Short answer: Send a vector SVG, AI, or EPS file when you have one. A vector PDF is also a strong choice. If your artwork is raster, use a transparent PNG at least 1000 pixels wide whenever possible. Dawson also accepts JPG files. Files can be up to 20MB, and you can upload them while ordering or choose the email-after-order option. Dawson places your supplied artwork into the garment layout and sends a proof before printing.
Choose the file type that fits your artwork
The best file depends on what the image contains. Logos, badges, numbers, and simple line art usually reproduce most cleanly from vector artwork because it can be resized without becoming pixelated.
- SVG, AI, and EPS: Preferred for logos and other shape-based artwork. Keep a production-ready version with the correct colors and wording.
- PDF: Useful when it preserves the original vector shapes. A PDF can also contain a low-resolution image, so exporting to PDF does not automatically improve the source.
- PNG: The practical raster choice for a logo, especially when it has a transparent background. Aim for at least 1000 pixels in width rather than sending a small web icon.
- JPG: Accepted for flat images or artwork without transparency. Use the largest, highest-quality original available because JPG compression and a baked-in background can limit placement options.
Do not enlarge a tiny screenshot and assume it has become print-ready. Its dimensions may increase, but the missing detail does not return. If a designer or sponsor owns the original source file, ask for that export first.
Prepare one clear artwork handoff
Before you open a Dawson jersey page to upload your logo, collect the final assets in one folder. Give each file a plain name such as team-logo.svg, jersey-front.pdf, or jersey-back.png. Remove abandoned drafts so the production handoff does not contain several nearly identical versions. If you would rather have Dawson build the whole jersey around your logo or a sketch, start a custom design motocross jersey instead.
For a full custom design, prepare both front and back artwork. If you are adding a logo to an existing Dawson design, prepare the logo and write down any names, numbers, or sleeve details that should accompany it. Use the exact spelling, capitalization, and punctuation you want printed.
It also helps to include a short written note covering:
- which file is the front, back, or logo;
- the intended colors;
- the exact team name and any sponsor wording;
- where a supplied mark should appear; and
- which details vary by rider.
This note is a handoff aid, not a substitute for looking carefully at the proof.
Know what the proof is for
Dawson's published process is to lay supplied artwork into the garment's designated areas and email a proof. Nothing should go to print until you have seen that proof. Treat this as the point where the team confirms the production layout.
The artwork submission and proof process should not be read as a promise to create a complete logo or brand identity from an unfinished idea, or to provide unlimited revisions. Send the most complete artwork you can. If the source needs substantial illustration or redesign, resolve that before treating it as print-ready.
Check the proof line by line
Do not approve from a quick glance on a phone. Ask one coordinator and, ideally, one second reader to inspect the proof at a useful size. Confirm:
- The correct front, back, and logo files were used.
- Team, sponsor, and rider names are spelled exactly as intended.
- Every rider number is paired with the right person.
- Colors and logo versions match the submitted brief.
- Artwork orientation and placement make sense on each visible garment panel.
- Any left- or right-sleeve selection shown on the order is correct.
Approval is the final chance to catch a roster typo or an outdated sponsor file before printing. Keep the approved proof with the team's order record so everyone is referring to the same version.
Avoid common artwork problems
The most preventable problems happen before upload. A logo copied from social media may be too small. A white box behind a JPG logo may be visible when the intended design needed transparency. A PDF may contain only a compressed screenshot. A folder labeled “final” may still hold several conflicting finals.
Open every file before submitting it. Zoom in enough to spot rough edges, confirm that transparent areas are genuinely transparent, and make sure important text is part of the supplied art. If a special typeface is essential, provide a finished export that does not depend on the recipient having that font installed.
Complete the rest of the order carefully
Artwork is only one part of a custom jersey order. Dawson supports per-rider names, numbers, and sizes. The published range is unisex S–5XL; compare a garment that already fits with the live size chart before submitting the roster.
There is no minimum order. Current quantity discounts are 5% from 5 items, 10% from 10, and 15% from 15. Production takes an estimated 3–5 business days, followed by an estimated 7–15 business days in U.S. transit. Orders are made and shipped by third-party fulfillment partners, and shipments may originate internationally, including China. Review the shipping policy for the current $5.99 U.S. shipping charge on orders of $85 or less and free standard U.S. shipping on orders over $85.
Because personalized non-faulty products are not returnable or exchangeable, verify the artwork, roster, and sizing before approval. The current exceptions and claim process are in the refund policy. For a concise overview of the ordering process, see Dawson's FAQs.
Artwork-ready checklist
Use this final check before ordering:
- vector art where available, or a transparent PNG at least 1000 pixels wide;
- accepted format: PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, AI, EPS, or WEBP;
- file size no more than 20MB;
- clear front, back, and logo filenames;
- one approved set of colors, wording, names, and numbers; and
- a coordinator ready to review the emailed proof before printing.
With a clean source file and one controlled handoff, the proof becomes a focused layout check instead of a search for missing artwork.