What Artwork File Do I Need for Promotional Products?
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Your logo is one thing. The file it's saved as is another — and that second detail matters far more than most people realise until it's too late. A logo that looks perfectly sharp on your website or in an email signature can come out blurry, pixelated or distorted once it's applied to a physical product, and the reason almost always comes down to file type. Here's a plain-English guide to getting it right the first time.
The Gold Standard: Vector Artwork
Vector artwork, in file formats like EPS, AI or SVG, is the top tier of logo files and works every time, regardless of the product size or decoration method.
The reason vector files are so reliable comes down to how they're built. Rather than being made up of a fixed grid of coloured pixels (like a photo), a vector file stores your logo as a set of mathematical points, curves and shapes. That means it can be scaled up or down to any size — from a tiny pin badge to a large banner — without ever losing sharpness or clarity. A vector logo printed at 20mm looks exactly as crisp as the same logo printed at 2 metres.
If you have access to your original logo design files, or your logo was professionally designed, there's a very good chance a vector version already exists. It's always worth checking with whoever originally designed your logo before assuming you don't have one.
What About PNG Files?
High resolution PNG files can sometimes work, particularly for embroidery and digital printing, but they're a step down from true vector artwork and come with real limitations.
Unlike a vector file, a PNG is a raster image, meaning it's built from a fixed number of pixels. Scale it up beyond its original resolution and it will start to lose sharpness, blur, or show visible pixelation. A high resolution PNG can be usable for a moderately sized product if the original file is large enough, but it doesn't offer the same reliability across every size and application that a vector file does.
Formats to Avoid: TIF and JPEG
Most TIF and JPEG files are too low in resolution for promotional product branding and will generally end up looking pixelated once applied to the finished product. These formats are common for photos and everyday web use, but they're rarely suitable for logo reproduction on merchandise, particularly at anything beyond a small size.
If a JPEG or TIF is the only file you have, it's worth flagging this upfront rather than assuming it will be fine — catching this before production avoids a disappointing result on the finished product.
Why This Actually Matters
It's tempting to think a logo file is a minor technical detail, but the format you supply has a direct, visible impact on the final product. A pixelated or blurry logo on a branded item doesn't just look slightly less polished — it actively undermines the professional impression the merchandise is meant to create in the first place. Your logo represents your brand every time someone sees that product, so it's worth getting the file right before production begins, not after.
What to Do If You Don't Have Vector Artwork
If you don't have a vector version of your logo, that's genuinely common, and it isn't a dead end. We recommend only using and supplying vector artwork wherever possible, and if you don't have this file type, our graphic artists can redraw your logo into vector artwork for you.
Redraw pricing depends on the complexity of your logo or artwork, starting from $25 AUD. A simple logo with clean lines and few colours sits at the lower end of that range, while a highly detailed, multi-colour or photographic design takes more time to redraw accurately and may cost more.
This is a one-off investment that pays off well beyond a single order — once your logo exists as a proper vector file, it's ready for every future promotional product order, not just the one you're placing now.
A Quick Checklist Before You Send Your Artwork
- Check whether a vector version of your logo already exists (ask your original designer if you're not sure)
- If supplying vector artwork, use EPS, AI or SVG formats
- If vector isn't available, supply the highest resolution PNG you have, and flag this so it can be assessed
- Avoid supplying TIF or JPEG files as your primary logo source, particularly for anything other than a very small, simple application
- If in doubt, ask before production begins — it's always easier to sort out the right file upfront than to fix a result after the fact
Frequently Asked Questions About Promotional Product Artwork
What's the best file format for a logo on promotional products? Vector formats — EPS, AI or SVG — are the gold standard, since they can be scaled to any size without losing quality, regardless of the product or decoration method.
Can I use a PNG file for my logo? A high resolution PNG can sometimes work, particularly for embroidery and digital printing, but it's not as reliable as true vector artwork, especially at larger sizes.
Why can't I just use a JPEG of my logo? Most JPEG files are too low in resolution for promotional product branding and will generally appear pixelated once applied to the finished product.
What if I don't have a vector file of my logo? This is common, and it isn't a problem — logo redraw services can convert your existing logo into vector artwork, with pricing starting from $25 AUD depending on complexity.
Does the file type actually make a visible difference on the final product? Yes. A vector file will look sharp and clean at any size, while a low-resolution raster file (such as a JPEG or TIF) will often appear blurry or pixelated once printed or embroidered onto a physical product.
Not Sure What File You Have?
Send us what you've got and we'll let you know straight away whether it's suitable, or whether a quick redraw is the better option to get your logo looking its best.
Contact Campbell ID — your logo is important, so let's get it right.