Run through this before sending artwork for digitizing. It takes about two minutes and removes almost every reason a quote comes back with questions instead of a price.
1. The artwork file
| Send | Workable | Do not send |
|---|---|---|
| AI, EPS, SVG, PDF with live vector | Sharp PNG or JPG with clear edges and lettering | Screenshot of a screenshot |
| Original design files | Clear photo of an existing sew-out | Tiny website copy where the detail is already lost |
| An existing DST/PES if one exists | Flat, sharp scan with readable shapes and lettering | PDF with a low-resolution image placed inside it |
If the third column is genuinely all that exists, say so. It becomes a redraw, which is a known quantity rather than a guess.
2. The four things to state
Every one of these changes the file. None of them can be guessed.
- Finished size — width and height in inches or millimeters. Not “left chest sized”.
- Placement — left chest, cap front, cap side, jacket back, sleeve, patch.
- Garment or material — piqué polo, structured cap, fleece, towel, denim, performance knit.
- Machine format — DST, PES, EXP, JEF, VP3. Or name the machine and let the digitizer pick.
3. Check what survives at your size
Measure the element on the artwork scaled to the finished size, then check it against this.
| Element | Usually fine | Expect a conversation |
|---|---|---|
| Lettering | Above about 6 mm cap height | Below that, and on fleece or toweling above it |
| Lines and rules | Above about 1 mm finished width | Hairlines — they get rebuilt heavier or dropped |
| Gradients | Interpreted as blends or angle changes | Photographic gradients across a small area |
| Drop shadows, glows | — | Usually simplified into a defined shape or colour, or removed when the effect will not read cleanly |
| Color count | Up to about a dozen | Beyond that the cost moves to machine time |
| Outlined text inside a shape | At larger sizes | At left-chest size the counters fill in |
Lettering minimums vary by fabric more than by font. The full table is in embroidery lettering sizes →
4. Before you hit send
- One file per finished size you actually need — not one file to be resized later.
- Deadline stated if it is tied to a production slot.
- Thread colors named or matched, if they are fixed by a brand.
- Anything you already know will not work flagged, so it is not quoted twice.
What comes back
- The stitch file in the format you asked for
- A stitch preview
- The color sequence, so the operator knows what goes on at each stop
- Production notes where the design needs them
Why each of those matters, and what goes wrong when they are skipped. How to prepare a logo for embroidery →
Ready when you are