When sending logo files to House of Brands, some work better than others when it comes to our graphic designers being able to use the files to create designs that will go on your branded merchandise.
The first factor in determining which logo file to send us is based on the type of decoration method we will be using. Vector files are required for any decoration used for screen printing, print on demand, promotional items, large format, and print collateral. Oftentimes, clean and clear raster files will work completely fine for any type of embroidering.
So what are the differences between vector and raster files and why will one work for a particular decorating method while the other will not? Essentially, it comes down to whether the file can be altered and edited within a graphic design program, such as Adobe Illustrator.
Unfortunately, your art files are likely not going to be labeled “vector” or “raster,” but instead will be one of several different names. To better help you determine whether your file is a vector or raster file, we have compiled a list below of the common file types and separated them into either vector or raster files along with a short description of these files.
Vector Files
Below is a list of the different types of vector files that we can utilize to edit and design your artwork or logo. However, it should be noted that just because a file is saved in one of these vector formats does not mean it is a true vector file.
Oftentimes graphic designers will receive a vector file that is just a raster image saved within a vector program. This unfortunately does not work with our industry of printing branded merchandise. Vector graphics are made out of smooth shapes and lines while being infinitely scalable. A raster image is a picture made out of pixels and when scaling the image will become blurry at a certain size.
With that being said, the list below provides an overview of common vector files.
- .AI
.AI files are the original Adobe Illustrator files and are a go-to file for graphic designers. If you don’t have the right software, you might not be able to open this file on your computer or laptop, but that doesn’t mean it is not valuable. In fact, .AI files are the perfect file to send us of your artwork or logo as they will allow us to make any edits that might be needed for your design.
- .EPS
.EPS is another file that you may not be able to open on your home computer or laptop, but just like .AI files, it is a file type that can work well for graphic designers, so if you have one, make sure you hold onto it.
Many print shops, t-shirt companies, and designers will often ask for .EPS files, so it is an important file to keep around if you have one. If you don’t have a .EPS file of your artwork or logo, graphic designers may have to recreate one from a .JPG, which usually comes with an associated fee.
.EPS files are scalable, which means no matter how much you enlarge the image, it will never get pixelated. This is great for editing purposes. Alternatively, some raster files like the common .PNG and .JPG can become very pixelated, and hard to make out any image definitions when enlarged too much, making these files very difficult, if not impossible to edit well.
PDF files are likely the file you are most familiar with on the vector list as they are used far and wide in many different capacities. PDF files often work well as they are a self-contained document that not only preserves the vector image but also any fonts and graphics that are needed for your artwork or logo to display correctly.
- .SVG
.SVG files are XML-based vector images that are supported by any modern web browser.
Raster Files
- .PNG
PNG files have a transparent background and are smaller than many other file types. While this smaller size makes it great for quickly loading webpages, it also loses quality as you enlarge the image, which makes this file type less than ideal for editing purposes.
- .JPG
JPG is another common file and one you are likely familiar with. It is often used to display photographs and works great in that capacity. However, like PNG files, JPG files will get pixelated and hard to view if they are enlarged too much. A difference between PNG and JPG is that they cannot have a transparent background. You might also see this file type displayed as JPEG.
- .GIF
GIF files are best used for simple images that are made of solid colors (aka no gradient colors).
- .TIF
TIF files are also displayed as .TIFF, and is a file that is best used for high-resolution photos.
Conclusion
We hope after reading this that you have a better understanding of the different file types used in graphic design and which will work best for your unique project.
As always, please feel free to reach out to one of our Client Relations Specialists with any additional questions you might have on your specific project’s decoration needs.
Ang
Jordan
Daniel
