How to Design a Custom T-Shirt That Looks Professionally Made

The gap between a homemade-looking shirt and a professional one comes down to a few design decisions: contrast, colour, placement, and file quality.

You do not need to be a graphic designer — you need rules that shops use every day.

Contrast first

Light ink on dark shirts (with proper underbase) or dark ink on light shirts. Low-contrast grey-on-grey disappears in photos.

One hero graphic beats five tiny icons. Leave breathing room from seams and collars.

Centre chest for statements; left chest for brands; full back for events. Online steps: design online guide.

Vectors for logos; high-res PNG for photos. Read PNG vs vector and prepare logo files.

Colours shift by fabric dye. Approve the mockup on the actual colourway before production.

The source file is likely low resolution. Re-export larger or send a vector.

For screen printing, fewer spot colours save money. DTF handles full colour without screen counts.

For vectors, converting text to outlines prevents font substitution. For DTF raster art, embed fonts in a high-res export.

We can flag technical issues; complex redesigns may need your designer or a quote for layout help.

Design online or send your art — we will quote same-day mockups for most jobs.