Screen Printing Artwork Requirements Explained

Every screen printer has a version of the same conversation: a client submits artwork, the shop reviews it, and then comes the email — "we can't use this file as-is." Sometimes it's a format issue. Sometimes the colors aren't separated. Sometimes it's a 72 DPI JPEG screenshotted from a website.

These issues aren't the client's fault. Screen printing has specific technical requirements that most people outside the industry never encounter. This article exists to close that gap — a complete breakdown of what screen printers actually require from artwork files, and why each requirement exists.

The Non-Negotiables: Format and Editability

Screen printing shops require artwork that can be color-separated and output to film. That means the file must be:

Vector-based — Artwork built from mathematical paths (not pixels) that can be output at any size without quality loss and can be opened layer-by-layer for color separation.

Accepted formats:

• .ai (Adobe Illustrator) — preferred by most shops
• .eps (Encapsulated PostScript) — universally compatible, slightly less flexible
• .pdf (with live/editable content, not flattened) — acceptable when saved from Illustrator
• .svg — increasingly accepted, especially for web-to-print workflows

Not acceptable as final artwork:

• .jpg / .jpeg
• .png
• .gif
• .psd (unless being used for simulated process, and even then, specific channel requirements apply)
• .docx, .pptx, or any office format

If your artwork only exists as a raster file, it needs to be vectorized first. This isn't a matter of preference — it's a technical requirement of the separation and film output process.

→ Get your raster artwork converted to screen-print-ready vector files

Color Requirements: Spot Colors and Pantone

Screen printing is a spot color process. Each ink is a separate, pre-mixed color — not a combination of CMYK dots like in digital printing.

What Shops Require for Colors

• All colors assigned as Pantone Spot Colors (Coated or Uncoated depending on substrate)
• No RGB or CMYK process colors in the final separation file
• Each color on a separate layer, named clearly (e.g., PMS 186 C, White Underbase)
• No global CMYK builds that approximate spot colors — these won't separate correctly

Pantone Coated vs. Uncoated

Substrate	Use
Cotton garments (most apparel)	Pantone Coated (C)
Uncoated paper goods	Pantone Uncoated (U)
Promotional products	Confirm with shop

Note that a PMS color looks different on coated vs. uncoated stock. PMS 286 C (bright royal blue) and PMS 286 U (same reference number, uncoated) are visibly different in final output. Always communicate to your shop which Pantone deck you're referencing.

Special Inks

If your design calls for metallic, neon/fluorescent, glitter, or glow-in-the-dark inks, these must be explicitly noted in the file and flagged in your work order. Standard Pantone references don't cover many special effect inks — those are shop-specific formulas.

Ink Count: What It Means and Why It's Capped

Every color in a screen print design requires its own screen — a physical mesh frame that gets coated, exposed, and mounted on the press. More screens = more setup time = higher cost.

Most automatic presses accommodate up to 8 colors per pass. Manual presses typically run 4–6 colors. Flash-cure stations between colors add time and cost for designs requiring underbases or multiple wet-on-wet layers.

Practical color count guidelines:

• 1–3 colors: budget-friendly, fast setup, great for basic logos
• 4–6 colors: the sweet spot for complex logos and multicolor artwork
• 7–8 colors: significant setup cost, justified only for large runs or complex simulated process
• 8+ colors: rarely cost-effective; evaluate DTF or DTG alternatives

"When a client insists on 10 colors on a 48-piece run, the math just doesn't work. We always try to redesign down to 6 colors or point them to DTF. It's not a limitation — it's good production planning." — Screen print shop owner.

→ Not sure which process fits your artwork? Get a free review

Resolution Requirements for Raster Elements

Vector artwork doesn't have a DPI. But if any part of your design includes a raster element — a texture, a photograph, a scanned illustration — that element must meet minimum resolution standards.

Raster DPI Requirements

Use Case	Minimum DPI at Final Print Size
General raster elements	300 DPI
Halftone source images	300–600 DPI
High-detail photo simulated process	600 DPI

DPI must be measured at 100% of the final print size, not at thumbnail or web scale. A 72 DPI image that looks fine at 3" on screen becomes a blurry mess at 13" on press.

→ Check your artwork resolution with our free tool

Halftone and Gradient Specifications

If your design includes gradients, shadows, textures, or photographic elements, those elements must be converted to halftones for screen printing. Shops typically have specific halftone requirements:

Standard Halftone Specs

• LPI (Lines Per Inch): typically 35–65 LPI depending on mesh count
• Dot shape: elliptical (most common), round, or diamond — confirm with your shop
• Dot angle: 45° for single-color halftones; staggered angles for multi-color to avoid moiré
• Maximum dot: 85–90% (avoid 100% fills in halftone areas to prevent ink flooding)
• Minimum dot: 5–10% (below this, dots don't hold on screen)

If you're delivering halftones to a shop, always confirm LPI before output. A halftone output at 55 LPI intended for a 200-mesh screen will moiré badly on a 110-mesh press.

Minimum Size and Stroke Requirements

Physical printing has physical limits. Very fine details — thin strokes, tiny type, intricate linework — can fail to hold on a screen.

Minimum specifications (general industry guidelines):

• Stroke weight: 0.5pt minimum (many shops prefer 1pt+)
• Positive type: 5–6pt minimum at final print size
• Reverse (knockout) type: 7–8pt minimum — ink fills thinner letters
• Fine linework: 0.5mm minimum width

These numbers shift based on mesh count, ink type, and whether you're printing on textured fabrics. Mesh fabrics like performance wear or athletic knits have more give, and fine details can distort. Always ask your shop for their specific minimums.

Artwork Sizing and Document Setup

Artwork must be delivered at 100% of the final print size. Never deliver artwork smaller and expect the shop to scale it up — this breaks raster elements and can alter trapping values.

Document setup checklist:

• Artboard set to final print dimensions
• No crop marks or bleed (unless printing on paper or rigid substrates)
• Color mode: CMYK (even for spot color files — this prevents RGB color surprises)
• All fonts outlined: Type > Create Outlines
• No linked images: all embedded or removed
• No unused swatches, brushes, or symbols in the document

Underbase Requirements for Dark Substrates

For printing on dark garments (black, navy, charcoal, dark red, etc.), an opaque white underbase is required to make colors appear vibrant and accurate. This adds one screen/color to your count.

Underbase artwork requirements:

• Built as a separate layer in the file, labeled White Underbase
• Shape should be a choked version of the full design (typically 0.5–1pt choke) to prevent white halo
• Set to overprint: off — it's the base, not an overprint element
• Some shops prefer a slightly reduced opacity in areas where softness is desired; confirm with your shop

→ Have us build your underbase and trapping for you

Trapping Requirements

Misregistration between colors — even 1/32" — can expose the substrate between adjacent colors. Trapping prevents this.

Standard trapping values:

• Spread/choke: 0.25–0.5pt for most garment printing
• Higher trapping (up to 1pt) for stretchy fabrics or older presses with wider registration tolerance
• Black and dark colors: set to overprint, not knockout
• Lighter colors spread into darker neighbors (not the reverse)

What to Include When Submitting Files

Every file submission to a screen printer should include:

1. The vector artwork file (.ai, .eps, or print-quality PDF)
2. A color callout sheet — visual file showing which Pantone color maps to which element
3. A production note with: ink count, garment color, print location, print size, any special inks or techniques
4. Reference mockup — a flat visual showing how the design should look on the garment

→ Not sure if your files are ready? Use our Artwork Readiness Checklist

The Bottom Line

Screen printing file requirements aren't arbitrary gatekeeping — they exist because the physical process demands physically separable, scalable, press-ready artwork. Spot colors, vector paths, minimum strokes, and correct halftone specs are the difference between a job that runs smoothly and one that burns time, screens, and ink on remakes.

If your artwork doesn't meet these requirements, don't wing it. Submit your files for a free artwork review and we'll give you a straight answer on what's ready and what needs work — before you're standing at a press wondering why the colors look wrong.