Custom Scarf Guide: Image Format, File Size, and Scarf Size

Turn Your Artworks Into Beautiful Scarves

A beautiful custom scarf starts with a perfect design file. Whether you are a fashion brand, an illustrator, or an artist who wants to bring your design to life, sharp scarf printing relies on high-quality image files.

To ensure your design can be perfectly printed on scarves, Sino Silk will introduce our acceptable image formats and resolution requirements in detail. Meanwhile, this article also involves scarf size and its relationship with DPI. Before uploading your artwork file, please read through our file preparation guide to reproduce every detail and color.

Image Formats You Need to Offer

Sino Silk supports a range of file formats, including AI (Adobe Illustrator), PDF, PSD, JPG/JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.

Just a simple introduction? Of course not. Every image format has its characteristics and is suitable for different printing methods. Based on our rich experience in scarf printing, we will explain every format and which one you should use.

Quick Check Table

AI (Adobe Illustrator)

File Extension: .ai

Advantages: sharp and clear images at any size; convenient to modify elements or their positions; support complex printing effects, like gradients and shadows; High compatibility with many software; High-quality images both for digital and screen printing.

PSD

File Extension: .psd

Advantages: Suitable for designs that have fine details and rich textures; strong layer system; support modification, and many color profiles.

Disadvantages: Need to be reworked when used for screen printing; high requirements for resolutions; large file size.

TIFF

File Extension: .tif or .tiff

Advantages: Support lossless LZW、ZIP compression methods; natural for CMYK colors; maintain deeper color levels; used for all fabric printing, like digital, screen, and heat transfer printings.

Disadvantages: Large file size; Limited layer

PDF

File Extension: .pdf

Advantages: both for the pattern outline and pictures; never change or distort on any devices; very suitable for the final draft.

Disadvantages: Limited space for modification.

PNG

File Extension: .png

Advantages: Support compression without quality loss; offer transparent channels; more suitable for digital printing.

Disadvantages: Doesn’t support a layer system; not suitable for CMYK colors.

JPG/JPEG

File Extension: .jpg or .jpeg

Advantages: High compression ratio and compatibility; suitable for photos and quick review

Disadvantages: Degraded image quality; loss of details; Unable to modify; Limited colors; not suitable for screen printing; high resolution requirements.

What is DPI for Scarf Printing?

In scarf printing, DPI (Dots Per Inch)is a core index to describe the resolution of printable images. More specifically, it refers to the number of dots placed in a 1-inch area. The higher the number is, the clearer the detail becomes.

At Sino Silk, our accepted DPI number is 150-300. Among them, 300 is the most recommended DPI for scarf printing.

Moreover, different scarf printings have different requirements for the DPI numbers. Here is the common standard in different cases.

DPI vs Pixel

Pixel and DPI are two completely different concepts, but they have a close relationship. Pixels stand for the smallest elements of digital images. It is independent of physical scarf size. For example, 1000×1000 pixels can be used for 1×1 inches or10×10 inches.

Quick Comparison Table

In total, DPI and Pixel play an important role in high-quality scarf printing. However, there is also a critical factor— the physical size of scarves. Next, Sino Silk will introduce our classic scarf sizes and how to use these three figures to make your design vivid on fabric.

Custom Scarf Shapes and Sizes

As an experienced scarf supplier, Sino Silk can offer many classic styles and sizes for your designs. Here are the common specifications.

Classic Square Scarves: 13”×13”, 20”×20”, 35”×35”, 43”×43”, 55”×55”

Oblong Scarves: 8”×63”, 12″ x 71″, 26″ x 78″

Skinny Scarves/Twilly: 2″ x 48″, 3″ x 62″

Triangle Scarves: 35″ x 18″, 55″ x 27″

Diamond Scarves: 18” x 47”, 30” x 79”

Also, we are strongly willing to create more possibilities with you. Just tell us your ideas and demands on scarf styles and sizes, and we will try our best to create beautiful scarves.

The Relationship between DPI, Pixel, File Size, and Scarf Sizes

As mentioned before, DPI, pixel, and scarf size affect each other and work together for printing quality. As mentioned before, DPI, pixel, and scarf size affect each other and work together for printing quality. So, what is the design file size? It refers to the digital storage space for images and other files. Generally speaking, the increase in DPI and pixels also accompanies the larger storage space. However, some file formats, like AI and PDF, don’t have the same large space as JPG and PSD.

Here, Sino Silk will explain its relationship thoroughly. You can adjust your image files and obtain better results.

First, in the scarf printing, the increase in an image’s DPI can actually improve the printing effect. However, if the image’s pixel is too low, simply increasing the DPI also doesn’t work.

Second, a large image file size is not always good. Too large a design file size will impact transfer speed and performance.

Finally, your image pixel should match your scarf size and DPI. If your design file is too small, it may be artificially stretched for a large scarf size. This will result in fuzzy lines, a coarse look, and distorted colors.

How to Make Them Harmonize on Scarf Printing?

Here is a math formula for DPI, image pixel, and physical scarf size.

Physical scarf Size (inch)= Image pixel ÷ DPI or

Image pixel = Physical scarf Size (inch) × DPI

Let’s take an example:

If you want to know whether your image is suitable for scarf printing, here are some steps.

1. You can check your image dimensions (such as 4500 × 4500 pixels)
2. Determine the physical scarf size (such as 90cm × 90cm, about 35.4 inches)
3. You can calculate your real DPI: 4500 ÷ 35.4≈ 127DPI

127DPI is lower than 150DPI, the lowest demand on DPI. This will cause blurry details, pixelated looks, and jagged edges. You can choose to increase the image pixel or decrease the scarf size to get high-quality printing.

Other Details about Design Files

Something About Safe Margin and Hemming

Every scarf design needs to leave enough edge space for hemming. Otherwise, your margin design will be rolled or folded. At Sino Silk, we offer clear requirements for safe margins:

For machine hemming, square, oblong, diamond, or triangular scarves need to leave a 1cm margin on every side.

For hand hemming, the demanded margins are 1.5 cm.

For skinny scarves, you only need to leave 0.8cm for hemming.

Of course, if you can’t do this, just upload your design file, and our designer will add safe margins for you.

Something About Double-sided Printing, Printer Marks, and Fonts

• Double-sided Printing: If your scarves are double-printed with different patterns, you need to provide us with both sides of the design. If both sides are the same design, our designers can adjust it to a printable state.
• Printer Marks: You can tell us your requirements about the crop marks, bleed area, registration, and more. We will add these printer marks to the design file according to our factory’s demands.
• Fonts: If your design includes fonts, please turn your fonts into outlines. You can also upload your design file together with its photo. With this, we can check if your font has changed or not. This can effectively avoid the lack of fonts in the factory’s equipment.

Don’t Worry! We Will Work Together With You

Are you worried about so many professional figures or requirements? Take it easy! Sino Silk will make a series of rechecks before formal printing. Our check work includes:

• Your image format and resolution
• Whether your image is suitable for your selected scarf size
• Whether your hemming color matches your whole design
• Whether the design layout is reasonable
• Whether the design details are printable

If there are problems, our design team will inform you and modify it to be production-ready with your approval. The final design preview will be sent to you within half a workday.

At Sino Silk, we offer the most convenient one-stop solution from fabrics, designs, to packaging. Just send your design file, and you will obtain a professional service and beautiful scarves that belong only to you or your brand. Start your custom journey from now!