Here you will find some tips on how to design your own things, go to the item you want and click the button: Keep in mind that some prints may take a little longer so be sure to order in good time.

• Follow the lines on how to place the image and text so they end up correctly,
• Select an image from your mobile or computer and place it on the item.
• Enter your text and place it on the item.
• Preview the item so you can see the end result.
   

  Overview Gelato

  Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing applies water-based inks directly to fabrics using advanced inkjet technology. This process produces vibrant, highly detailed designs and is ideal for intricate artwork or photorealistic prints.

  Design specifications

  • File format: PNG or JPEG.
  • Minimum resolution: 150 DPI.
  • Color profile: sRGB.
  • Backgrounds: transparent.
  • If you use our templates, make sure you remove all guide layers.

  Design best practices

  • Transparency: Avoid semi-transparent elements; instead use solid colors or raster techniques.
  • Resolution: Low-resolution images must be recreated, not resized.
  • Color management: For black garments, leave black areas transparent to prevent muted sub-bass effects.
  • Edges: Avoid precise edges as minor shifts during production can distort them.

  Important notes

  • White garments remain unprinted in white areas.
  • Light garment colors can slightly tone down light tones.
  • Manual handling may result in slight placement variations.

  Care instructions

  • Wash the garments inside out with cold water to preserve the pattern.
  • Use mild detergent and avoid bleach.
  • Air dry or tumble dry on low heat.
  • Avoid ironing directly on the pattern.

  
  

  Embroidery

  Why you should choose embroidery

  Embroidery gives garments a premium and exclusive feel thanks to the textured design. It also provides durability that won't fade over time and offers more print areas than DTG printing. By offering this product, you can charge your customers a higher price.

  Technical application of embroidery

  Gelato uses flat embroidery, where the design is sewn directly onto the product with thread. Any of the following stitch types can be used for a single design. We choose the most appropriate stitch type to capture the design details.

  A - Satin stitch: A long, straight stitch used to contour an object.

  B - Run stitch: A single line stitch used for small design details.

  C - Tatami filling: Rows of running stitches used to fill large areas.

  All of our embroidery designs use an embroidery backing. It is a thin layer of fabric that is placed on the inside of the garment to make your embroidery smoother, more comfortable and more durable.

  What is digitalization?

  Treat

  • Your designs will be sent for digitization for the first order with that design.
  • Digitization of files takes up to 24 hours, which is included in the delivery estimate.
  • The preview generated on the mockup serves as a visual reference before the file can be digitized, it may not always exactly match the final result.
  • Our digitizing tools determine which types of stitches are best for each design, meaning similar designs can be digitized in different ways and produce different results.
  • The digitization process has strict guidelines to match available machine capabilities, so we do not accept files digitized elsewhere.

  What colors can I use?

  You can choose any of the 15 embroidery thread colors listed below. We allow a maximum of 6 thread colors per embroidery area. Please ensure that your design file contains a maximum of 6 of the colors listed below.

  
  

  

  
  

  Guidelines for creating embroidery files

  Please follow these guidelines when creating embroidery designs. We cannot guarantee desired results if your design does not meet these guidelines.

  Measurement and sewing guidelines

  • Use text and lines with a minimum height of 6.4 mm and a thickness of 1.3 mm for regular stitches.
  • For lines below the minimum thickness, a running stitch is used as an alternative.

  Design and color choices

  • Create embroidery-specific designs. Due to their complexity, most graphics that work with DTG will not be suitable for embroidery.
  • Use vector images (in PDF format or PNG files with at least 150 DPI) with solid shapes and colors, not photographic images.
  • Stick to solid colors and patterns and fill in any empty spaces to maintain edge integrity.
  • Avoid worn or textured graphics.
  • Use small and simple designs on thin garments to ensure quality and durability. Large and complex embroidery designs require a high stitch count, which will strain thin fabric.
  • Design your embroidery design slightly larger than intended. The embroidery is applied to a stretched garment, resulting in a finished design slightly smaller than the submitted file.

  File and stitch count management

  • Use a transparent background whenever possible.
  • Keep backgrounds to a minimum in large areas to stay within the stitch limit. Consider scaling down graphics by up to 50% if a background is necessary.

  Special considerations for side areas

  • For best results, limit text to 10 characters per line in the embroidery areas on the page.

  Explore paper options

  
  

  Let's explore the distinguishing features of our most popular paper types:

  Matte or uncoated

  Matte paper, known for its non-glossy finish, is often preferred for its elegant aesthetic. Consider:

  • Matte paper generally has a higher price compared to coated paper.
  • Its availability and consistency may vary between different global regions.
  • Due to its absorbent nature, matte paper is not ideal for designs with heavy ink coverage, as it can lead to a blotchy appearance.

  Semi-gloss or silk-coated

  Tissue paper offers a middle ground between matte and glossy finishes, providing a subtle sheen that enhances the visual impact. Consider these aspects:

  • Tissue paper is well suited for documents with heavy ink coverage, as its coating ensures vibrant and consistent color reproduction.
  • You can further enhance tissue paper with either a matte or glossy protective layer, which increases durability and prevents smudging (more information on protection below).
  • Keep in mind that the smooth surface of tissue paper is not optimal for writing.

  The difference between "Classic Semi-Gloss Paper" and "Classic Semi-Gloss Paper (Legacy)" is their compatibility. The "Legacy" option targets products with separate inch/centimeter formats that predate our product catalog update.

  Protection for lasting quality

  Applying a protective layer to your printed materials will protect against scratches, scuffs and colour fading. This is especially important for documents with a lot of ink, as it prevents the colour from rubbing off. We highly recommend choosing a protector on brightly coloured covers of saddle stitched or perfectly bound documents to prevent unsightly cracks along the spine.

  You can choose between a glossy or matte protective finish, depending on your desired aesthetics and gloss level.

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  Understanding paper weight

  Navigating the world of paperweights can sometimes feel like deciphering a secret code. To make things easier, we've outlined the key differences in how paperweights are measured around the world:

  • North America: The standard unit of measurement for paper weight is pounds (lb).
  • Rest of the World: The metric system reigns supreme, with grams per square meter (gsm) as the preferred unit.

  Overview

  PRINTFUL: Must be contacted for custom printing

  Guidelines that must be followed

  • 

    Design life-size graphics

  • 

    Used only solid shapes and colors

  • 

    Used transparent backgrounds for your pictures

  • 

    Submit vector files in PDF format or PNG files with at least 150 DPI

  • 

    Stay within the maximum stitch count – 15,000 stitches for common patterns

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    Stay within the maximum stitch count – 25,000 stitches for large embroidery text and clipart designs

  • 

    If you are using our downloadable templates, remove the guide layers before saving your files

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  Embroidery Disclaimers

  • The generated preview on the mockup is for visual reference only and may not match the final result.

  • We use a single row of stitches (running stitches) for fine details in flat embroidery, and due to the limitations of the embroidery process, text with very small letters may be illegible. Learn more about how to create the perfect embroidery file here .

  • Elements less than 3 mm apart may be connected by segments of running stitch or connecting threads, which can be 1.3–3 mm (0.05"-0.19") long. This is most visible in text.

  • The flatness and consistency of the seam depends on the material it is sewn on. For example, the satin seam on a hat will have more gaps than on a hoodie.

  • Human intervention in the embroidery process may lead to minor variations in the exact embroidery placement on garments and products.

  • Large and heavy embroidery on thin fabrics can sometimes cause the fabric to bend or twist slightly.

  • Due to the soft fabric, details made with running stitches on hats can sink into the base material and look as if they are "missing".

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  Tips for best results

  Create embroidery-specific designs . Embroidery is not printing, so most graphics that work on other products will not be suitable for embroidery products. The best embroidery designs are text-based graphics or simple designs with clean, bold lines. Please note that your order will be paused if your design has intricate details. Once you have updated your order, we will review it to ensure everything is in order.

  Visit our embroidery guidelines page for troubleshooting and additional tips for creating embroidery patterns.

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  Available thread colors for standard embroidery

  All embroidery types have a limit of 6 thread colors per design. Your embroidery file should only contain these colors.

  
  

  

  
  

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  Available thread colors for unlimited embroidery

  Your embroidery can be in any color except metallic or neon. You can create gradient and multi-color designs.

  • If you need help, contact us at info@creativprint.s