Updatesd By TeckWrap Craft On August 5, 2024
Guide On Decal Size For Shirts For Vinyl Printing
Table of Contents
Printing decal vinyl on a shirt may seem like a touch-and-go process—cut the vinyl and press the decal. But that’s not it! To ensure the shirt looks great, you have to choose the correct size for the decals, right?
The shirt decal placement depends on your preference, the type of design you have, and the shirt size. However, it’s better to have the right knowledge when it comes to decal sizing and be aware of the common practices for t-shirt printing. Here you go.
Decal Size Tips
Here’s the thing when it comes to vinyl decal sizes on shirts, what looks right for small shirts might look awkward on extra-large shirts. Of course, there are different sizes for adult t-shirts and toddler shirts as well. So here’s a summarized HTV size chart and several decal size tips:
KIDS / TODDLER SHIRT / ONESIES
| Age / Shirt Size | Vinyl Size in Inches |
|---|---|
| Newborn Baby (below 6 months) | 3x3 inches |
| 6 to 9 months | 5x5 inches |
| Older than 18 months | 6x6 inches |
| 2 to 3 years old | 5x5 inches |
| 4 to 5 years old | 6x6 inches |
TEENS
| Shirt Size | Vinyl Size in Inches |
|---|---|
| Extra Small | 6.5x6.5 inches |
| Small | 7x7 inches |
| Medium | 7.5x7.5 inches |
| Large | 8x8 inches |
| Extra Large | 8.5x8.5 inches |
For a youth t-shirt, place the design at least two inches below the neck opening.
ADULTS
| Adult T-Shirt design size chart | Vinyl Size in Inches |
|---|---|
| Extra Small | 9×9 inches |
| Small | 9×9 inches |
| Medium | 9×9 inches |
| Large | 11×11 inches |
| Extra Large | 11×11 inches |
| 2XL | 12×12 inches |
For a regular shirt, place the design at least 3 inches below the neckline. For V-neck shirts, place the design at least 1.5 inches below the neck opening.
OTHERS
| Shirt Size | Vinyl Size in Inches |
|---|---|
| Pockets | 4×4 inches |
| Hoodies or sweatshirts | 12×16 inches |
| Under the sleeve | 2.5×14 inches or 2×11 inches |
| Hats | 4.75×2.75 inches |
| Full back designs for adults | 11x11 inches |
Use Heat Transfer Vinyl For T-Shirt Printing
When designing garments, heat transfer vinyl (HTV) or iron-on vinyl is used. Don’t get confused with adhesive vinyl as this is used on merchandise like mugs or tumblers. You can use HTV and cut a design using a cutting machine, weed it, and transfer the decal on the garment by using a heat press machine.
Importance Of HTV Size And Placement
Why is it important to pick the right HTV size and follow the proper placement? There’s one outcome: the shirt might look unprofessional. For instance, if the decal size is too small on a big-sized shirt, it will look awkward and misplaced. Also, it will look like a wrong-sized shirt.
On the other hand, if the decal size is too big for a small shirt, it can be too close to the neckline, and the design would look too distorted. Proper placement of the decal is important. You cannot just randomly place it on the shirt so it would look professional.
Misplaced decals on shirts should be rejected. This should not pass quality control. Never risk the integrity of your brand and creations by selling or giving shirts with misplaced designs.
Properly Determine The Decal Size For Shirts
Now that you have the idea of the suggested decal size for shirts from the guide above, you have to remember that t-shirt brands sometimes differ in size. An extra small adult shirt from Brand A might be of a different size than an extra small shirt from Brand B.
Also, the size of the decal depends on where you intend to put it and the design you have. You may place a decal at the front and center for your regular t-shirt design. Or you can print the design on the back of the shirt. For company shirts, the logo is printed best on the left upper corner.
That’s why you should know how to measure the decal design manually. How do you do this? Take note of these steps:
- Lay the shirt flat on your bed or a wide, flat surface.
- Decide on the placement and size of the design on the shirt.
- Using a ruler or measuring tape, manually determine the decal size that’s appropriate for the size of the shirt.
- Take note of the distance from all corners of the shirt. The blank space where the decal will not be printed should not be too small or too big.
Visualize The Final Design Before Cutting
After manually measuring the decal size, to make sure it looks nice you can also visualize the final design using software such as Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio software, whichever cutting machine you have. Here’s what you can do before cutting the vinyl:
- Browse for ‘Template Shirts’ on the cutting machine’s software.
- Depending on the software you have, you can choose if it’s for female or male shirts.
- Insert the SVG file of the design on the shirt template.
- Resize the design to see if it looks right.
Correct HTV Placement On The T-Shirt
After you’ve determined the right size of the decal, you should learn how to properly place the decal on the shirt. You have to make sure it’s not distorted or misaligned so it will look professional.
For A Front And Center Point Decal And Back Decal Placement:
- Fold the t-shirt in half (lengthwise).
- Iron the folded part
- Fold the top part of the shirt down and create a crease just under the armpits.
- Iron the folded part to form a line.
- Fold the bottom part of the shirt up for about 3-4 inches.
- Unfold the shirt. You can now see the grid lines where you can center the design.
- If you want you can use scrap paper on the center of the shirt as a reference for the design size.
For Logo Or Pocket Print:
- The logo for company shirts is best placed on the upper left side of the shirt (or the chest area).
- To place the logo correctly, lay the shirt flat on a wide, flat surface.
- Place an imaginary line from the seam between the shoulder and neck opening.
- Place an imaginary vertical line from the left armpit.
- The right decal placement for logo printing is where these two lines meet.
- If you want, you can draw with chalk on the area as a guide.
How Do You Print Decal On A Shirt?
Are the tips on the proper decal size and placement becoming clearer? That’s great! Here’s a summary of how to print a decal on the shirt:
- Prepare your design (SVG file).
- Measure the size of the decal against the size of the shirt (as mentioned above).
- Upload or create the design on the Cricut Design Space.
- Adjust the size of the decal.
- Don’t forget to mirror or flip the design horizontally!
- Cut a piece of the heat transfer vinyl and place it on a cutting mat.
- Load the mat on the cutting machine and send the vinyl for cutting.
- Weed the excess vinyl.
- Prepare your heat press machine (determine the right temperature, pressure, and time for the type of HTV you are using).
- Pre-press the shirt for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Properly place the decal on the shirt.
- Place parchment paper on top.
- Press the design on the shirt.
- Remove the carrier sheet (make sure to check if the vinyl is hot or cold peel).
- It’s done! Don’t fold or wash the garment just yet, let it sit for 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summing It All Up!
There you have it! Just to recap what we’ve learned in this post, always remember to measure the decal size. It should be proportionate to the size of the shirt. If you find it hard to determine the right placement, fold the corners of the shirt and create a crease by using an iron.
The HTV size chart above is the recommended size of the decal. You don’t have to follow the exact recommendation. You can add or deduct 0.5 to 1 inch. Remember that not all clothing brands have the same measurements. The shirts in America and Asia are sized differently.
Lastly, it is recommended to use a heat press machine or EasyPress rather than a household iron. A heat press machine has more accurate temperature, pressure, and time settings, making t-shirt printing much easier. Happy crafting!
