Artwork Guide| Heat Transfers UK

Achieving consistently flawless prints isn’t just about how the transfer is applied—it begins much earlier in the process. The foundation lies in the way your artwork is created and prepared. Taking the time to ensure your designs are properly set up, correctly formatted, and production-ready is essential. When your artwork is built with precision from the start, it allows us to deliver the highest quality heat transfer results every time, with clean detail, vibrant colour, and a professional finish.

Check out our artwork guide below:

THIN LINES - Make sure small elements are at least 0.5mm thick to ensure they print correctly.

COLOUR MODE - Set your file colour mode to RGB, not CMYK, as CMYK files will be converted, which will affect the colours in your design.

BACKGROUND - Ensure the background is completely transparent, otherwise the background colour will be printed.

OPACITY - Remove all drop shadows and transparencies before submitting. Transparent colour cannot be printed.

SIZE - Create the artwork at the exact final print size required. If unsure, it is always better to create it larger so you can downscale it without losing quality.

MIRRORING - Do not mirror your designs; keep them the correct way round.

The UltraColour Design Guide

IMAGE QUALITY - UltraColour, UltraColour Pro and UltraColour MAX are suitable for full colour and photographic images. File resolution should be at least 300 DPI to ensure a quality print.

EDGES - Carefully check your design for any pixelated or rough edges and remove them before submitting. Clean, crisp edges are essential for a professional finish.

PATTERN / GRADIENT FILLS - All pattern and gradient fills should be fully expanded prior to submission or upload. This ensures accurate reproduction during the print process.

ACCEPTED FILE TYPES: PNG, EPS, PDF.

The Screen Print & InkTra Design Guide

IMAGE TYPE - For Screen Printed and InkTra transfers, vector artwork is required. This can be done using software such as Adobe Illustrator, and all text must be converted to outlines before submission.

COLOURS - Up to 5 individual solid colours can be used. After your image is uploaded, you will be prompted to select Pantone colour(s). Please check your automatically assigned Pantone is correct. These can also be changed using the Pantone colour selector box when arranging your design on your transfer sheet.

If you cannot find your preferred Pantone, please contact our customer service team, and this can be made up for a small fee.

EMBEDDED IMAGES - Make sure all linked elements are fully embedded within your file. This prevents any missing images or issues when your artwork is transferred or uploaded.

ACCEPTED FILE TYPES: EPS, PDF.

Welcome back to 'Artwork for Heat Transfers'. A new video series brought to you by Stahls' & Stahls' UK, containing everything you need to know to produce high-quality artwork for your custom heat transfers.

Are you ordering custom heat transfers? Do you want to make sure they look as good as possible? If you're unsure about how to create artwork that is suitable for custom transfer printers, our new video series is for you! In this new series, brought to you by Stahls' UK and artwork expert Dane Clement from Stahls', we cover everything you need to be able to create quality, print-ready artwork in no time. From setting up files correctly to removing backgrounds and editing AI-generated artwork. We've covered it all!

Watch the full series below on YouTube.

COPYRIGHT

Before your design finishes uploading, you will be prompted to review our copyright terms.

In order to use a design you must have the full rights to use the design. If you are unsure or have doubts over ownership, you must confirm your ownership or seek permissions from the copyright owner.

When you save a design you are agreeing to the following terms :
- I hold commercial rights to reproduce the design.
- If for any reason the legal owner of this design contacts Stahls' UK (Europe) Ltd they will be directed to me, and STAHLS' UK (Europe) Ltd will not be held accountable.
- I understand that it is illegal: To use third party copyright, trade mark right, design right, right in passing off, or other intellectual property right is a serious offence and can lead to penalties and legal action.
- I understand that once my art file is uploaded and payment made that it will be sent directly into production, and that I will NOT be able to amend or cancel my order.