Vector vs. raster: the two kinds of logo files
Every logo file belongs to one of two families. Raster files — JPG, PNG, and most images saved from a website or phone — are grids of pixels. Enlarge them and the pixels stretch, so edges turn blurry. Vector files — .ai, .eps, SVG, and true vector PDFs — store your logo as mathematical shapes instead of pixels, so they stay perfectly sharp at any size, from a left-chest print to a full back design.
For logos and text, vector is the gold standard. One caution: a PDF is only vector if it was exported from a design program. A photo or screenshot saved as a PDF is still a raster image inside a PDF wrapper.
The 300 ppi rule for raster files
If all you have is a raster file like a PNG, resolution at the final print size determines quality. The general print target is about 300 pixels per inch (ppi) at the size the logo will actually print.
The math is simple: divide the image's pixel width by the print width in inches.
- A 1,200-pixel-wide logo printed 4 inches wide = 300 ppi — sharp.
- The same 1,200-pixel file printed 12 inches wide = 100 ppi — visibly soft.
This is why a logo that looks fine on your website can fall apart on the front of a shirt: screens need far fewer pixels than print does. When in doubt, send the largest, highest-resolution original you can find rather than an image copied from a web page.
Use a transparent background
Your logo should sit on a transparent background so the garment color shows through around it instead of a white box. PNG supports transparency; JPG does not. If your only copy of the logo has a solid background, that is worth fixing before it goes on apparel.
What Print Your Cause accepts — and what happens next
We work from vectorized .ai, .eps, or .pdf files, or a high-resolution .png. If your artwork is not in one of those formats, or only exists as a low-resolution image, help with vectorizing, digitizing, or design work is available; additional fees may apply, billed on time spent.
You are not uploading into a void, either. We build the store with you, a print professional reviews every design before launch, and you approve everything before the store goes live — so file problems get caught and discussed, not silently printed. You can read more about the process on our how it works page.
