How to Create Print-Ready AI Artwork for DTF Printing

Using AI to design custom apparel artwork is fast, creative, and powerful — but for DTF (Direct to Film) printing, your file needs to be set up correctly.

AI images that look great on screen can still cause printing issues if they’re not created at the right size, resolution, or format. This guide explains how to create print-ready AI artwork that uploads smoothly into WearLab’s system and prints cleanly on garments.

AI Artwork Requirements for DTF Printing

To achieve sharp, professional results on apparel, your AI-generated design must meet the following specifications:

• 300 DPI resolution for high-quality printing

• Square canvas size: 30–31cm x 30–31cm

• Transparent background (PNG format)

• Clean, sharp edges with strong contrast

• Bold shapes and clear outlines

• Flat or illustrated design style

• Artwork centred with safe margins on all sides

Creating your design at full print size ensures there is no resizing, stretching, or distortion during production.

Common AI Image Problems That Affect Print Quality

These issues are common with AI-generated images and often lead to disappointing print results:

• Low-resolution images (72–150 DPI)

• White, grey, textured, or semi-transparent backgrounds

• Blurry or pixelated edges

• Photo-realistic artwork with heavy shadows or glow effects

• Very thin lines or fine details that don’t transfer well

• Artwork stretched to fit instead of designed at size

• Mockups of clothing instead of the artwork alone

Avoiding these problems helps ensure your DTF print looks sharp, vibrant, and professional.

WearLab-Approved AI Prompt for Print-Ready Files

Use the prompt below when creating artwork with ChatGPT or another AI image generator. It is optimised specifically for DTF apparel printing and WearLab’s production process.

Create a print-ready, high-resolution graphic suitable for DTF apparel printing.

Technical requirements:

• Output resolution: 300 DPI

• Canvas size: 31cm x 31cm (square)

• Background: fully transparent (no background, no shadows, no gradients)

• File style: clean, sharp edges with strong contrast

• No blur, no pixelation, no texture overlays

• Subject centred with safe margins on all sides

Design style:

• Flat or semi-flat illustration (print-friendly)

• Solid colours or limited colour palette

• Bold lines suitable for fabric printing

Important:

• Do not add mockups, clothing, backgrounds, or scenes

• Do not add text unless specified

• The final image must be suitable for direct-to-film printing at full size without resizing or distortion

Any text must be outlined or bold, with clean edges and no thin fonts.
Export as a print-ready PNG with transparency, optimised for DTF heat transfer printing, ensuring colour accuracy and crisp edges at 100% scale.

Then proceed to advise what image you are wanting created

Please create me an image that is puppies in a basket with flowers and rainbows with the words "These are a few of my favourite things" with a colour scheme of pink, purple and yellow

Best AI Design Styles for Apparel Printing

For the most reliable print results, we recommend:

• Vector-style illustrations

• Flat graphic design

• Cartoon or logo-style artwork

• Bold typography with thick strokes

Highly detailed, photo-realistic images can be printed, but they are more likely to cause issues if not set up correctly.

The Golden Rule of Print-Ready Artwork

If your design wouldn’t look good printed at 30cm x 30cm on fabric, it’s not ready to print.

Unsure If Your AI File Is Print-Ready?

That’s okay - flick us a message and we can help point you in the right direction