Measure from the collar seam, not from the top edge of the shirt: a centre-chest or full-front design should start a short way below the collar so it reads on the chest, and a left-chest logo sits higher and to the wearer's left, over the heart. The exact offset in inches comes from your print provider's template and shifts with garment size, so take it from them rather than copying one number from a forum.
Placement is one of the first things buyers notice in a mockup, and it is the detail that decides whether a real shirt looks right once someone wears it. This guide is for print-on-demand sellers who prepare their own files and want each design to land where buyers expect it, on every size they offer.
Start from the collar seam
The reference point is the seam where the collar rib joins the body of the shirt. Measuring from the shoulder, or from the top of a folded shirt, gives a different answer on every blank, because collars and necklines differ. The Gildan 5000 spec sheet lists "Taped neck and shoulders" (Gildan spec sheet, hosted by Blankstyle), while the Gildan 64000 sheet lists a non-topstitched 5/8 inch rib collar (Gildan spec sheet, hosted by Blankstyle).
The most common error is placing a design by eye on a flat picture of a shirt. On a flat picture, the space under the collar looks generous. On a body, the chest curves away from it, and the same design looks as if it has slipped toward the stomach. When in doubt, sit the design higher.
The three standard front placements
Centre chest
A centre-chest print is a medium-sized design centred left to right, with its top edge a short way under the collar. It is the default for text designs, small illustrations and most gift shirts, because it sits across the chest, where people look when they meet the wearer.
Left chest
A left-chest print is a small logo or mark on the wearer's left side, over the heart. It sits higher than a centre-chest print, near the top of the chest, roughly halfway between the middle of the shirt and the side seam. Use it for minimal marks, small brand logos and shirts that carry a larger print on the back.
Full front
A full-front print uses most of the printable area. It starts just under the collar like a centre-chest print, but runs wider and much further down. Because it covers so much of the torso, its top edge matters most: start it too low and the bottom ends near the hem.
| Placement | Where the top edge sits | Typical size | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre chest | A short way under the collar seam, centred | Medium | Text designs, gift shirts, most illustrations | Tall designs drifting toward the stomach |
| Left chest | Higher, on the wearer's left over the heart | Small | Logos, minimal marks, shirts with a back print | Detail too fine to survive at small size |
| Full front | Just under the collar seam, centred | Large, up to the print area | Bold artwork and statement shirts | Bottom edge ending near the hem |
| Upper back | Under the back collar, centred | Small to medium | A small mark paired with a front design | Neck labels and the shoulder seams |
How print areas and garment sizes change the result
Every provider defines a print area, the largest space it can print, and positions your file inside it from its own reference point. Printify describes its print area as showing "the maximum printable space available on the product" (Printify Help). Printful's older standard front print area was 12 x 16 inches, and it now uses 15 x 18 inches on select DTG tees (Printful Help). Other providers differ, so check the template of whoever prints your orders.
Size changes more than most sellers expect. Printify says designs "are not scaled up for sizes larger than L" (Printify Help), so the same print looks smaller on a 3XL than on an L. Printful notes that "Some smaller product sizes do not support this placement" for its larger area (Printful Help). The practical rule: design for the middle of your size range, then look at the smallest and largest sizes before you list. Our guide to t-shirt print areas covers front, back, sleeve and pocket sizes.
Design shape matters as much as the drop
A wide, short design, such as one line of text or a horizontal badge, can sit close to the collar and still look balanced. A tall design needs its top edge even closer to the collar, because most of its weight ends up low on the body. Stacked text with several lines behaves like a tall design, so keep the line spacing tight and the whole block compact. Typography layouts for shirts goes deeper into stacking and arcs.
Fitted and smaller garments leave less room between collar and waist, so a design that suits an adult unisex L can look oversized on a youth or toddler shirt. Hoodies add their own limit: the Gildan 18500 has a "Front pouch pocket" (Gildan spec sheet, hosted by Blankstyle), so a full-front design has to finish above it.
Check placement before you list
Open your provider's template for the exact blank and place the file inside its print area, not on a photo.
Look at the mockup at thumbnail size. Etsy crops thumbnails to square, portrait and landscape, and asks sellers to "Position your image so your subject is clear in all 3 views used across Etsy" (Etsy Help). A design placed too low can fall out of one of those crops.
Check the smallest and the largest size you offer, not only the middle one.
Order a sample of a design you expect to sell, and wear it. Ordering samples of your own products lists what else to inspect.
Make sure your mockup shows the placement the printer will actually use. Buyers compare what arrives with your photos, and how a t-shirt mockup generator places your design explains where mockups and print files can disagree.
How Alomations prepares the file and shows the placement
Every design in Alomations comes back print-ready at 12 inches and 300 DPI (3,600 pixels on the long side), as a transparent PNG with an SVG alongside. A 12-inch long side fits inside both the 12 x 16 and the 15 x 18 inch areas above, and the transparent background means nothing prints around the artwork. Light and dark versions come from one design, so the same placement works on white and on black garments. Print file requirements for POD explains why those file details matter.
Smart mockups render your design onto product photos with real fabric folds, shading and light, so you can see whether a print sits on the chest or sags toward the waist before anything is printed. A front mockup can carry its own chest-logo spot for left-chest designs, and on paid plans you can preview every colour and every side before the run. The features page walks through the rest of the listing run.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches below the collar should a shirt design start?
No single number suits every blank and size. Start the design a short way under the collar seam, then take the exact offset from your print provider's template, since each provider positions files from its own reference point.
Where does a left-chest logo go?
On the wearer's left side, over the heart, and higher than a centre-chest print. Keep it small and simple so its details survive printing.
Should I make a separate file for each shirt size?
One file is usually enough. Check how your provider handles sizes first: Printify, for example, says designs are not scaled up for sizes larger than L (Printify Help).
Does placement change on sweatshirts and hoodies?
The collar rule stays the same. On a hoodie, the front pouch pocket also limits how far down a full-front design can go.
Try a listing run with smart mockups on the free plan and see where your next design sits before it reaches a buyer.