Embroidery & Printing FAQ

1. What is CMYK?
2. Is there a standard size for printing a logo on the front and back of a T-Shirt or Golf Shirt?
3. What format do you need the file in?
4. What are RGB colors?
5. What are Pantone Colors?
6. Why do I need a high resolution file for printing in black and white?
7. How many colors can I print on a T-shirt?
8. Can I print a photograph on a shirt?
9. If our logo is not clear or I do not have a good copy of the logo, can you help us?
10. What is the smallest size embroidery we can do?
11. Can you match our printing colors (PMS) to thread for embroidery?
12. How can I send a file to you?
13. What happens if I don't have artwork on my computer?
14. What is the minimum resolution for artwork?
15. What is the difference between bitmap and eps file types?
16. Can I use artwork containing PMS colors?
17. What does 4-color process mean? When should I use it?
18. What is that grey and white "checkerboard" background behind my artwork?
19. How accurate are the colors I see on screen?
20. How long will I be able to store artwork on Akran Marketing's Website?
21. I don't have time to figure this out right now. Can I just speak with someone about my sample/quote/order?

1. What is CYMK?
   CYMK is the industry standard color system used for printing. It stands for Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black.
   
   
2. Is there a standard size for printing a logo on the front and back of a T-Shirt or Golf Shirt?
   There is no standard size. However, we recommend for T-Shirts if the logo is long and narrow. The print should be 3” or 4”, and for golf shirts 2” to 3”. In case the logo is round then the print should not be more than 3” in diameter. For for printing something other than a logo onto a T-Shirt or Golf Shirt we recommend 9” to 11” for full front and 10” to 12” for full back.
   
   
3. What format do you need the file in?
   We prefer you send us the original files used to create the artwork. The files must be in EPS vector format (with all fonts turned to curves) from either Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop. The file must be saved at a minimum resolution of 300dpi in final size with the original number of colors.
   
   
4. What are RGB colors?
   RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue. This color palette is generally reserved for web graphics.
   
   
5. What are Pantone Colors?
   Pantone Colors are the palette of colors considered to be the standard in the printing industry and is also used to match an exact color.
   
   
6. Why do I need a high resolution file for printing in black and white?
   So that when we make films for silk screening the quality comes out good. We do need a minimum 300dpi resolution.
   
   
7. How many colors can I print on a T-shirt or Golf Shirt?
   We can print up to a maximum of 8 colors.
   
   
8. Can I print a photograph on a shirt?
   Yes, you can. It will be done through the process of heat transfer.
   
   
9. If our logo is not clear or I do not have a good copy of the logo, can you help us?
   Yes, absolutely our art department can either fix your existing logo or if required, recreate the logo from scratch.
   
   
10. What is the smallest size embroidery we can do?
    The smallest size embroidery we can do is ¼” so that it can still remain legible enough to read
    
    
11. Can you match our printing colors (PMS) to thread for embroidery?
    Yes, we can match your PMS colors to thread colors. We carry over 1,000 different types of color of thread in stock all the time.
    
    
12. How can I send a file to you?
    There are several ways you can send a file to us you can either:
       a) Email the file to art@akranmarketing.com (maximum size of 10MB)
       b) Copy the files to a CD, ZIP Disk, Floppy Disk, or Hard Drive.
       c) Upload to our FTP (contact us for access)
    
    
13. What happens if I don't have artwork on my computer?
    Our design studio accepts many types of electronic artwork files, including BMP, EPS, JPG, PNG and TIF formats. You can load a file from any removable media (Zip, Jaz, floppy) drive or network connected to your computer. If you need to get the artwork from someone else, EPS is the preferred format because it produces the best image quality.
    
    
14. What is the minimum resolution for artwork?
    If you are using bitmapped artwork (e.g. GIF, BMP, TIF, JPG), at least 600 x 600 pixels is recommended.
    
    
15. What is the difference between bitmap and eps file types?
    Bitmap images are defined by a precisely "mapped" collection of individual dots or pixels of various colors. EPS (Encapsulated Postscript) files define graphics using mathematical algorithms that allow for scaling and modification without a loss of image resolution.
    
    
16. Can I use artwork containing PMS colors?
    Akran's design studio will accept files with PMS (Pantone® Matching System) colors in EPS files but will convert them to RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colors for display on your monitor. The original PMS information will be passed to production with your artwork.
    
    
17. What does 4-color process mean? When should I use it?
    If you have a photographic or painting-like image, chances are you will want to use a four color process for decorating your product. Four color process will recreate a photo-realistic image. It is also sometimes used to represent artwork that uses more than four solid colors because using only four colors is more economical. The process uses combinations of varying sizes of blue (cyan), red (magenta), yellow (yellow), and black (black) dots to create images. You see four color process printing every day in color pictures in newspapers. Also sometimes called CMYK.
    
    
18. What is that grey and white "checkerboard" background behind my artwork?
    The checkerboard pattern on the page in shows areas of your artwork that our system has identified as transparent. These transparent areas will be where the color of the product will show through. To add or delete transparency to parts of your artwork let us know.
    
    
    
19. How accurate are the colors I see on screen?
    Arkan Marketing provides best screen and printer color accuracy at the factory default settings of most brand name monitors and color printers. Colors do, however, sometimes vary slightly depending on the quality and/or age of your monitor, but this should not affect your ability to understand how your artwork will appear on the final product.
    
    
20. How long will I be able to store artwork on Akran Marketing's Website?
    Saved artwork and product samples can be saved for up to two years.
    
    
21. I don't have time to figure this out right now. Can I just speak with someone about my sample/quote/order?
    Of course. Akran Marketing's Specialists are always available to help you with your projects. Call 1-888-462-5726 or (613) 739-4000. You could also e-mail us at sales@akranmarketing.com