For branded merchandise, send your original vector logo where available, the approved colour references, and a clear description of the product and placement. Printing, embroidery and other decoration methods have different artwork requirements, so a logo that looks sharp on your website is not automatically ready for production. Have the actual file reviewed for the chosen application before approving the final design.
Why is a vector logo usually the best starting point?
Vector artwork describes shapes rather than a fixed grid of pixels, so it can be resized without the same loss of edge detail as a small raster image. Common source formats include AI, EPS and SVG. A properly prepared vector PDF can also be useful.
The extension is not proof of quality. A PDF may simply contain a small JPEG, and saving a screenshot as an SVG does not recreate the original curves. Ask your designer or marketing team for the production artwork rather than downloading the first image from the company website. Keep the original file available even if a preview image is easier to share internally.
When is a PNG or JPEG appropriate?
Some print applications use raster artwork, including photographic designs. What matters is the image quality at the intended physical output size, not just whether it looks crisp on a laptop. Enlarging a small image can expose pixelation that was not obvious in an email preview.
A PNG may preserve a transparent background, while a JPEG normally includes a background. Neither format is automatically suitable or unsuitable for every method. Share the original-resolution file and explain the intended result. Avoid repeatedly copying artwork through chat tools or taking screenshots, which can remove useful detail and make it harder to identify the best source.
If you only have a website asset, say so at the start. It may be a useful reference for a review, but do not assume it can be used unchanged. Artwork preparation should be agreed before production timing is treated as settled.
Why does embroidery need a separate preparation step?
Embroidery reproduces a design with thread and stitches rather than ink. The artwork needs translating into stitch instructions for the chosen size and application. Small lettering, fine lines and tightly spaced details may need simplifying to remain readable.
If you have an existing embroidery file, send it with the source logo and explain where it was used before. A file prepared for one garment or size should not be assumed to work unchanged on another. The fabric, construction and decoration area affect what is practical. Ask what needs reviewing instead of treating a previous successful order as a universal production specification.
How should brand colours be specified?
Provide the brand guidelines and any named colour references you already use. Website hex colours are helpful for understanding the palette, but a glowing screen, a printed surface and a thread colour do not behave identically. Describe which colours are essential and whether a one-colour logo variant is approved.
Include light and dark versions of the logo if they exist. A dark mark that works on a white notebook may disappear on a navy quarter-zip. Do not ask production to guess whether changing the logo to white is acceptable. Agree the version for each product colour, and check that the artwork preview reflects it.
For a programme with several items, keep one approved artwork pack rather than circulating separate files with nearly identical names. Give the files meaningful names so everyone can distinguish the current approved mark from an older campaign treatment.
What belongs in a useful decoration brief?
Name the product, the product colour, the intended decoration method, the placement and the desired visual scale. Include the logo source, brand guidance and any text that must appear exactly. A reference photograph can explain the look, but it does not replace permission to use artwork or a clear production specification.
Separate preferences from requirements. “A discreet left-chest logo” is a useful direction; “use the same size as the website header” is not a physical measurement. If you do not know the right decoration size, ask for a recommendation for that item rather than inventing one. Have the recommendation checked in context before approval.
What should you check when approving the artwork?
Check the logo version, spelling, colour treatment, position and scale against the actual product. If there are several colourways, review each relevant combination. A proof is a decision point, not a substitute for reading the brief, and a screen preview cannot guarantee that every material will look identical in real life.
Nominate one person to consolidate feedback and give written approval. Contradictory replies from different teams make it harder to know what is authorised. Keep the approved version with the product specification so a later reorder does not start from somebody's downloaded image.
Build this review into your employee shop campaign timeline. Check apparel sizes separately, and decide whether on-demand ordering or a bulk run fits the programme. Send the files you have to hello@urbanswag.co with the intended products, and ask what needs preparing before committing to production.
Frequently asked questions
What logo file should I send for branded merchandise?
Send the original vector artwork if you have it, plus your brand colour references and intended placement. File extensions alone do not prove a logo is vector; a PDF can contain an embedded low-resolution image.
Can a website screenshot be used to produce a logo?
A screenshot can explain which logo you mean, but it is not a reliable production master. Supply the original artwork or have the available file reviewed before assuming it can be reproduced cleanly.
Is an embroidery file the same as a vector logo?
No. Embroidery needs stitch instructions prepared for the design, size and application. A vector logo is a useful source, but it is not itself a machine-ready stitch file.