The design files a factory needs are: vector artwork for logos (AI, EPS, or PDF with fonts outlined and Pantone solid-coated color callouts), 300 DPI raster files at final size for full-color prints, dimensioned technical drawings for any custom pattern work, and a one-page placement sheet showing where every element sits on the bag. Send those four and your project moves to proof stage within 24 hours. Send the usual alternatives — a 72 DPI logo scraped from a website, a photo of a sketch, "make it like the attached but blue" — and you have just added one to three weeks of clarification emails to your timeline. File quality is the single cheapest schedule lever in custom production, and this guide gives you the exact specifications, formats and naming conventions that eliminate the back-and-forth, following standard print-production practice as documented in Adobe's print production documentation.
These are the intake specs our engineering team works from daily at QUANZHOU JUNYUAN BAGS — processing buyer design files since 2014 in a 4,950 m² SGS-verified partner facility with 7 lines, 149 machines, 137 staff and 200,000 pieces of monthly capacity. Complete files get digital proofs in 24 hours and production samples in 6–10 working days. MOQ 500 per design, bulk 35–50 days, 30/70 T/T, FOB Xiamen.
The four files that start production immediately
Production begins with paperwork: the design files and artwork specs you submit determine what the factory can actually build. File one — logo artwork in vector format: AI, EPS or print-ready PDF, fonts converted to outlines, colors specified as Pantone solid-coated references. Vector is mandatory for screen printing and patch molding because both processes separate spot colors mechanically; a vector file separates cleanly, a raster file separates into arguments. File two — raster artwork for full-color prints only: PNG, TIFF or PSD at 300 DPI at final print size, transparent background. This is the one case where raster is correct — photographic and gradient artwork for heat transfer.
File three — dimensioned drawings for any custom pattern work: PDF or CAD exports showing every panel with finished dimensions and tolerances. Hand sketches are acceptable if every dimension is legibly written; photos of sketches are not. File four — the placement sheet: a single page showing the bag with every branding element positioned and dimensioned ("logo 100 mm wide, centered on front panel, 60 mm below closure line"). One page, and it eliminates the most common error class in custom production — right logo, wrong place.
- Vector logo: AI / EPS / PDF, fonts outlined, Pantone solid-coated callouts.
- Raster print art (if full-color): PNG / TIFF / PSD, 300 DPI at final size, transparent background.
- Dimensioned drawings: every panel, finished dimensions, ±5 mm tolerance stated.
- Placement sheet: one page, every element positioned and dimensioned on the bag.
Vector files: the specifications that matter
A production-ready vector logo has four properties. Fonts outlined: text converted to curves, because the factory's machines do not carry your licensed typeface — an un-outlined font renders as a substitution or an error, never as your brand. Colors as Pantone solid-coated references: "PMS 2935 C" is an instruction; "RGB(0,114,188)" is an opinion that changes with every monitor. Color count confirmed: each spot color is one screen and one setup charge, so a logo listed as 2-color that secretly contains 4 tints generates a surprise quote line. And artboard at final size: a logo drawn at 1,000 mm and scaled down behaves differently than one drawn at 100 mm — fine details that survive at scale vanish at production size.
The 60-second self-check before sending: open the file, zoom to 400% at final print size. If edges are smooth curves, it is vector. If you see pixel squares, it is a raster file wearing a vector costume — usually a JPG placed inside an AI file, which fools the file extension and nobody else. Text check: select any text object; if you can edit the words, the fonts are not outlined.
No vector file and no designer? Send the best raster you have — our studio redraws logos to production vector for $30–$60 in 1–3 days, returned to you as your property in AI, EPS and PDF. It is the cheapest item in the entire development budget and the one that pays back on every reorder.
Raster files: when 300 DPI is law and when it is not
Raster artwork is correct for exactly one process: full-color heat transfer — photographic images, gradients, complex illustrations. The spec is 300 DPI at final print size on a transparent background. "At final size" is the phrase buyers miss: a 1,000 × 1,000 px image is 300 DPI at 85 mm but only 150 DPI at 170 mm. Enlarging a small raster does not add resolution; it spreads the same pixels thinner, and the print shows it as softness and fuzzy text.
Minimum text sizes protect readability in any print method: 5 mm cap height for printed text, 4 mm for embroidery (where small letterforms close up with thread), and avoid hairline strokes under 0.5 mm in any process — below that, ink spread and film texture eat the line. If your design includes fine detail, the proof stage catches it, but catching it at file stage costs zero days while catching it at proof stage costs a round.
| Element | Minimum spec | Failure below spec |
|---|---|---|
| Raster resolution | 300 DPI at final size | Soft, pixelated print |
| Printed text | 5 mm cap height | Fills in, unreadable |
| Embroidered text | 4 mm cap height | Letters close up with thread |
| Line weight | 0.5 mm stroke | Line disappears in ink spread |
| Background | Transparent (PNG/TIFF) | White box printed around art |
Technical drawings: what a pattern-maker actually needs
For any custom shape — new dimensions, new pocket layouts, modified platforms — the pattern-maker needs dimensioned drawings, not inspiration photos. A workable drawing shows each panel as a flat shape with finished dimensions labeled, identifies which edges join which, and states tolerances (±5 mm is the welded-goods standard). Front/side/top views with key dimensions cover most bags; exploded views help for multi-compartment designs.
The details that separate a one-round development from a three-round one: closure dimensions (roll-top stiffener width, zipper length and model), strap attachment points with measurements from fixed references, pocket dimensions with depth/gusset, and the intended capacity with the three largest items it must hold. Capacity-by-items beats capacity-by-liters — "holds a 15.6-inch laptop plus a 1 L bottle plus a jacket" is testable; "about 25 L" is an opinion.
No drawing ability is not a blocker. Reference samples are drawings in physical form: send us the bag closest to your intent with a written change list ("this one, but 40 mm taller, pocket moved to the side, roll-top instead of zipper"), and our pattern team converts it into the technical document. That conversion is part of collaborative development, detailed in our collaborative design guide, and it is how roughly half of all custom projects actually start.
The placement sheet: one page that prevents the classic error
The most common production error in custom bags is not wrong color or wrong size — it is right artwork in the wrong position. A logo placed 30 mm lower than intended lands on a flex line and cracks; one placed without checking gusset clearance wraps into the pocket fold. The placement sheet kills this error class: a photo or line drawing of the bag — ours, yours, or a reference image — with every branding element marked, sized, and dimensioned from two fixed edges.
Format is free-form; content is not. Each element needs: what it is (which file), how big (width × height in mm), where exactly (distance from two fixed references — "60 mm below the closure weld, centered horizontally"), and which method if mixed (print here, patch there). Twenty minutes making this page saves the average project one full revision round — 6–10 days and $60–$150.
We return the favor in kind: every digital proof comes back as a marked render showing your artwork at final size on the bag with dimensions called out, for your written approval before any screen, die or mold is made. Approval discipline on both sides is what "no surprises" actually means in practice.
File naming, delivery and version control
Naming sounds trivial until revision three, when "logo-final-v2-NEW-final.ai" meets its sibling from another email thread. The convention that works: projectname_element_version_date — "acme_frontlogo_v3_2026-04-17.ai". One project, one thread: reply within the same email chain so the file history stays attached to the conversation, and when a file is superseded, say so explicitly in the message ("v3 replaces v2 entirely").
Delivery channels: email handles anything under 20 MB. Larger files — layered PSDs, full tech pack PDFs — go by WeTransfer, Dropbox or Drive link with access permissions open; a link that requests login access is a day of delay. Compress folders into a single zip named with the project and date. And the professional habit: list the package contents in the message body ("attached: logo v3 AI, placement sheet v1, color references") so missing pieces are spotted in minutes, not at proof stage.
- File names: project_element_version_date
- One project, one email thread; superseded files declared dead in writing
- Files over 20 MB via transfer link with open permissions
- Package contents listed in the message body
- Fonts outlined, Pantone references included, placement sheet attached
The seven submission mistakes and their cost in days
| Mistake | Typical cost | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 72 DPI web logo | 1–3 days (redraw) | Vector file, or factory redraw $30–$60 |
| Fonts not outlined | 1–2 days (font chase) | Convert to outlines before export |
| RGB colors, no Pantone | 2–4 days (color rounds) | Pantone solid-coated references |
| No placement sheet | 6–10 days (revision round) | One marked page per bag |
| Raster saved inside AI file | 1–3 days (redraw) | The 400% zoom self-check |
| Dimensions in inches and mm mixed | 2–5 days (clarification) | Pick mm; state the unit once |
| New files, new email thread | 1–3 days (version confusion) | Same thread, declared versions |
Notice what this table sums to: sloppy files cost one to three weeks of calendar — more than sampling, more than any factory delay. The buyer's file discipline is the schedule. Our sampling timeline assumes files arrive in this guide's condition; every row above is time added to that baseline.
The full tech pack: when your project needs more than artwork
Logo projects run on the four files above. Full custom developments — new shapes, new constructions — need the complete tech pack: dimensioned drawings for every panel, a bill of materials with laminate specs and named hardware, construction details (weld widths, reinforcement locations), closure specification, branding placement, packaging spec, and test requirements. Seven documents in one PDF, and it converts your project from "quote when clarified" to "quoted in 48 hours."
The good news for buyers without a documentation team: the tech pack can be built collaboratively. Send whatever exists — sketches, reference samples, a bullet list of features — and our engineers draft the formal document for your review, flagging the decisions only you can make (capacity priorities, closure preference, target price band). Roughly half of all custom projects start exactly this way; the document discipline is ours, the product vision is yours.
For a worked example of what happens after a complete tech pack lands — how it becomes a quotation, a sample, and finally a scheduled bulk run — our production team documents the entire downstream pipeline stage by stage. Reading it before submitting files shows you exactly which of your document decisions matter at which later stage — the cheapest education in the sourcing process.
From files to proof in 24 hours
Submit through the inquiry form or directly to your project engineer: vector logo, raster art if applicable, drawings or reference sample, placement sheet, plus your Pantone references and target quantity. Within 24 hours you receive the file review — anything missing flagged specifically — plus a digital proof render for logo orders or a development plan for pattern work. Approved proofs go to sampling in 6–10 working days, per the pipeline in our concept-to-production guide.
QUANZHOU JUNYUAN BAGS — turning buyer files into production since 2014: 4,950 m² SGS-verified facility, 7 lines, 149 machines, 137 staff, 200,000 pieces monthly. MOQ 500, samples 6–10 days, bulk 35–50 days, 30/70 T/T, FOB Xiamen, 100+ countries. Send the files; the 24-hour clock starts when they land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What file format do factories need for logo printing?
Vector: AI, EPS or print-ready PDF with fonts converted to outlines and colors called out as Pantone solid-coated references. Vector is mandatory for screen printing and patch molding because spot colors must separate mechanically. Full-color heat transfer accepts raster — PNG or TIFF at 300 DPI at final size, transparent background.
Q2. Can I send a JPG or PNG of my logo?
For full-color heat transfer, yes — at 300 DPI at final print size on a transparent background. For screen printing or patches, a JPG cannot separate into spot colors; it needs vectorizing, which we do for $30–$60 in 1–3 days, returned to you as your property.
Q3. How do I check if my file is really vector?
Open it and zoom to 400% at final print size: smooth curved edges mean vector; visible pixel squares mean a raster file — even if it lives inside an AI or EPS wrapper. Then click any text: if you can still edit the words, the fonts are not outlined yet.
Q4. What resolution do print files need?
300 DPI at final print size. A 1,000 px image is 300 DPI at 85 mm wide but only 150 DPI at 170 mm — enlarging does not add resolution, it spreads the same pixels thinner. Design at final size from the start.
Q5. What are the minimum text sizes for bag branding?
5 mm cap height for printed text, 4 mm for embroidery, and no strokes under 0.5 mm in any process. Below those limits ink spread, film texture and thread thickness eat the detail — the proof will catch it, but fixing it at file stage costs zero days.
Q6. Do I need to provide Pantone colors?
Yes for any color-critical work: Pantone solid-coated references are the only instruction a factory can execute repeatably. RGB and hex values depend on the viewing monitor and routinely land Delta-E 4+ off target. The chip number ends the argument before it starts.
Q7. What if I only have a sketch or a sample bag?
Both work. A legible sketch with every dimension written on it can go straight to pattern-making. A physical reference sample plus a written change list ("this, but 40 mm taller, pocket on the side") is even better — our pattern team converts it into technical drawings as part of collaborative development.
Q8. How should I show where the logo goes on the bag?
A one-page placement sheet: any image of the bag with each element marked — which file, size in mm, and distance from two fixed edges ("60 mm below the closure weld, centered"). Twenty minutes of your time saves the average project one full revision round.
Q9. What happens after I submit my files?
Within 24 hours: a file review flagging anything missing, plus a digital proof render showing your artwork at final size on the bag with dimensions called out. Written approval of the proof sends the project to sampling — 6–10 working days.
Q10. How do I send large files?
Email under 20 MB; larger files via WeTransfer, Dropbox or Drive link with open permissions. Zip multi-file packages with the project name and date in the filename, and list the contents in the message body so gaps surface in minutes.
Q11. What does a factory logo redraw cost?
$30–$60 with a 1–3 day turnaround, delivered back to you as production-ready AI, EPS and PDF — your property, reusable on every future order with any supplier. It is the cheapest line item in development.
Q12. Why did the factory ask me to outline my fonts?
Factory systems do not carry your licensed typeface; un-outlined text renders as a substituted font or an error. Outlining converts text to curves — the letterforms become shapes that print identically on any system, forever.
Q13. Can I mix branding methods in one design?
Yes — screen print plus patch plus embroidery is common. The placement sheet should state which element uses which method, since each has its own file requirement: vector for print and patch, digitized file (which we produce) for embroidery.
Q14. What is the number one file mistake that delays production?
No placement sheet. Right artwork in the wrong position is the most common production error in the category, and it costs a full revision round — 6–10 days and $60–$150 — every time it happens.
People Also Ask
What files do I need to send a bag manufacturer?
Four: vector logo artwork (AI/EPS/PDF, fonts outlined, Pantone callouts), 300 DPI raster art if using full-color print, dimensioned drawings for any custom shape, and a one-page placement sheet showing where every element sits.
Is PNG or AI better for logo printing?
AI (vector) for screen printing and patches — spot colors must separate mechanically, which raster cannot do. PNG at 300 DPI is correct only for full-color heat transfer. The 400% zoom test tells you which one you actually have.
How do I prepare artwork for screen printing?
Vector file, fonts outlined, colors as Pantone solid-coated references, artboard at final print size, one file per colorway. That package goes straight to screen-making without a clarification round.
What DPI do I need for printing on bags?
300 DPI at final print size for raster artwork. Check by zooming to 100% at print dimensions: crisp edges pass, soft or blocky edges fail and need a higher-resolution source.
Can a factory redraw my logo?
Yes — professional redraw to production vector runs $30–$60 in 1–3 days and comes back to you in AI, EPS and PDF as your property. It is the standard rescue for 72 DPI web logos.