Artwork File Requirements
Artwork File Requirements for Custom PVC Patches
Artwork for a custom PVC patch is a digital design file that a UK manufacturer converts into an engraved metal mould. This page explains which file formats we accept, what resolution your artwork needs, and how to set up colours and fonts so your logo moulds cleanly. Vector artwork is preferred, high-resolution images are accepted, and low-quality logos are redrawn free of charge.
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Artwork input
What Artwork Do You Need to Supply?
Custom PVC patches start from one of three artwork inputs: a vector file, a high-resolution image, or a hand-drawn sketch. A vector file produces the cleanest mould. A high-resolution image works when it stays sharp at the final patch size. A hand-drawn sketch is redrawn into vector before production. No artwork is rejected outright, because our design team rebuilds any file that falls short of production standard.
The format you choose changes how directly your design reaches the mould stage, so the next section explains why vector artwork sits at the top of that list.
Vector file
A vector file produces the cleanest mould.
High-resolution image
A high-resolution image works when it stays sharp at the final patch size.
Hand-drawn sketch
A hand-drawn sketch is redrawn into vector before production.
Vector-first workflow
Why PVC Patches Require Vector Artwork
PVC patches are moulded, not printed. The moulding process turns your artwork into physical relief, so the file must define clean, closed shapes. Vector artwork describes a design as mathematical paths rather than pixels, which lets the mould engraver reproduce every line at the exact size of your patch. Raster artwork describes a design as a fixed grid of pixels, which loses definition when scaled. That distinction decides how faithfully your logo transfers into rubber.
Vector Files vs Raster Images
Vector files store artwork as paths, points and curves. Vector paths scale to any size without losing sharpness. Raster files store artwork as pixels on a fixed grid. Raster images blur and pixelate when enlarged. A logo built in Adobe Illustrator is vector; a logo saved from a website or captured as a phone photo is usually raster. For a moulded patch, vector is the safer starting point, because the mould is cut to the artwork and any softness in the file carries through into the finished relief.
How Your Artwork Becomes a Mould
Each element in your artwork becomes engraved relief in a metal mould. Each colour in your artwork becomes a separate recess that holds one colour of liquid PVC. Clean colour separation therefore matters more on a PVC patch than on a printed graphic, because overlapping or blurred colours cannot pour cleanly into distinct recesses. Artwork with clearly defined colour areas moulds with crisp edges and no bleed. Once the mould is engraved, it is retained for every reorder of the same design.
The file format you supply determines how easily your design reaches this engraving stage.
Accepted files
Accepted Artwork File Formats
PVC patch artwork is accepted in both vector and raster formats. Vector formats are preferred for every design. Raster formats are accepted when they meet a minimum resolution. The table below lists each format and its suitability.
Vector Formats (Preferred)
Vector formats hold your artwork as editable paths. Four vector formats are accepted: AI, EPS, PDF and SVG. AI files are native Adobe Illustrator artwork. EPS files exchange vector data between programs. PDF files carry vector artwork only when they are exported from design software rather than scanned. SVG files suit web logos and scale without loss. Any of these four formats lets the mould engraver work directly from your paths.
Raster Formats (Accepted With Conditions)
Raster formats hold your artwork as pixels. Three raster formats are accepted: PNG, JPEG and TIFF. A PNG file preserves a transparent background. A JPEG file flattens the background to white. A TIFF file stores a high-resolution source image. Each raster file must reach 300 DPI at the final patch size to mould cleanly. Images below that resolution are redrawn into vector before tooling.
| Format | Type | Suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI | Vector | Preferred | Native editable artwork |
| EPS | Vector | Preferred | Universal vector exchange |
| Vector* | Preferred | Only when saved with vector data, not scanned | |
| SVG | Vector | Accepted | Web logos, scales without loss |
| PNG | Raster | Conditional | 300 DPI, transparent background |
| JPEG | Raster | Conditional | 300 DPI, no transparency |
| TIFF | Raster | Conditional | High-resolution source images |
Production specifications
PVC Patch Artwork Specifications
Custom PVC patch artwork follows four specifications: resolution, colour, fonts and layers. Each specification affects how accurately the mould reproduces your design.
Resolution and DPI
Raster artwork requires a minimum resolution of 300 DPI at the final patch size. Resolution measures pixel density, and 300 DPI is the print-industry standard for sharp reproduction. A logo that looks sharp on screen can still be too low-resolution for moulding, because screens display at roughly 72 PPI. Vector artwork carries no resolution limit, because vector paths are resolution-independent.
Colour Setup and Spot Colours
PVC patch colours are matched to Pantone references. Artwork supplied with named spot colours moulds most predictably, because each spot colour maps to one mould recess. Artwork supplied in CMYK or RGB is converted to the nearest Pantone match during proofing. You can note your brand's Pantone codes when you submit the file, and the design team confirms each colour on the digital proof. For the full process, see how we match brand colours to a Pantone reference through the full depth of the material.
Fonts, Strokes and Layers
Fonts in vector artwork must be outlined before submission. Outlined fonts convert live text into fixed shapes, which prevents substitution when the file is opened on another computer. Strokes should be expanded to solid shapes for the same reason. Layered files are welcome, because separated layers help the design team isolate colours and elements. Text also carries a minimum height for moulding, so keep any lettering above the minimum legible size to hold detail in rubber.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Preferred format | Vector (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) |
| Minimum raster resolution | 300 DPI at final size |
| Colour setup | Pantone / spot colours where possible |
| Fonts | Outlined / converted to curves |
| Strokes | Expanded to solid shapes |
| Background | Transparent preferred |
| Redraw service | Free (low-res logos vectorised) |
| Minimum order | No minimum |
Free vector redraw
What If You Only Have a Low-Resolution Logo?
You can still order a custom PVC patch with a low-resolution logo. Low-quality, pixelated or raster-only logos are redrawn into production-ready vector at no charge. The redraw service is included in every quotation, and no setup fee applies. You approve the redrawn artwork on your digital proof before any mould is engraved. A poor-quality source file therefore never stops an order; it simply adds a redraw step before proofing.
File to proof
How to Submit Your Artwork
Artwork submission follows five steps from file to proof.
- Export your logo as vector artwork (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG) or as a 300 DPI image at final size.
- Outline the fonts and expand the strokes so text stays fixed.
- Note your Pantone references and your final patch size.
- Send the file with your quantity and chosen backing to request a quotation.
- Approve the digital proof, and confirm the design at proof stage before mould engraving begins.
Approval locks the design, because production starts from the proof rather than the enquiry. Standard production then runs 10 to 14 working days from proof approval, express production runs 5 to 7 working days, and UK mainland delivery adds 1 to 2 working days.
From artwork to mould
Stories About Us and Our Customers
Artwork submission follows five steps from file to proof.
Vector artwork
A vector file produces the cleanest mould.
Vector paths scale to any size without losing sharpness.
Artwork preparation
Low-resolution artwork
Low-quality, pixelated or raster-only logos are redrawn into production-ready vector at no charge.
The redraw service is included in every quotation, and no setup fee applies.
Free redraw service
Digital proof
You approve the redrawn artwork on your digital proof before any mould is engraved.
Approval locks the design, because production starts from the proof rather than the enquiry.
Proof approval
Vector artwork
A vector file produces the cleanest mould.
Vector paths scale to any size without losing sharpness.
Artwork preparation
Low-resolution artwork
Low-quality, pixelated or raster-only logos are redrawn into production-ready vector at no charge.
The redraw service is included in every quotation, and no setup fee applies.
Free redraw service
Digital proof
You approve the redrawn artwork on your digital proof before any mould is engraved.
Approval locks the design, because production starts from the proof rather than the enquiry.
Proof approval
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Do PVC patches need vector artwork?NO
No. Vector artwork is not mandatory, but it is strongly preferred; raster and hand-drawn files are redrawn into vector free of charge.
Can I send a JPEG for my PVC patch?YES
Yes. A JPEG is accepted when it reaches 300 DPI at the final patch size; lower-resolution JPEGs are redrawn before production.
Do you charge to redraw my logo?NO
No. Low-resolution and raster logos are converted to production-ready vector at no cost, with no setup fee.
Do I need to outline the fonts in my file?YES
Yes. Outlined fonts prevent text substitution when the file is opened for mould engraving.
Can you match my brand colours from the artwork?YES
Yes. PVC patch colours are Pantone-matched through the full depth of the material.
What size should my artwork be?
Artwork is set up at your final patch size, so choose your patch size and shape before you submit the file.
Summary
Summary
Clean artwork produces a clean mould. Vector files remove every resolution and scaling risk, which is why they lead the accepted formats, yet a sharp 300 DPI image works equally well and a weak logo is simply rebuilt. Outlining fonts and separating colours are the two preparation steps that resolve most artwork queries before they reach the proof. Every file is checked, matched to Pantone and proofed before a single mould is cut, so your finished PVC patch reproduces the design you approved.