// Print method · Direct to garment
DTG Print File Requirements: Resolution, Transparency and Colour
Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing sprays water-based ink straight onto the garment, like an inkjet printer on paper. It suits detailed, full-colour designs and small runs.
Most DTG problems come from the file, not the printer.
Updated 25 October 2026
How DTG works
The garment is pre-treated, then printed. On a dark garment the printer puts down a white underbase first, so the colours stay bright. The printer software makes the underbase from your file, so transparency in the file matters.
File checklist
- Resolution: 300 dpi at print size is the usual target.
- Format: PNG with a transparent background, or a flat file on the garment colour you want.
- Transparency: use pixels that are fully opaque or fully transparent. Semi-transparent pixels (soft shadows, glows, feathered edges) can print as a faint box or a patchy underbase on dark garments.
- Colour: RGB is normal for DTG. The printer software converts it.
- Print area: ask for your printer's maximum print area and build the file at the real size.
Common problems
- A pale box around the design from a background that is almost, but not fully, transparent.
- Very fine lines that the white underbase cannot hold on dark garments.
- A small web image enlarged to a full front print.
What the AOP101 audit checks
Choose "DTG / DTF / Plastisol" as the print method and enter your print size. The audit flags resolution below 150 dpi at that size. It checks the colour mode (RGB passes, CMYK gets a warning), the real file type and that you did not send a source file. It does not check transparency yet.
Check a DTG file at its real print size. 20 free credits, no card.