Understanding advanced design guidelines and best practices
Overview
This article provides advanced design guidelines and best practices for preparing design files on BurgerPrints. It expands on the core concepts introduced in Understanding Product Design and BurgerPrints' design standard and explains how technical design decisions affect printing results in real production environments.
This article is for users who already understand basic design requirements and want deeper clarity on file formats, color handling, printing technologies, placement rules, and legal responsibilities. Following these guidelines helps reduce production issues, delays, and unnecessary disputes related to print quality or order rejection.
File Format And Color Considerations
Supported file formats and production behavior
BurgerPrints supports 2 design file formats only: PNG and JPG. The required format depends on the product type and printing method, and BurgerPrints specifies this clearly in each product template.
Key considerations:
PNG is required for products that need transparency or precise cut edges. For example, custom shape products require PNG so the design keeps a clean transparent background and the final cut shape prints correctly.
JPG is recommended for designs that cover a full background and do not need transparency. For example, AOP apparel base designs often work better in JPG because the file size is lighter. PNG files for large full-coverage AOP designs can easily become too large.
BurgerPrints applies a design file size limit. Keep each design file under 100 MB. Large files may upload slowly, process longer, or fail during file handling.
Some products support both PNG and JPG, depending on how you want the design to appear on the final product. In these cases, the choice of file format depends on your design intent.
If you are unsure which format to use, always check the product template. The template indicates whether the product requires PNG only or JPG only, so you can prepare the correct file format before uploading.
Layered design files (for example, PSD or AI files) are not processed as editable files. BurgerPrints flattens all designs before printing. Hidden layers, effects, or adjustment layers may render unexpectedly if you do not flatten your file properly before export.
Using the wrong format may cause background issues or upload failure.
Opacity, transparency, and blending effects
Opacity and transparency can be powerful design elements; however, when applied to the printing methods like DTF or DTG printing, transparency requires careful consideration.
Transparency in a design does not translate to “lighter ink” in printing. During production, semi-transparent elements are flattened and interact with both the garment color and the white underbase used in DTF or DTG printing.
Whether a semi-transparent design prints well on a garment depends on several factors:
Level of transparency
Fully transparent areas (0% opacity) do not print.
Fully opaque areas (100% opacity) print consistently.
Semi-transparent areas between these values may produce unexpected results, especially on fabric.
Garment color and white underbase interaction DTF and DTG printing uses a white underbase on certain garments, and this directly affects how transparency appears:
White garments: No white underbase is used. Semi-transparent areas print as they appear in the design.
Light-colored garments: A partial underbase may be applied. This can slightly affect transparency and color blending.
Dark-colored garments: A white underbase is required. In semi-transparent areas, the underbase may show through as small white speckles or uneven patches.
With current printing technology, DTG printing handles low-opacity elements much more accurately than before. However, transparency behavior can still vary depending on the printing method and garment color.
Using garment color as part of blending effects
Some designs intentionally use the garment color as part of the visual effect by leaving areas of the design file transparent or semi-transparent. This technique allows the base color of the garment to contribute to depth, contrast, and overall realism instead of acting as a neutral background.
When using garment-based blending effects, note the following:
The design is optimized for specific garment colors and may not work equally well across all variants.
Results differ significantly between light and dark garments due to white underbase behavior in DTG and DTF printing.
Always preview and test the design on the exact garment colors you plan to sell.
Designs that rely on blending with the garment color can create strong visual impact, but they require careful color planning and controlled use of transparency. These designs should not be treated as universal designs for all garment colors.
Color profiles: RGB and CMYK
BurgerPrints requires design files to be prepared in the RGB color profile, even though printing equipment ultimately uses CMYK-based processes. This is a normal part of print-on-demand production and applies across different products and fulfillment locations.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is used for digital design because it supports a wider and brighter color range.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is used for printing because ink absorbs light and has a more limited color range.
Color conversion from RGB to CMYK happens automatically during production so the design can be printed using physical inks and materials. Because of this conversion, some color differences between screen and print are expected.
To achieve smoother color results:
Avoid extremely bright, neon, or fluorescent colors
Be careful with very dark tones, which may lose detail in print
Maintain strong contrast between design elements
Avoid relying on subtle differences between similar colors
Place test orders for color-critical or brand-sensitive designs
Exact color matching between digital designs and printed products is not guaranteed. Designing with print limitations in mind helps reduce color-related surprises and disputes.
Design Placement, Safe Area, and Bleed Explained
When preparing a design file, placement, safe area, and bleed work together to determine how your artwork appears on the final product. Each concept serves a different purpose, and misunderstanding their roles often leads to alignment issues, cropped elements, or unexpected white edges.
Placement
Placement defines where the artwork is positioned within the printable area of a product. Placement guides are built into product templates to help keep designs visually centered and balanced on the final item.
Some product categories apply placement rules more strictly than others. For example, drinkware products use wrap-around layouts, where placement must account for curved surfaces and handle gaps. Because of this, drinkware templates usually include more detailed placement guides.
For standard 2D apparel printing (such as front or back prints on T-Shirts, Hoodies, or Sweatshirts), the placement and scale of the artwork within the design file directly determine where the artwork appears on the final product. Any artwork placed inside this area prints in the corresponding position on the garment.
Placement is based on relative position and proportion, not fixed measurements on the physical garment. The system does not automatically reposition artwork based on garment size or style. Moving artwork higher or lower, or scaling artwork larger or smaller in the design file moves the printed result accordingly on the garment.
Safe area
The safe area defines the zone where important design elements must be placed, such as text, logos, faces, key graphics...
Elements placed inside the safe area are protected from trimming, distortion, or unintended cropping during production. Content placed outside the safe area may be partially cut off or shifted.
The safe area does not control placement or alignment. Its role is to protect essential content, not to guarantee perfect centering.
Bleed
Bleed is the area that extends beyond the final trim line. Background artwork should always extend fully into the bleed area.
Bleed exists because cutting, pressing, or sewing is never perfectly precise. Without bleed, small production shifts may expose white edges or unprinted areas.
Bleed is required even when the design appears complete on screen.
How placement, safe area, and bleed work together
These three elements function as a system and all need to be correctly prepared design follows all three rules:
Placement controls where the artwork appears on the product. Artwork is positioned using the placement guide
Safe area protects important elements within that placement. All critical elements stay inside the safe area.
Bleed ensures full background coverage despite production tolerance. Background elements extend fully into the bleed
Ignoring any one of these can result in designs that appear off-center, cropped, or unfinished.
To achieve consistent results:
Always start from the official product template
Position artwork intentionally within the printable area
Avoid assuming the system will auto-center or auto-adjust placement
Use the visual guides in the template as the final reference for print position
DTG and DTF Printing Considerations
BurgerPrints supports both DTG (Direct-to-Garment) and DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing technologies for printed apparel. Each method processes ink and materials differently, which means not every design performs equally well across both technologies.
Understanding which printing method best matches a specific design style helps sellers avoid quality issues and select the most suitable production option.
DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing
DTG printing applies water-based ink directly onto the fabric using inkjet technology. The ink penetrates the fibers, creating a print that feels soft to the touch and integrates naturally with the garment surface.
DTG performs best with
Designs that include fine details and smooth gradients
Photographic artwork
Designs with fade-out effects, low opacity areas, smoke, or soft texture transitions
Products made from 100% cotton, where ink absorption is optimal
Because the ink bonds directly with the fabric, DTG prints generally maintain good color stability and durability when applied to suitable materials.
Limitations of DTG printing
DTG printing quality depends heavily on fabric composition and color interaction:
Blended fabrics may produce less consistent results compared to 100% cotton fabrics
Print configuration must adjust based on garment color and design color balance, which means a single print setup cannot apply uniformly across all products
DTG is not optimized for designs that rely on:
Glow or sparkle effects
Reflective or fluorescent colors
Matte finishes
Designs with many sharply separated color blocks or complex layered color effects
In these cases, DTG may produce muted results or lose the intended visual impact. Designs with strong visual effects or solid color separations are better suited for DTF printing.
Fabric composition and DTG printing behavior
DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing results vary depending on the fabric composition of the product. This is normal material behavior and not considered a printing defect.
100% Cotton fabrics (such as Solid T-Shirt, Lady T-Shirt, Tank Top) absorb water-based DTG ink more evenly. Because the ink penetrates the cotton fibers effectively, prints on 100% cotton typically appear:
Smoother and more consistent
Sharper in fine details
More stable in color saturation
Blended fabrics (such as Hoodies, Sweatshirts) contain polyester fibers that do not absorb DTG ink in the same way as cotton. On these blended materials, DTG prints may:
Appear slightly lighter or less saturated
Show more visible fabric texture
Have a different surface feel compared to prints on 100% cotton
These visual differences come from how ink interacts with different fiber types and are expected outcomes of DTG printing on blended fabrics. They do not indicate production errors or quality issues.
When selecting products for DTG printing, users should consider fabric composition as part of the design and product choice to ensure the final result matches their expectations.
DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing
DTF printing transfers designs onto garments using a PET film, adhesive powder, and heat press application. The design sits on top of the fabric rather than being absorbed into it.
DTF performs best with
Designs featuring bold colors and solid shapes
Glow, sparkle, metallic-style, or high-contrast effects
Designs that DTG cannot process effectively
A wider range of fabric types, including blended materials
Because the print layer is applied onto the garment surface, DTF offers strong color visibility and defined edges across different fabrics.
Limitations of DTF printing
DTF printing still involves a physical print layer and adhesive bonding process. While DTF supports a broader range of visual effects, it has its own constraints:
The printed layer may crack or peel over time, especially under frequent washing or heavy use. Overall durability may be lower compared to DTG in long-term wear
Semi-transparent areas may not blend as smoothly as expected.
Low-opacity elements can appear slightly uneven or less consistent.
DTF is not optimized for designs with fade-out transitions, low opacity elements, smoke, mist, or soft transparency effects, designs that rely on subtle blending between colors
Designs with extensive low-opacity effects, fade-outs, or atmospheric textures should be reviewed carefully when printed using DTF. DTG is generally the safer choice for these design types.
Halftone vs transparent gradients in DTF designs
DTF printing does not reproduce transparent gradients reliably. Effects that fade from color to transparency - such as glow, smoke, or mist - may print unevenly or lose detail.
For better results, prepare DTF designs using halftone patterns instead of transparency. Halftones use dots at 100% opacity that gradually change in size and density, allowing smoother visual transitions and more consistent ink coverage.
Best practice for DTF designs
Use 100% opacity for key elements
Avoid gradients that fade into transparency
Replace transparency-based effects with halftones
Gradients between solid colors are acceptable
Sublimation Printing Considerations
Sublimation printing transfers dye from a printed transfer film onto polyester-based fabrics or coated surfaces using heat and pressure. Sublimation ink becomes part of the material surface instead of forming a visible print layer.
Because of this process, sublimation has distinct design behavior related to color conversion, material interaction, and full-coverage layouts that users must understand when preparing design files.
Color handling and conversion behavior
Sublimation printing supports full-color designs and does not impose restrictions on which colors can be used in a design file. These printing methods don’t use a white underbase, so unprinted areas remain transparent and show the base material underneath.
BurgerPrints requires all sublimation designs to be prepared in the RGB color profile. During production, RGB designs are converted into printing color profiles suitable for sublimation output. This color conversion process can cause visible color shifts between the on-screen design (RGB) and the final printed product (CMYK).
These color changes are normal technical behavior during RGB-to-print color conversion and are not considered production defects.
Users should not rely on exact on-screen color appearance when working with color-critical or brand-sensitive designs. For best results, always review color output carefully and place test orders before launching large-scale production.
Full-coverage layouts and cut-and-sew tolerance
All Over Print (AOP) apparel uses a cut-and-sew production process. Design files are printed on flat fabric panels first, then cut and sewn together to form the final garment. Because each panel is produced, cut, and assembled separately, a continuous design that appears perfectly aligned on a mockup does not guarantee matching alignment on the finished product.
Alignment differences across seams, edges, and panel connections are normal production tolerance and are not considered defects. Users must design with this limitation in mind and should not expect exact artwork continuity across connected pieces.Precise
Areas where alignment is not guaranteed
Alignment across the following areas is not guaranteed and may show noticeable shifts:
Sleeve-to-body connections
Collar and neckline areas
Hem and bottom edges
Panel edges and seam intersections
These areas involve multiple fabric panels that are cut and assembled independently. As a result, visible misalignment or pattern breaks may occur, even when the design appears continuous in the design file or mockup.
These areas must be treated as non-alignable zones.
Users should not place text, faces, logos, or artwork that requires visual continuity across these connections. Any expectation of precise alignment or seamless matching in these areas is incorrect and unsupported by the cut-and-sew production process.
Areas with limited alignment control
Some garment areas allow partial alignment control, but exact matching is still not guaranteed, including:
Pocket areas on Hoodie products
Button plackets on products such as Hawaii Shirts and Baseball Jerseys
Zipper lines on Zip Hoodie products
In these areas, alignment is generally achievable, but minor deviations can still occur due to fabric movement, cutting variance, and sewing tolerance. Small shifts (typically less than 1 cm) are considered acceptable production variation.
While partial alignment is possible, these areas should not be treated as reliable or repeatable alignment zones. Designs placed across these connections must account for slight shifts and should avoid relying on precise edge-to-edge matching.
Design considerations for cut-and-sew layout tolerance
When designing full-coverage layouts for cut-and-sew products, users should consider how alignment tolerance may affect the final appearance. Small shifts between fabric panels are a normal part of the production process and should be anticipated during the design stage.
To reduce the risk of noticeable mismatching, users are encouraged to:
Keep text, faces, logos, and other focal elements away from seams, edges, and panel connections
Avoid designs that rely on precise alignment across multiple fabric panels
Use seamless patterns, textures, or gradual transitions that remain visually acceptable if minor shifts occur
Design backgrounds and large areas to be forgiving rather than dependent on exact panel matching
Treat mockups as visual layout references, not as guarantees of final alignment
These considerations focus specifically on layout behavior related to cut-and-sew production and help set realistic expectations for full-coverage apparel designs.
Best practices for sublimation designs
To reduce unexpected results and production issues:
Prepare all sublimation designs in RGB color mode
Expect color differences after RGB-to-print conversion
Avoid relying on exact color matching without test orders
Extend backgrounds fully into bleed areas for AOP products
Keep important elements away from seams and edges
Place test orders for new or color-sensitive designs before mass production
Understanding these sublimation-specific characteristics helps users design more effectively and set realistic expectations for final printed products.
Legal, Copyright, And Content Responsibility
Users are fully responsible for the content of their design files, including copyright, trademark, and licensing compliance. You must use original artwork or have valid rights and authorization to print any copyrighted or trademarked content.
BurgerPrints does not pre-review design content before production. However, when orders are submitted to fulfillment locations, designs may be reviewed for potential copyright or trademark violations.
If a fulfillment location detects a possible violation:
The order may be held, rejected, or returned
Production time may increase
Shipping timelines may be affected
In some cases, users may receive a notification that a design has been flagged for further review. If the design is confirmed to include unauthorized copyrighted or trademarked content, BurgerPrints will not fulfill orders containing that design and may recommend removing affected products from your store.
Common examples of designs that may be rejected
The following design types commonly trigger copyright or trademark violations if used without authorization:
Movie studios and entertainment brands such as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation...
Fashion and luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, and Versace...
Automotive brands such as Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Ford, and Chevrolet...
Musicians and bands such as Taylor Swift, Travis Scott, Billie Eilish, The Rolling Stones, and The Weeknd...
This list is not exhaustive. Many other brands, franchises, and copyrighted properties are protected.
Users should carefully review the legality of all design content before submitting orders, especially when working with fan art, branded elements, or AI-generated designs.
Common Misunderstandings And How To Avoid Them
Many production issues and disputes come from misunderstandings about how design files translate into physical products. The following are common mistakes users encounter, along with guidance on how to avoid them.
Mockups are not exact print proofs
Mockups and previews are visual representations designed to show placement and scale. They do not guarantee exact color accuracy, texture, or material behavior.
Differences may occur due to:
Printing method and material interaction
Color conversion from screen to print
Product shape, seams, or curved surfaces
How to avoid this issue:
Treat mockups as layout previews, not final proofs
Place test orders for new or color-sensitive designs
Avoid relying on subtle visual details that only appear on screen
Minor misalignment is a normal production tolerance
Small shifts in placement can happen during printing, pressing, cutting, or sewing. These variations are part of real-world production and do not indicate printing errors.
This is especially common with:
Wrap-around products such as drinkware
Apparel printed using heat transfer
Cut-and-sew AOP products
How to avoid this issue:
Design for visual balance rather than exact pixel alignment
Keep important elements centered and away from edges
Avoid layouts that require perfect symmetry
Color variation between batches or fulfillment locations
Printed colors may vary slightly between production batches or fulfillment locations. Differences in equipment calibration, materials, and environmental conditions can affect final output.
Exact color matching is not guaranteed across:
Different production runs
Different product types
Different fulfillment locations
How to avoid this issue:
Avoid extremely subtle color differences in designs
Maintain strong contrast between elements
Place test orders when consistent color output is critical
AOP seam mismatch is unavoidable
All Over Print products use a cut-and-sew process. Designs are printed on flat fabric panels before cutting and stitching, which can cause slight mismatches at seams.
Perfect alignment across seams, sleeves, or collars is not guaranteed and is not considered a defect.How to avoid this issue:
Avoid placing text, faces, or logos across seams
Extend background designs fully into bleed areas
Design with seamless patterns or forgiving transitions
Small file preparation issues can cause large print problems
Design files that look correct on screen may still cause production issues if they are not prepared properly.
Common file-related mistakes include:
Important elements placed outside the safe area
Backgrounds not extended into bleed
Using transparency or effects not suited for the printing method
How to avoid this issue:
Always start from the official product template
Keep critical elements inside the safe area
Extend all backgrounds into bleed
Match design techniques to the selected printing method
Understanding these common limitations and preparing design files accordingly helps users set realistic expectations, reduce production issues, and avoid unnecessary disputes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to convert files to CMYK? No. Use RGB unless specified otherwise in the product template.
Why does my AOP design look misaligned at seams? AOP products use cut-and-sew production. Small alignment shifts are unavoidable.
Are vector files better than raster files? Vector files are acceptable if exported correctly. All designs are printed as rasterized files.
Is color accuracy guaranteed? Exact color matching is not guaranteed due to material and process differences.
Should I use transparency effects for DTF designs? Avoid transparency-based effects. Use halftones for smoother and more consistent results.
Why does my design look different on black and white garments even though the design file is the same? Because some designs intentionally blend with the garment color, transparent or dark areas interact differently with light and dark fabrics. The garment color and white underbase behavior directly affect contrast, depth, and visibility in the final print.
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