required , make the necessary changes to your order and click Request hold removal button in your order view. We’ll get a notification that your order’s ready for another review. 3. If an update isn’t required (or you wish to proceed as is): respond to the email to let us know your decision, or in your Dashboard , click the button Request hold removal in the Orders view. 4. We’ll review the order and release the hold or contact you for further confirmation for fulfillment. Here’s what to do for embroidery holds: 1. Find the order with On hold status in the Orders view on your Dashboard . You’ll see an approval sheet detailing our adjustments and the digitization preview. 2. If you approve the adjustments, click Request hold removal , and your order will go to production. 3. Or, you can press Request changes , and you’ll see a text field where you can write what changes you want and include an image file.

When is a white underbase used?

The underbase, a layer of white ink, is used for all colored designs printed on non-white garments to make your design visible. Note: White Fleck Triblend and Ash colors aren’t 100% white, and an underbase may be used on these if the design contains white elements.

What should I know about all-over printing?

All-over printing or sublimation is a process where your design is printed on paper with dye ink and then transferred directly onto the fabric with heat. We don’t recommend using graphics that require a precise design placement on all-over print products. There are two types of products printed using sublimation: Sublimated products : pre-made products, so your designs are transferred on a ready-made product. All-over print products (also called cut & sew products): products made fully in-house, starting from fabric printing and finishing with sewing the garment together.

What's resolution, DPI, and actual print file size?

Resolution : the number of pixels (dots) that fit into one inch. If your file is low-resolution, this means that there are fewer pixels per inch, resulting in a blurry image. If your file is high-resolution, this means that the pixels are denser, resulting in a sharper, more detailed image. DPI (dots per inch): the unit of measurement for resolution. All files must be at least 300 DPI for paper prints and 150 DPI for everything else. See how DPI looks up close and get more information at our Help Center . The actual size : the size at which a design can be printed. Your file size and the actual print file size might differ. You can resize your original file if the resolution allows it, but it can’t exceed the print area of each product. Discover more at our Help Center .

Why is my printed design different from what I saw on my screen?

The differences can occur because of: The underbase we use for all non-white garments (it ensures your prints are visible and the fabric doesn’t absorb the color) How colored fabrics interact with the ink The design colors being outside the sRGB range Lighting conditions you’re in when looking at the print To have your prints turn out the way you’ve imagined, avoid: Semi-transparent designs (drop shadows, fade effects, etc.) Black garments with black design Colors that are outside the sRGB color range, neon, and pastel colors Intricate designs with tiny details Solid backgrounds Designs with a resolution under 150 DPI For more info, turn to our Help Center.

What is the maximum file size of a print file?

The maximum print file size is 200 MB .

What’s embroidery file digitization?

Digitization is a process that converts your design file into a format our embroidery machines can read. There’s a one-time digitization fee for each new design. After fulfilling your product, we’ll link the digitized file to the graphics file you submitted. In your File Library , you’ll see a green digitization badge showing the type of embroidery and product the file was digitized for. Note that digitized files will need adjustments if you want the same embroidery design on a different product. We’ll adjust the digitized file, and you’ll see both of the files in your File Library . See adjustment fees here . Suppose you place a new identical order with the same design file, in flat embroidery for this particular product variant. In that case, it’ll go to production automatically, and we won’t charge the digitization fee again. Orders with the same design file but a different product variant might get placed on hold. In this case, the file doesn’t need any adjustments, and there won’t be any additional charges. If you change the design or want a different embroidery method, the file must be digitized again.

Your Ultimate Graphics and Embroidery Guide

We’ve compiled guidelines, frequently asked questions, and more

A shortcut to our guidelines

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Embroidery file guidelines

Create the perfect embroidery file and avoid common issues

Print file guidelines

Discover what to avoid and set your design up for success

Transparency in printing

Learn how to avoid transparency mistakes in your designs

Acceptable content guidelines

See what you can and can’t use in your designs

Essential facts about printing

Get familiar with the nitty-gritty of printing and get the best results

Unlimited color embroidery

Discover how to use almost every color imaginable in your designs

Sidestep these common mistakes

And see why they don't work

Printing specifics

File formats

We accept PNG and JPG/JPEG file formats depending on the printing method and design.

For direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, PNG is always the go-to format because this technique requires files to have a transparent background. The JPG format doesn’t support it. The best print resolution you can set up is 300 DPI (dots per inch) for paper prints and 150 DPI for other products.

For all-over print (AOP), sublimation printing, and paper printing, JPG files work better. Products personalized with these printing methods tend to be in large dimensions, and the printers can process JPG files faster and more efficiently.

Avoid using PDF format when uploading your designs because they can have hidden layers, layer blending modes, strokes, embedded files, etc., leading to unpredictable print results and issues during the fulfillment process.

Blank products

We produce all-over print products in-house, so it’s possible to order them as blanks.

But you won’t be able to order blank DTG products since we can’t send a blank design file through the printers. If the printer can’t identify any color in the file, it won’t be able to process it, and the item won’t move through the fulfillment process.

White prints on white fabric, designs placed outside the print area, tiny designs (under 10 px), and tiny embroidery designs (under 0.3″ thick) will count as blank products.

Crucial printing dos and don’ts

Check the file format, resolution, and color profile before you create your design.
Ensure that all design elements are within the recommended color space.
Read through the printing guidelines and disclaimers of the products you want to add to your store.
Order samples of new designs or whenever you make significant changes to existing designs.
Follow our printing and embroidery guidelines and use the file templates for each product when creating your designs.
Remember that changes you make to orders won’t apply to products on your store.

Avoid using PDF format.
Avoid creating designs with too high (over 600 DPI) or too low (under 150 DPI) resolution.
Don’t use thin lines or intricate designs, especially for embroidery or prints on thick materials.
Don’t use different color profiles than the recommended sRGB.
Hold off creating large orders with designs you’ve never tested.

The safe print area in all-over-print designs

Stay inside the recommended area to ensure your design isn’t sewn in or cut off

Embroidery specifics

design of a fox as a print file and a digitization preview

Mockup and digitization preview mismatch

Digitization is a process that turns your design file into a format our embroidery machines can read.

You can see your embroidery design outcome in the Mockup Generator. If your design needs adjustments, you’ll receive an Approval Sheet with a digitization preview. The digitization preview will always be more accurate than the mockup.

That’s because the digitization preview uses a digitized file and shows the direction of the stitches. Mockup Generator uses your design file to create the image, and your file is digitized after you place an order.

Embroidering tightens the thread, so the result can also slightly differ from the digitization preview.

embroidery machine with colorful threads in the background

Available thread colors

With standard embroidery, you have 15 available colors to pick from.

You can use up to 6 thread colors per design, including the colors used for filling the empty spaces in your design.

When you upload a design that contains a color we don’t have, the Design Maker will pick the closest match from the available colors.

With unlimited color embroidery, you can have your designs embroidered in all the rainbow colors. Metallic and neon colors aren’t available. See which products you can embroider on the unlimited color embroidery page.

Negative spaces

Negative spaces are empty spaces in design where the fabric will be seen through.

Negative spaces can cause problems like:

Uneven embroidery design edges because the negative space will make the edges look patchy and won’t hold their original shape
Deformed design due to embroidery shifting, pinching, and puckering

Avoid these issues by filling the empty space with color.

Correcting design files in already submitted orders

Here’s how to do it

woman with blue hair explaining why the client has to correct designs

Why it’s best if YOU make the corrections

Only you can ensure that your design files are set up correctly, in the right size and position.

All the changes you make to the order are saved, and you can later copy the updated order if you need to. It’s not the same with changes made by us—only the adjustments made through approval sheets are saved.

a man updating his orders from his Printful Dashboard

How to update orders step-by-step

Go to your Printful Dashboard and:

1. Head to the Orders section and find the order you want to update
2. Open the order and click Change order
3. Find the product you want to update and click Edit
4. Delete the old file and choose a new one
5. Update the design file and click Continue, then Continue to shipping
6. Make sure all the required fields are filled and proceed until you see that the order’s been updated

When done correctly, you’ll receive a pop-up with a button to notify us about the changes you’ve made.

Embroidery orders with approval sheets

Once the approval sheet is added, you won’t be able to edit your embroidery order until you resolve the approval sheet.

To resolve it, submit a change request: it’ll automatically make the order editable.

Don’t confirm the approval sheet: you’ll send your design to production by confirming it.

Order updates vs. product updates

Any changes you make to an order will apply to that order only.

Changes you make to orders won’t apply to products on your store or product templates.

Product templates can be updated through your Dashboard only.

Products on your storefront can also be updated through your Dashboard and need to be resynced with the ecommerce platform you’re using.

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