Vector vs Raster Guide for Print/Embroidery

The Production Rule for Vector and Raster

Here is the practical rule for any production workflow: if the job involves cutting, engraving, screen printing, or large format printing, start with a vector file. If the job involves only digital display, web use, or low-volume small-format digital print, raster at sufficient resolution works. When in doubt, vector is always the safer choice because a vector file can always generate a raster export, but a raster file cannot be automatically converted to a high-quality vector.

✓ Do this:

• Always request the vector source file from clients at the start of every new project
• Convert raster logos to vector before starting any production process
• Keep vector master files and generate raster exports as needed for digital use
• Confirm that a PDF is actually vector by zooming in before treating it as vector

✗ Avoid this:

• ✗Do not proceed with production from a JPG logo without first converting to vector
• ✗Do not enlarge a raster file and submit it as the source for production
• ✗Do not use auto-trace on important logos without manual clean-up
• ✗Do not assume all PDFs are vector

How to Tell If a File Is Vector or Raster

The fastest way to identify a file type is to open it in any viewer and zoom in to 800 percent or more. If the edges remain perfectly sharp and clean at full zoom, it is a vector file. If you see pixels, blurring, or jagged edges when zoomed in, it is a raster file regardless of what the file extension says. A PDF with a vector logo and a PDF with a scanned document look the same on the outside but are completely different inside.

✓ Do this:

• Zoom in to 800 percent or more to test any file before treating it as vector
• Test PDFs from clients before using them as production source files
• Ask clients for AI or EPS files as the primary source format
• Ask for fonts to be converted to outlines in any vector file

✗ Avoid this:

• ✗Do not assume a PDF is vector without testing it
• ✗Do not assume a file with a vector extension is usable without testing
• ✗Do not confuse high resolution raster with vector quality