Design Studio help

Everything you need to make merch that prints well. Open the studio →

Print-quality checklist

  • Images need 150 DPI or more at print size. The studio warns you when one doesn’t.
  • Keep everything important inside the blue safe area.
  • Use PNG with a transparent background, or SVG. The studio exports transparent PNG print files at Printful’s exact pixel size.
  • Photos with a flat, single-color background? Use Remove background on the image, then check the edges.
  • Thin lines under about 2 pt (~6px at 300 DPI) may disappear. Embroidery needs even bolder lines.
  • Check contrast on every garment color you offer, and always generate real mockups before publishing.
ProductFront print areaPrint fileMethod
T-Shirt12″ × 16″1800 × 2400px @ 150 DPIDirect-to-garment print
Hoodie14″ × 14″2100 × 2100px @ 150 DPIDirect-to-garment print
Hat5.5″ × 2″1650 × 600px @ 300 DPIEmbroidery, max 6 thread colors
Sticker4″ × 4″1200 × 1200px @ 300 DPIKiss-cut vinyl

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Undo: Ctrl/⌘+Z · Redo: Ctrl/⌘+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y
  • Duplicate: Ctrl/⌘+D · Copy/paste: Ctrl/⌘+C / V · Delete: Delete or Backspace
  • Nudge: arrow keys (Shift = 10×) · Layer order: [ and ]
  • Zoom: + / − / 0 (fit)

FAQ

Is my work saved?
Yes. The studio saves to your account a couple of seconds after every change, and also keeps a backup on this device in case you lose connection. Projects are listed on the Design Studio start page.
What is the print area and the blue safe area?
The dashed box is exactly the area Printful prints for that product. Keep important text and art inside the blue safe area. Garment seams, hat curves and sticker cuts can trim the outer edge.
Can I print on the front and the back?
Yes, on T-shirts and hoodies. Use the Front / Back tabs above the canvas: put a small logo on the front (the “Left-chest logo” button sizes it for you) and use “Scale up for back” for a big version on the back. Sleeves and an outside neck label work the same way (the label can’t be combined with a back print). Each extra side adds Printful’s placement cost to production: back $6.95 per item, tee sleeve or label $2.75, hoodie sleeve $6.95, hoodie label $2.75. Your minimum price goes up to cover it (the studio shows “Back print adds $X to cost; new minimum $Y”), so you and FanSourced still earn on every sale. Buyers see “Printed front & back” and photos of both sides.
Why do I see a low-DPI warning?
Printful needs at least 150 DPI at the final printed size. If you scale a small image up, it drops below that and prints blurry. Use a bigger original, or make the image smaller on the canvas. Text and shapes are vector and always sharp.
How do hats work?
Hats are embroidered, not printed. The studio limits colors to the 6 thread colors Printful stocks for our hats, and small details or text under about ¼″ won’t stitch cleanly. Use bold, flat art without photos or gradients.
How do I pick which colors buyers can choose?
In step 2 (Products, mockups & publish), every product has a swatch grid. Turn colors on or off, choose the default color, or turn the whole product off. Buyers only see and can only buy the colors you turn on. You can change this any time from your dashboard with the Colors button, with no re-upload. Orders already placed aren’t affected.
What does the low-contrast warning mean?
Dark ink on a dark garment, or light ink on a light one, is hard to see. Use “Make a light-ink version” (or dark-ink) to create a matching version for those colors, or turn the low-contrast colors off.
Are the previews exact?
The live preview is a quick approximation. “Generate realistic mockups” asks Printful for real product photos of your print file, so it’s the best check before you publish. It can take up to a minute per product.
Can I edit a design after it’s published?
Yes. Open it in the studio from your dashboard, make your changes and republish. The trademark check and mockups run again and the Printful products are re-synced. Every save is kept in version history, so you can revert. Orders already placed always keep the exact print file the buyer bought.
What am I allowed to make?
Original fan designs only: your city, your neighborhood, game-day sayings, your own art. Official team, league, school or brand names, logos, mascots and player names/likenesses aren’t allowed. Exact matches are blocked, and near-matches need your acknowledgement and may be reviewed. See the Seller Terms.
What about prices and the minimum?
Each product has a minimum price that covers printing, shipping-in costs, fees and a small margin. The floor uses the most expensive color/size you enable. The earnings estimate shows what you’d make per sale.
Can I reuse a layout?
Use “Save current design as my template” in the My templates tab. Your templates are private, and you can rename, duplicate or delete them. The starter templates are original, generic fan styles you can customize.

Font licenses

Every studio font is licensed for commercial use on printed products.

  • Anton: OFL-1.1
  • Bebas Neue: OFL-1.1
  • Oswald: OFL-1.1
  • Graduate: OFL-1.1
  • Alfa Slab One: OFL-1.1
  • Black Ops One: OFL-1.1
  • Bungee: OFL-1.1
  • Racing Sans One: OFL-1.1
  • Rye: OFL-1.1
  • Monoton: OFL-1.1
  • Montserrat: OFL-1.1
  • Playfair Display: OFL-1.1
  • Roboto Slab: Apache-2.0
  • Pacifico: OFL-1.1
  • Lobster: OFL-1.1
  • Yellowtail: Apache-2.0
  • Kaushan Script: OFL-1.1
  • Permanent Marker: Apache-2.0