Apparel artwork preflight checklist: files, fonts, color, separations and proofs

What to take away

Preflight the exported production file, not just the editable master. Export settings change resolution, spot colors and overprints.
Confirm finished width and height before you judge image resolution. Effective resolution is pixel count divided by final print size.
Name one person who approves content and one who signs the technical release. Two approvals, two signatures.
Inspect each separation alone, then the composite in print order. A plate can look right alone and wrong in sequence.
A soft proof checks file logic. Only a physical strike-off shows ink deposit, garment texture and cure.
Log exceptions with a disposition instead of quietly repairing the customer's art.

Run this after the artwork brief is approved and before screens, transfers or stitch data are released. Add your shop's method limits, screen mesh, minimum line width, halftone frequency, and mark each exception with what you did about it.

Intake and identity

Job code, customer, garment style, print location and decoration method recorded.
Received files preserved unchanged in a read-only folder.
Sender, received date and written instructions logged.
Working file carries a unique revision number and operator initials.
Approved visual reference saved alongside the working file.
Superseded revisions moved out of the live production folder.
Final approval authority named in writing.

Dimensions and placement

Finished width and height stated in inches, not pixels.
Aspect ratio matches the approval.
Artwork fits the printable area on every garment size in the run.
Placement datum and tolerance named, for example collar seam to top of print.
Orientation correct for output and for how the garment is worn.
Bleed, cut line, distress texture and registration marks included or excluded on purpose.
A full-size print or measured on-screen preview confirms scale.

Adobe's Illustrator documentation splits print setup into several parts. These include general controls, marks and bleed, output, and graphics. It also covers color management, advanced settings, and a summary. Its print-document setup reference is software-specific, but the categories are useful because they force you to review output as a set of linked choices rather than trusting the artboard view.

Dimensions and Placement Checks

Finished width and height in inches
Aspect ratio matches approval
Artwork fits printable area every size
Placement datum and tolerance named
Bleed, cut line, marks included or excluded
Full-size print or measured preview confirms scale

File structure and placed assets

Editable master and production copy are separate files.
Hidden, locked, nonprinting, clipping and template objects inspected.
Unused artboards, layers, swatches and stray objects stripped from the output copy.
Every linked image present and current.
Embedded images traced to source and rights record.
Transparency, masks, effects, blends and appearance stacks inspected.
Flattening or rasterizing happens only under a documented output rule.
Exported file reopened and compared against the master.

Raster images

Raster Image Resolution Check

Record original pixel dimensions
Calculate effective resolutionpixels divided by print inches
Confirm color mode and channel count
Inspect compression, halos, pixelation, noise
Check transparent edges against garment color
Disclose resampling history and quality limits

Original pixel dimensions recorded.
Effective resolution calculated at final sizepixels divided by print inches.
Color mode and channel count intentional.
Compression artifacts, halos, pixelation, noise and over-sharpened edges inspected.
Transparent edges checked against the garment color, not against white.
Resampling history and quality limits disclosed to the customer.
One-bit, grayscale or continuous-tone treatment matches the separation plan.

Vector objects and lines

Vector Objects and Lines

Paths closed where process requires
Duplicate and stray anchor points removed
Strokes, brushes, patterns expand predictably
Minimum positive line width meets process limit
Minimum negative gaps and counters meet limit
Small distress marks intentional and will hold
Compound paths, winding, knockouts behave correctly

Paths closed where the process requires it.
Duplicate and stray anchor points removed.
Strokes, brushes, patterns and effects expand predictably if expansion is required.
Minimum positive line width meets the process limit for the mesh or film in use.
Minimum negative gaps and counters meet the same limit.
Small distress marks are intentional and will hold.
Compound paths, winding and knockouts behave correctly.

Type and content

Type and Content Review

Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, dates approved
Font family, style, version, source recorded
Font licensing and vendor transfer resolved
No missing or substituted fonts in production file
Kerning, tracking, alignment, line breaks checked
Small counters and fine joins survive at output size
Live type retained in master
Outlined production type compared character by character

Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, dates and numbers approved.
Font family, style, version and source recorded.
Font licensing and vendor transfer resolved before files leave the shop.
No missing or substituted fonts in the production file.
Kerning, tracking, alignment, line breaks and special glyphs checked.
Small counters and fine joins survive at output size.
Live type retained in the master.
Outlined production type compared character by character against the approval.

Color and swatches

Color and Swatch Verification

Every intended print color has one unique name
Unintended process, RGB, registration, duplicate spots removed
Physical color reference and viewing light recorded
Garment color represented as substrate
White, clear, varnish, adhesive, blocker inks unambiguous
Overprint and knockout attributes inspected
Color-management assumptions documented for process work

Every intended print color has one unique name.
Unintended process, RGB, registration and duplicate spot colors removed.
Physical color reference and viewing light recorded where color matters.
Garment color represented as substrate, not as an accidental plate.
White, clear, varnish, adhesive and blocker inks are unambiguous.
Overprint and knockout attributes inspected.
Color-management assumptions documented for process work.

Separations and interactions

Plate count matches the quote and the production plan.
Each plate contains only its intended image areas and marks.
Print order recorded.
Underbase coverage, choke and exclusions inspected.
Traps have a stated direction and amount.
Halftone dot shape, frequency, angle, tonal range and output resolution approved.
Registration marks and plate labels on every output that needs them.
Positive or negative output and emulsion orientation confirmed with the shop.
Composite preview checked in print order.

Adobe's color-separation instructions define process and spot plates. They recommend coordinating with the print shop. The on-screen separation preview does not show every condition:

Separations and Interactions

Plate count matches quote and production plan
Each plate contains only intended image areas and marks
Print order recorded
Underbase coverage, choke, exclusions inspected
Traps have stated direction and amount
Halftone dot shape, frequency, angle, range approved
Registration marks and plate labels on every output
Positive or negative output and emulsion orientation confirmed
Composite preview checked in print order

Proofs and release

Content and composition proof approved.
Separation proof carries job number, revision, dimensions and plate names.
Full-size output measured against the stated dimensions.
Physical strike-off or sample requirement stated.
Approved deviations recorded with a disposition.
Final exported files match the manifest.
Receiver confirms filenames, revision, dimensions and plate count.
Release date, approver and archive location recorded.

Common questions

Should preflight run before or after separation?

Both. Run an early file audit before separation to catch structure and rights problems, then a full output preflight on the final exported plates and composite. The second pass is where trapping, halftone and plate-label faults surface.

Does converting text to outlines remove the need to check fonts?

No. Check content, appearance, source and rights first, because outlining freezes whatever was wrong. Keep live text in the master and compare the outlined production version against it character by character.

Can an on-screen proof approve color?

It can approve specified screen content under defined viewing limits. It cannot prove ink deposit, garment texture, cure or how the print looks under shop lighting. Approve color on a physical strike-off.

Who signs the preflight?

A production reviewer signs the technical release. The customer or a named authority approves content and agreed appearance. Keep both signatures on the same revision record so a later dispute points to one document.