T-Shirt Print Size Chart: How Big Should Your Design Be?

The short answer: on an adult unisex t-shirt, the full front or back print is 10.5 in wide on a Small, 11.5 in on a Medium, 12 in on a Large, 12.5 in on an XL, 13.5 in on a 2XL and 14 in on a 3XL. A left chest logo is 3.5–4 in wide and a sleeve print is 3–3.5 in. This is the t-shirt print size chart we use at VS Print Studio in Houston.

Height is not fixed: it follows the proportions of your artwork. You do not have to build the file yourself, because we prepare it at the right size for every garment size. This guide explains what each number means, where each print sits, how to check a file you already have, and what changes for groups and for youth and women’s cuts.

T-shirt print size chart by garment size

These are the standard print widths we use for adult unisex shirts. Print width is the left-to-right width of the printed design, not the width of the shirt. The canvas column is the width of the print-ready file at 300 DPI, which is the print width in inches multiplied by 300.

Sizes can vary slightly by brand, so we confirm the exact print area for your garment before printing. Hoodies, polos, caps and other items have their own print areas.

How big should the design be? Height and proportions

The chart gives widths. The height follows the proportions of your artwork: take the width for your size and multiply it by your design’s height divided by its width.

• A square logo on a Medium: 11.5 x 11.5 in (3450 x 3450 px).
• A banner twice as wide as it is tall, on a Medium: 11.5 x 5.75 in (3450 x 1725 px).
• The same banner on a 3XL: 14 x 7 in (4200 x 2100 px).

A very tall design is the exception. At full width it can run too far down the shirt. That is one reason we confirm the exact size for each item and show a mockup before anything is printed.

Where does each print go on the shirt?

The diagram shows the three print areas on an adult shirt: the full front or back, the left chest and the sleeve.

Placement is measured from the center line of the shirt and from the collar seam. As a general starting point, a full-front or full-back print is centered and its top edge sits roughly 2–4 in below the collar, depending on the garment size and the height of the design. We place it for you and show the exact position in the mockup.

A left chest logo is usually an alternative to a full front. A small logo on the front with a large print on the back is a common combination for staff and team shirts.

Why one template does not fit every size

A design that looks right on a Small looks lost on a 3XL. From a Small to a 3XL the print width grows by 3.5 in, from 10.5 to 14 in. Put differently, a design sized for a Small is only three-quarters as wide as the same design sized for a 3XL.

Use the Small size on a 3XL and it looks like it was made for someone else. Use the 3XL size on a Small and it crowds the shirt. In a group with mixed sizes, we scale the artwork for each size so the design keeps the same balance on every person. You send one design and a size list, and we do the rest.

Planning a group order? Our guide to ordering custom shirts for a group explains how to collect sizes, and how many of each size to order helps when you cannot collect them all.

What file size do I need? Pixels at 300 DPI

Pixels are inches multiplied by DPI. At the recommended 300 DPI, a Medium front needs a file 3450 px wide (11.5 in x 300), and the canvas column in the chart above gives the number for every size. The minimum is 150 DPI, which is half as many pixels: 1575 px for a Small, 1725 px for a Medium, 1800 px for a Large and 2100 px for a 3XL. Below 150 DPI the print is likely to look blurry.

To check a file you already have:

1. Find the image’s width in pixels (right-click the file and open its properties, or look in any photo app).
2. Divide that number by the print width in inches for your size. For example, 3450 px divided by 11.5 in is exactly 300 DPI.
3. At 300 or more you are in good shape. Between 150 and 300 it is usually usable. Under 150, expect blur.

Images saved from social media and screenshots are often about 1000 px wide or less, which is below the minimum for every adult size. Stretching a 1000 px image to 12 in leaves about 83 DPI. Logos in a vector format (.svg, .ai, .eps) do not have this problem because they scale without losing sharpness.

If your file is too small, send it anyway. We tell you before printing, and sometimes we can rebuild or enlarge it; otherwise we suggest a better file or a smaller size. Our print-ready artwork checklist covers the rest of the file basics, and the artwork guidelines page lists every standard canvas.

Left chest and sleeve: small areas, simple designs

Small areas forgive less. A left chest print is 3.5 in wide on S and M and 4 in wide on L through 3XL (1050–1200 px at 300 DPI). A sleeve print is 3 in on S and M and 3.5 in on L through 3XL (900–1050 px).

Keep these prints simple:

• One logo, a short business name, or two or three short lines of text.
• Bold letters over thin ones. As a safe rule of thumb, keep lettering at least about a quarter inch (6 mm) tall.
• No slogan in tiny type. If your logo has one, send it anyway and we tell you honestly what will and will not read at that size.
• Plenty of contrast with the shirt color. Thin lines close to the fabric color tend to disappear.

Do youth, women’s and other garments use the same sizes?

No. The chart is for adult unisex t-shirts. Youth and women’s cuts have their own, smaller print areas because the body of the shirt is smaller or shorter. A cropped tee such as the Bella+Canvas 6482 relaxed crop tee is shorter than a regular tee, so a tall design has less room. A youth cotton tee gets its own youth print area, not the adult Small.

Hoodies, sweatshirts and polos also have their own print areas. On a hoodie, for example, the pouch pocket and the drawcords limit the front. We confirm the exact print size for every item before printing, so tell us the garment, the size and the cut (unisex, women’s or youth). The details are in our guides to unisex, women’s and youth fit and to choosing a hoodie for printing.

Sizing mistakes to avoid

• Using one size for every shirt. The design ends up lost on large sizes or crowded on small ones. Ask for the artwork to be scaled per size.
• Assuming bigger is better. A big solid print covers more of the shirt and breathes less. If you would like something smaller than the standard width, say so when you ask for a quote and we confirm what is possible.
• Sending a small file and expecting it to grow. A 1000 px image stretched to 12 in is about 83 DPI, well under the 150 minimum.
• Leaving empty space around the logo. If you build the file yourself, crop the transparent margin. Otherwise the visible design ends up smaller than the number in the chart.
• Forgetting the cut. A Medium means something different in unisex, women’s and youth. Say which one you need.
• Putting fine detail where it will not read. Tiny lines on a left chest or sleeve print blur together. Simplify first.

How we size the design for your order

Tell us the shirt, the sizes and where the design goes, and we handle the numbers. We set the canvas for each size, prepare the print-ready file and send a mockup that shows the placement. Nothing is printed until you approve it. You can start with a finished file, a rough idea or only a description, in English or Spanish. Most standard orders are ready in 2–5 business days after you approve the design; larger or more complex orders may need more time, and the quote confirms the date. Pick up in Houston or have it shipped anywhere in the U.S.

Browse custom t-shirts, compare the Gildan G500 Heavy Cotton tee with the Bella+Canvas 3001C, or see how bulk and team orders work for bigger groups.

Before you send your request

• The shirt model and color, or a photo of the label
• The sizes and how many of each, with the cut for each (unisex, women’s or youth)
• Where the design goes: front, back, left chest, sleeve, or a combination
• Your file, photo, sketch or description, and the exact text
• The date you need the shirts (message us on WhatsApp if it is close)