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Learn the difference between vector (AI, EPS) and raster (JPG, PNG) files, and find out what artwork format is best for embroidery digitizing.
One of the most common questions we get from new customers is: "What kind of image file do you need to digitize my logo?" The short answer is that a professional human digitizer can work with almost anything. But understanding the difference between Vector and Raster art can help you ensure the best possible final result.
Raster images are made up of tiny colored squares called pixels. Think of a photograph taken on your phone. When you zoom in very closely on a raster image, it becomes blurry and "pixelated."
If you provide a low-resolution, blurry JPG to a digitizer, they have to "guess" where the exact edges of the shapes are. While experienced digitizers are excellent at interpreting blurry artwork, extreme pixelation can lead to slight inaccuracies in the final embroidery.
Vector art is created using mathematical formulas rather than pixels. This means that a vector logo can be scaled up to the size of a billboard or down to the size of a postage stamp, and it will remain 100% crisp and sharp.
Vector files (like Adobe Illustrator .AI files) are the gold standard for digitizing. Because the edges are perfectly defined, the digitizer can trace the shapes with absolute, mathematical precision.
Many modern software programs offer "Auto-Digitizing" features that attempt to convert a Vector file directly into stitches with one click. However, software does not understand fabric stretch, needle deflection, or thread tension. Auto-digitized files almost always sew out terribly, leading to thread breaks and puckered garments.
This is why manual digitizing by a human expert is critical. The human looks at the image (whether Vector or Raster) and uses it as a template to manually program the path of the needle, applying their knowledge of physics and fabric to create a flawless file.
While Vector art is preferred, you don't need it to place an order with BDigitizing. Have a rough sketch on a napkin? A photo of a patch from a jacket? A low-res JPG? Upload it. Our expert human digitizers will manually recreate and digitize your artwork into a stunning embroidery file, ready to sew.