WHAT IMAGE RESOLUTION FOR PRINTING?

Contents

• What is image resolution?
• What resolution for textile printing?
• How do I know the DPI of my file?
• How do I set up my file?

Tissus Print offers high quality digital printing. However, if your image is not of good enough quality, the print will automatically be affected. Not always visible to the naked eye, once printed the pattern will not be as sharp. That's why we want to help you understand what image resolution you need to get a high-quality print?

In this article, we explain everything you need to know about image resolution to get sharp, detailed prints, whether for personalised fabric by the metre or personalised clothing and accessories.

What is image resolution?

To understand what the resolution of a file is, we need to look at the definition of a file.
The definition of a file corresponds to the exact number of PPP (pixels per inch) or DPI (dots per inch) that it contains. Most images used for printing are raster images, i.e. made up of pixels. The more pixels a file has, the more detailed it will be and the heavier it will be in terms of computer weight. The file is then said to be high definition (HD file).
The resolution of a file expressed in PPP or DPI corresponds to the density of pixels over a given length. More concretely, DPI refers to the level of detail that can be displayed in an image.
The higher the DPI, the finer the detail in the file and the smaller the printed file. Conversely, if the resolution is too low, your printed motif or image will appear blurred or pixelated. This is particularly important for quality textile prints, as poorly printed fabric can detract from the visual effect and legibility of the design.

What resolution for textile printing?

To obtain a high-quality digital print on fabric, Tissus Print recommends working with a resolution of 300 DPI. This figure represents the number of dots printed per inch, and such a density ensures optimum image sharpness, even on large surfaces such as fabrics.
However, depending on the end use of the fabric, a resolution of 150 DPI may be sufficient, especially if the print is intended to be seen from a distance. Here are the ideal parameters to respect:

• 300 DPI resolution for maximum precision.
• 150 DPI for acceptable printing, particularly on large surfaces or for designs that can be seen from a distance.

How do I know the DPI of my file?

It's very easy to check the resolution of your image before sending it for printing:

• Right-click on my image.
• Click on property.
• Click on details where you will find the resolution in DPI and the size in pixels of your image.

You will find the DPI resolution and pixel size of your file.

How do I set up my file?

Resolution alone does not guarantee quality printing. It is just as important to set up your file correctly before sending it.

Dimensions : Width vs height

To achieve high-quality printing, it's important to create a print with a width and height suited to the chosen resolution. For high-quality printing, make sure that the width and height of your file are proportional to the 300 DPI resolution.

Example: For a fabric measuring 100 cm long and 50 cm wide, your file should have a resolution of approximately 11,811 pixels long and 5,905 pixels wide (because 100 cm = 39.37 inches and 50 cm = 19.69 inches; and in 300 DPI, 39.37 inches x 300 DPI = 11,811 pixels, 19.69 inches x 300 DPI = 5,905 pixels).

File size

The higher the resolution and the width x height ratio of the file, the larger its size, because it contains more pixels. So a file with a high number of pixels will be heavy in terms of bytes.

For example: a 300 DPI image will be heavier than a 150 DPI image for the same physical size.

Image format

Finally, once your file has been created, you can choose to save it in different formats.
To obtain a high-quality file, you can save your file as a PSD, AI or PDF. However, these files are very large.
If you want to save your file in a lighter format, but still retain its quality, we recommend TIFF or JPG.

In summary, to obtain a quality print on fabric, Tissus Print advises you to send your files with the following parameters:

• Resolution of 300 DPI (or 150).
• Width x height proportional to the chosen DPI.
• TIFF (or JJPEG) image format.

You can use these guidelines to print large format photos, as well as patterns, designs and logos on our personalised textiles. By applying the advice in this ultimate guide to image resolution, you can guarantee that your print will meet your expectations and look its best on our personalised fabrics or accessories.