Merch design service: from logo file to print-ready artwork
Most merch programs do not fail at production. They fail at the file-prep stage, when a logo arrives as a low-resolution PNG, when a brand colour is not specified in Pantone, or when a tagline is set in a typeface that does not have a license for commercial reproduction. Our in-house design team absorbs that work so the brand team can focus on the message, not on file formats. The deliverable is print-ready artwork, packaged with the documentation the production team needs.
Why we run design in-house rather than outsource it
Outsourced design agencies are optimised for marketing campaigns, where the deliverable is a finished artwork for an Instagram post or a hero image on a website. Merch design is a different discipline: the artwork must be technically compatible with the production technique, the file must be at the exact size and resolution the printer or embroiderer expects, and the colour separations need to be configured for the ink set the workshop runs. Outsourcing that work to a generalist agency introduces a translation step between the brand book and the production floor, and that translation step is where most merch programs lose time.
By keeping the design team inside the production company, the same person who digitizes an embroidery file is also the person who sews it on a sample garment, so the file is calibrated against the actual substrate and stitch density. The same person who builds a sublimation colour profile is also the person who runs the mug press, so the colour separation is calibrated against the actual ceramic coating and press temperature. The output is artwork that goes straight to production without a third-party handoff.
What the design service covers
File prep and artwork cleanup
Recreation of low-resolution logos in vector, conversion of RGB colour references to Pantone Solid Coated for screen print and CMYK for sublimation, cleanup of raster artefacts, removal of unintended background pixels, and matching of brand fonts against open-licensed alternatives when the original typeface is not licensed for reproduction.
Product mockups and digital previews
Photorealistic mockups of the finished product in standard poses and angles, ready for internal approval and for the brand team's review cycle. Mockups include the Pantone reference, the substrate sample and the printable area indicator. Two rounds of mockup revisions are included in the standard fee.
Production technique compatibility review
Manual review of the artwork against the production technique — fine lines under 1 mm flagged for screen print, gradients flagged for embroidery, full-bleed colour fields flagged for pad print. The review produces a one-page production-readiness note that lists any artwork adjustments needed before production begins.
Pantone matching and colour profiling
Pantone reference extraction from brand books, conversion to the closest Pantone Solid Coated match for the chosen substrate, and calibration of the ink set against the actual fabric or ceramic coating. For sublimation, we build a colour profile against the printer, paper and substrate combination to keep Delta E under 2.
The design workflow in practice
Every design project follows the same four-step workflow regardless of whether the deliverable is a T-shirt, a mug or a recognition plaque. Step one is intake: the brand team sends the logo, the brand guidelines, the brief and any reference imagery. Step two is review: our design lead spends 60 to 90 minutes auditing the files and producing a one-page production-readiness note. Step three is artwork: the designer builds the print-ready file, the mockup and the technical specification. Step four is sign-off: the brand team reviews the mockup, requests up to two rounds of revisions and signs off before production begins.
For programs running four or more times a year, we maintain a brand asset library on a shared drive with the latest logos, fonts, colour references and approved mockups. The library is versioned, so every program can reference the correct approved version of the logo. When the brand team updates the logo or the colour palette, the library updates once and every future program pulls from the new assets automatically.
Deliverables in each package
The standard design package includes: one print-ready vector file in AI or EPS format with all fonts outlined and Pantone references preserved; one raster preview at 300 DPI in PNG or TIFF for internal review; one mockup image showing the artwork on the chosen product; one production-readiness note listing the technique, the colour profile and any artwork adjustments; and one CFDI 4.0 invoice with IVA 16% desglosado for the design fee. Files are delivered via a download link that expires in 14 days; the brand team is responsible for archiving the files in their own DAM system.
For clients with recurring programs, we offer a design retainer that includes up to 40 hours of design work per month, dedicated design lead, same-day response on small revisions, and quarterly brand library reviews. The retainer is invoiced monthly with a single CFDI 4.0 covering the design hours used. Unused hours do not roll over to the next month.
What we will not do under the design service
We will not design a new corporate identity. If your brand does not have a logo or is in the middle of a rebrand, the work belongs to a branding agency, not to a merch production shop. We will not design packaging or product photography for e-commerce. We will not produce marketing collateral — brochures, websites, social media graphics. Our design scope is strictly the artwork that goes on the merch, plus the mockups and production-readiness notes that make that artwork reproducible.
We will also not certify that a logo or a brand mark does not infringe on a third-party trademark. The brand team is responsible for trademark clearance before sending the files to us. We will flag obvious conflicts during the production-readiness review, but the legal responsibility for trademark compliance stays with the brand owner.
FAQ — design service
What file formats do we accept from the brand team?
Vector artwork in AI, EPS, SVG or PDF is preferred. Raster artwork in PNG or TIFF is accepted at 300 DPI minimum at the final print size. We do not accept JPG, GIF or BMP for production artwork because of compression artefacts; we will redraw raster logos in vector at an hourly rate if no vector source is available.
How long does the design cycle take?
Standard turnaround is 5 business days for one product mockup, including one round of revisions. Complex programs covering 10 or more SKUs run in 10 to 15 business days. Rush turnaround is available at a 50 percent surcharge, subject to design team capacity.
Do we charge separately for each product mockup?
Mockups for products in the same program and using the same artwork are bundled in a single design fee. The fee covers up to three product mockups, two rounds of revisions and the print-ready file. Additional mockups in the same program are charged at a discounted per-mockup rate.
Can we work with open-source or open-licensed fonts?
Yes. We maintain a library of open-licensed fonts including Inter, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, Noto Sans, Manrope and Space Grotesk, all released under the SIL Open Font License. If your brand book references a proprietary font that is not licensed for merch reproduction, we will suggest an open-licensed alternative that preserves the visual character.
What happens to the design files after the program ends?
We retain the artwork in our internal archive for 24 months after the last delivery wave. After that period, we archive the metadata only and securely delete the artwork files unless the client requests an extension. Clients can request their full artwork archive at any time within the retention window.
Send us your files and your brief
If you are starting a new merch program and need design support, send us your brief through this form. Include the product categories you are evaluating, the deadline, the brand assets you can share (logo, brand book, reference imagery) and any production constraints we should know about (target country for printing, certification requirements, special-substrate compatibility). We respond within one business day with a design quote and a proposed timeline.
Corp-Merch.MX is a corporate merch production shop operated by Swaggy Agency with more than ten years of experience in Latin America. The design service described on this page covers artwork preparation and production-readiness review for corporate merch; it does not include brand strategy, brand identity development, marketing collateral design or trademark clearance. References to specific fonts and Pantone references are made for descriptive purposes within the operating context of corporate merch in Mexico.