Artwork Guidelines

Great stickers start with great files. Follow these guidelines so your artwork prints exactly the way you designed it — crisp edges, true colours, and a clean cut. Not sure about something? Every order includes a free online proof, so we’ll always check your file and send you a digital preview before we print.

Quick specs

File formats	Vector PDF, AI, EPS or SVG (best) — or PNG at 300 DPI with a transparent background. Avoid JPG.
Resolution	300 DPI at the final print size
Colour mode	CMYK preferred (RGB is auto-converted — minor colour shifts possible)
Bleed	3 mm past the cut line
Safe area	Keep text & logos 3 mm inside the cut line
Min. line weight	0.25 mm (0.7 pt)
Min. text size	5 pt
Fonts	Outline / convert to curves
Background	Transparent for die-cut shapes

File formats

Vector files are ideal — they stay razor-sharp at any size and give us a clean path to cut around. Send us a PDF, AI, EPS or SVG whenever you can. If your design is raster (a photo or a painted illustration), a PNG at 300 DPI with a transparent background works great. Please avoid JPG: it has no transparency and its compression softens edges.

Resolution

Raster artwork should be 300 DPI at the actual print size. A tiny image blown up to sticker size will look blurry or pixelated — always design at 1:1 scale or larger. Vector art is resolution-independent, so this doesn’t apply to it.

Colour

We print in CMYK. If you send RGB we’ll convert it automatically, but very bright RGB blues, greens and neons can shift slightly on press — so if colour accuracy is critical, set up your file in CMYK and pick your colours there. Need a Pantone match? Mention it when you order and we’ll advise.

Bleed & safe area

Extend any background colour or artwork 3 mm past the cut line (the “bleed”). This guarantees there’s no thin white sliver on the edge if the cut shifts by a hair. Keep your important stuff — text, logos, faces — at least 3 mm inside the cut line (the “safe area”) so nothing gets clipped.

The cut line

For custom die-cut stickers we create the cut path for you, hugging the outside of your design with a small even margin. If you’d rather supply your own cut line, include it as a vector path on its own layer, set as a spot colour named “CutContour” (100% magenta, overprint on). Keep it a single closed path with smooth curves — tiny spikes and jagged detail can’t be cut cleanly.

Transparency & background

For die-cut shapes, save your file with a transparent background so we cut around the artwork, not around a rectangle. If your sticker is meant to be a square or circle, just include that shape as your design edge.

Text, fonts & fine details

Always outline your fonts (convert text to curves) so they print exactly as designed — otherwise a missing font can reflow your layout. Keep text at 5 pt or larger and lines/strokes at 0.25 mm (0.7 pt) or thicker; anything finer may not survive printing and cutting at sticker scale.

Clear, holographic & mirror finishes

On see-through and metallic materials, anywhere you want a solid, opaque colour needs a white ink layer printed underneath. Leave areas white-free where you want the holographic shimmer or clear window to show through. Not sure how to set this up? Just tell us the effect you’re after when you order and we’ll handle the white layer for you.

Still not sure?

Don’t stress about getting every setting perfect. Upload your best file in the Sticker Studio and we’ll review it, flag anything that needs fixing, and send you a free online proof before we print a single sticker. Have a question first? Get in touch or check the FAQ.