V-neck T-shirt mockup and print template

Parts of a T-shirt

A printed T-shirt is the most common piece of brand merch: team wear, launch giveaways, band and creator merch, or a product line of its own. The studio shows a ghost-mannequin tee with crew or V-neck and short or long sleeves, so you can check where a print sits and how big it looks before you brief a printer. What decides the final result is the print method and the fabric, so this guide covers those as well as placement and file size.

Front print area

The main panel. A full front print usually starts a few centimetres below the collar; a small logo sits on the left chest.

Back print area

Often the biggest print on the shirt: a large graphic, a slogan, or a small logo just below the back collar.

Sleeves

Short or long. Sleeve prints are small (a logo or a word) and are printed separately from the body.

Collar and neckline

Crew neck or V-neck. The neck label area inside the back collar is often printed instead of sewn in.

Hem

The folded bottom edge. Small hem prints and woven tags sit just above it.

How to size it

1. Pick the garment size in the studio (S to XL). The chest width shown is half the chest, measured flat from armpit to armpit.
2. Decide the print size against the smallest size you will order: a 300 mm wide print that looks right on an XL can wrap into the side seams on an S.
3. As a starting point, a full front print is about 250 to 300 mm wide, a left-chest logo about 75 to 100 mm wide, and the top of a front print sits about 75 to 100 mm below the collar.
4. Make the artwork at the real print size at about 300 dpi, or as vector (SVG, PDF, AI) for screen printing. A 300 mm wide print at 300 dpi is about 3500 px wide.
5. Upload the front and back designs to their own faces in the studio, then export PNG or JPG mockups for your store or a printer brief.

Materials and finishes

Screen printing

Bold designs in a few flat colours, and larger runs. Each colour needs its own screen, so the setup cost is spread over the quantity. Very durable.

DTG (direct to garment)

Full-colour artwork and photos in small runs, on 100% cotton. Dark shirts need a white underbase and pretreatment, and colours can look a little softer than screen print.

DTF (direct to film)

Full colour on cotton, polyester and blends, in small or medium runs. The print is pressed on as a film, so large solid areas feel like a layer on the fabric.

Vinyl (heat transfer)

Names, numbers and simple one or two colour shapes cut from coloured sheets. Good for one-offs and personalised team wear; not for detailed artwork.

Finishes

Garment weight

Fabric is sold by weight in gsm. Around 160 to 180 gsm is a common everyday tee; 200 gsm and up feels heavier and more premium.

Printed neck label

Size and care details printed inside the back collar instead of a sewn tag. More comfortable, and it carries your brand.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending a web logo. A 500 px wide file printed 300 mm wide comes out soft or pixelated. Send vector artwork or a large PNG at the print size.
• One print size for every garment size: check the design on S and XL before you sign off, or ask the printer to scale it per size.
• Too many colours for screen printing: each colour is another screen. Gradients and photos suit DTG or DTF better.
• Fine lines and tiny text: lines thinner than about 0.5 mm and text below about 6 pt can break up on fabric.
• Choosing a dark shirt for DTG without asking about white underbase: the same design looks different on black and on white.

How to make it in the studio

1. Open it. Press Customise this V-neck T-shirt. It opens in the 3D studio at 510 x 720 x 180 mm.
2. Set the size. In the Size panel, pick a preset or type your own measurements.
3. Add your design. In the Design panel, upload your logo or artwork: it goes on the front first. Pick other faces to add colours, text or images to each.
4. Check it in 3D. Turn the pack around. Switch to the flat print view to see the artwork on the print area.
5. Download. The Download panel gives you the print template first, then mockup images for your store or social posts.
6. Get it made. If you want a quote, send the design to packitmama from the Download panel, and we will reply personally.

Questions