Designing T-Shirts: Inkscape To Spreadshirt Guide

Inkscape is a free and open-source SVG editor that can be used to design T-shirts. It is a good option for T-shirt design as it supports most processes, including screen printing, direct to garment, cut vinyl, and printed transfers. When designing a T-shirt in Inkscape, it is important to ensure that the dimensions and DPI are correct. Additionally, when exporting the design, it is recommended to use a PNG file with a resolution of at least 90 DPI. For uploading designs to Spreadshirt, it is suggested to upload vector graphics or bitmaps with a resolution of up to 3000x3000px. When working with text, it is important to convert all text to paths before uploading, as Spreadshirt may not have the same fonts on file and does not support SVG 1.2 or 2.0 text spans.

Ensure correct dimensions and dpi for your T-shirt design

When designing a T-shirt in Inkscape, ensuring correct dimensions and DPI is crucial for achieving the desired print quality. Here are some detailed instructions to help you with this process:

Firstly, understand the relationship between DPI and print size. DPI stands for Dots Per Inch, which refers to the number of dots or pixels the printer lays down per inch of paper. A higher DPI allows for higher resolution printing. However, increasing the DPI does not improve print quality; instead, it creates larger file sizes that can slow down your system and cause image pixilation.

When preparing your design for export, pay attention to the requirements of your chosen printing platform. For example, Teepublic recommends a resolution of 150 DPI or above, with dimensions of 1500 x 1995px or larger. Spreadshirt, on the other hand, might require larger dimensions, as mentioned in your prompt. It's important to check these specifications to ensure your design meets the platform's standards.

When setting up your document in Inkscape, go to Document Properties > Page Tab to set the desired page size. For instance, if you want an A4-sized design at 300 DPI, set the dimensions to 2480 x 3508px. You can also use the formula: pixel width and height divided by the desired DPI to calculate the print size.

Once you've finalised your design, it's time to export it. Go to File > Export PNG. In the Export PNG dialog box, choose the "Page" option and set the DPI accordingly. If you're exporting for Spreadshirt, ensure the DPI matches the requirements provided on their website.

It's important to note that when you convert your vector design to a raster format like PNG, you can no longer scale it without distortion. Therefore, scale your design to the required size before exporting and avoid resizing the PNG file afterward. Additionally, some printing platforms might prefer vector files with each colour on a separate layer, so keep that in mind when preparing your final files.

Convert text to paths before uploading to Spreadshirt

When designing a T-shirt in Inkscape, it is important to convert text to paths before uploading to Spreadshirt. This is because Spreadshirt does not support SVG 1.2 or 2.0 text spans and they won't have your fonts on file. Converting text to paths ensures that your design will be printed exactly as you intend, without any missing text or incorrect formatting.

To convert text to paths in Inkscape, select your text and go to the "Path" menu, then choose "Object to Path". This will convert your text into editable paths, allowing you to modify the text as needed. It is also important to note that Spreadshirt requires all vector designs to be saved or exported in EPS format before uploading.

Additionally, Spreadshirt has specific requirements for printability. They will check every vector graphics design uploaded to ensure there are no issues when printing. This includes removing pixel graphics from the design, scaling designs to achieve the required line thickness, and closing curves and reducing layers.

By following these steps and requirements, you can ensure that your T-shirt design will be printed accurately and without any issues.

Use Inkscape's built-in exporter to export your design as a PNG

To use Inkscape's built-in exporter to export your design as a PNG, go to the File menu and select Export PNG. Before converting to PNG, make sure to scale the image to the size you need. Once you've converted it to PNG, you won't be able to scale it without distortion, as PNG is a raster format.

If you're using Spreadshirt, you should also check the required pixel size for your design. Spreadshirt supports bitmap resolutions up to 3000x3000px, so upload the largest image within this limit. Go to "File" > "Export bitmap", then under "Bitmap size", find the largest of height and width and fill in 3000px instead of the highest value.

If you're uploading to Spreadshirt, it's recommended to upload vector graphics instead of bitmap images. Spreadshirt uses direct-to-garment printing for bitmap images, but for vector graphics, they use flex/flock prints, which have a nicer quality.

Upload vector graphics to Spreadshirt for higher-quality prints

If you want to sell products created with your vector graphics on Spreadshirt, you must first upload your vector graphics file to your Partner Area. To do this, you need to register for a free Spreadshirt account and then click on "Designs" in your Partner Area to follow the upload process.

Spreadshirt will then check your vector graphics design to ensure it meets the requirements for printing. This automated process usually takes a moment and any necessary changes will be made to your design, such as scaling the design to make it large enough to achieve the required line thickness, or closing curves and reducing layers. You will then be asked to either accept or reject these changes in your Partner Area.

Vector graphics are a prerequisite for plot printing, which is one of the printing methods used by Spreadshirt, along with digital direct printing. For plot printing, your design is first punched out of coloured printing foils by a plotter, and then a Spreadshirt employee removes the excess foil. The design is then placed on a T-shirt and heat and pressure are applied to make the design stick. Finally, the backing film is peeled off.

To ensure your vector graphic can be printed, it must meet the following minimum requirements for plot printing:

• File type: .ai, .svg or .cdr
• Minimum size: 10x10 cm
• Maximum size: 15 x 15 inches (ideally 11 x 11 inches)
• Minimum diameter for lines or design details: 1.5 mm or 0.06 inches
• Maximum 3 colours, created separately on one layer
• Texts and forms are converted into completely closed paths

Use the correct resolution when exporting your design as a PNG file

When exporting your design as a PNG file, it's important to use the correct resolution to ensure that your design looks crisp and clear on the T-shirt. Here are some detailed steps and tips to help you with this process:

Firstly, it's important to note that Inkscape has a built-in exporter that allows you to export your design as a PNG file. You can access this feature by going to the File menu and selecting "Export PNG". Before exporting, make sure that you have scaled your image to the desired size, as you won't be able to scale it without distortion after converting it to PNG.

When exporting your design as a PNG file, pay close attention to the resolution. A resolution of 90 dpi (dots per inch) should be sufficient for a T-shirt design. However, if you require a larger size, you can increase the resolution accordingly. For example, if you need a meaningful size like 1000x1000 px, you can adjust the resolution until you achieve the desired size.

Additionally, consider the printable area of the T-shirt. Different platforms may have specific requirements for the canvas size. For instance, Redbubble requires a canvas size of 3873x4814 pixels to cover the printable area. Adjust your canvas size accordingly to ensure your design fits the T-shirt properly.

When exporting your PNG file, you can specify the desired resolution in the Export PNG dialog box. Make sure to choose the Page option at the top and set the DPI (dots per inch) to the desired value, such as 90. This will ensure that your design maintains the correct resolution when printed on the T-shirt.

Finally, keep in mind that some platforms, such as Spreadshirt, support bitmap images with resolutions up to 3000x3000 px. If you're using such a platform, upload the largest possible image within this limit to ensure the best quality for your design.

Frequently asked questions