Sometimes your printed design might look a little different than what you expected, especially with direct-to-garment (DTG) printing on colored or dark apparel. One reason for this is the use of a white underbase, which helps your design stand out on non-white fabrics.
What’s a white underbase, and why is it used?
To ensure colors stand out on darker or vibrant garments, a white underlayer is applied to your design. This is similar to priming a canvas, helping the colors appear more vibrant. However, this process means the final printed design is a mixture of your original colors and white, which can subtly alter its appearance.
You can learn more about when and how the white underbase is applied here.
What types of designs should I avoid?
Some styles don’t translate well with DTG printing, especially when the white underbase is involved. Here are two examples:
Semi-transparent designs
Effects like drop shadows, fades, or other semi-transparent elements can appear grainy, faded, or even discolored on bright or dark garments. These effects often don’t print the way they appear on screen.
Black designs on black garments
If you place a black design on a black shirt hoping for a glossy or subtle effect, it may end up looking grayish or dull instead. That’s because the white underbase changes how the black is printed.
What are adjusted mockups?
You’ll find a “What your print will look like” preview toggle on the right-hand side of the Design Maker. If you toggle this feature on, the mockup will more closely reflect what the final print will look like.
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