If you’ve ever uploaded a design for stickers, shirts, or transfers, you’ve probably been asked for a specific file type — PNG, SVG, or PDF. But what do those really mean? And why does it matter for your project?
For makers and businesses, understanding the difference between file formats can save you time, money, and frustration. Let’s break it down.
🔹 Vector Files (Best for Scaling & Cutting)
Examples: SVG, AI, EPS, PDF (when exported from Illustrator).
-
Made of: Mathematical paths, not pixels. Yeah that sounds complicated but essentially the artwork is a bunch of small pieces that fit together to make a big image.
-
Why they’re great: You can resize them to any size without losing quality. Perfect for logos, line art, and designs that need crisp edges. (This typically doesn't work well for artwork and drawings, etc)
-
Best use for makers: Cutting machines (Cricut, Silhouette), laser engraving, large prints, and anything that requires scaling. When we say scaling, we mean making it bigger or smaller.
If you make a vector file and its only 2" x 4" and you need it 10" x 20" you can easily resize it and it wont get blurry.
🔹 Raster Files (Best for Photos & Detailed Art)
Examples: PNG, JPG, GIF, TIFF.
-
Made of: Pixels (tiny squares of color).
-
Why they’re tricky: They look fine at the size they were created in, but if you enlarge them, they can blur or pixelate. You maybe have heard us say "Your artwork looks pixilated" and this is what we mean.
-
Best use for makers: Photos, full-color designs, or when you don’t need scaling. The reason is, when you make them larger they will get blurry. So if you hand draw an image on a sticky note, then try and "blow it up" larger, it will be blurry.
🔹 PNG Files (Our Most-Requested Upload Type)
-
Why PNGs rock: They support transparent backgrounds, which means no ugly white boxes behind your design.
-
When to use: When submitting artwork for DTF or UV DTF transfers.
-
Tip: Always save your PNG at the exact size you want printed, if you are working in a program like Canva, Adobe Illustrator, CoralDraw etc, make sure to size your artwork prior to saving it. For example if you are using the image for a T-Shirt and you want the image to be 12". Don't save it as a 3" and then make it bigger when ordering or it will be blurry. Make sure the image is saved at 12"!
🔹 JPG/JPEG Files
-
Strengths: Small file size, good for web use and photos.
-
Weaknesses: No transparency (white background only). Compresses image quality when saved.
-
When to use: Social media, quick previews, but not for professional printing.
🔹 PDF Files
-
Strengths: Can hold vector or raster data, preserves fonts and layouts, easy to share. Designers LOVE PDF files when they are created in a program like Adobe Illustrator since all the info they need are in there including font names and color profiling. These are great when you need specific colors that have to be accuarte.
-
Weaknesses: Not all PDFs are equal, sometimes they’re saved as pixel images inside. This is why we often request PNG image for uploading.
-
When to use: Logos, vector-based artwork, or when a printer specifically requests PDF.
🔹 SVG Files
-
Strengths: Vector format that stays sharp, supports transparency.
-
When to use: Digital cutters (Cricut/Silhouette), logos, or simple line artwork. They aren't great for printing image since they don't hold color profiles are cleanly.
Why File Type Matters for Printing
-
Sending the wrong file can result in blurry prints, wasted time, or back-and-forth emails.
-
Printers love vectors (SVG, AI, EPS, PDF) for logos/text because they’re infinitely scalable.
-
Printers also love PNGs for full-color designs because they keep transparency and clarity and universally almost all technology accepts PNG files.
Quick File Prep Checklist for Makers
✅ Use PNG with transparent background for full-color transfers.
✅ Use vector (SVG, PDF, AI) for logos and line art.
✅ Save raster images at print size and 300 DPI. (We can touch on this later)
✅ Always remove backgrounds before saving.
✅ When in doubt, send both (PNG + PDF).
Wrapping It Up
Every file type has its place, but for most makers working with DTF, UV DTF, and stickers, PNG with a transparent background is the safest and most versatile option. Understanding when to use vector vs raster, and how to save your files correctly, will make your projects cleaner, faster, and stress-free.
Need more help? That’s what our new Fuzzy Loon DTF & Makers Group is for a community of makers sharing tips, tricks, and answers.