Author Topic: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?  (Read 3110 times)

Offline Action1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 486
Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« on: June 30, 2012, 01:29:59 PM »
We need to upgrade our t-shirt cad library to better assist us in developing our products. Does anyone know where to get cad files for clothing - t-shirts in particular.


Offline Dottonedan

  • Administrator
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5907
  • Email me at art@designsbydottone.com
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2012, 04:20:04 PM »
What would you mean by shirt (CAD) files?  Computer Aided Design?  Are you looking for various garment body styles?
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline Chadwick

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 463
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2012, 10:22:26 PM »
I assume you mean vector files of flat shirt dimensions and such?

I never send mockups to customers like that.
If the shirt dimensions are truly flat, the image looks small, as the shirt isn't wrapping around a person.
Add to the grief with the fact that customers usually want one image for all, which includes youth small,
up to xxl, and yer damned if you do or don't with what you present them.
I just send an image of the graphic with dimensions.
If they can't be bothered to think about it in those terms, then no bs mockup will satisfy them anyways.

Anyhow, to answer the question;

Your shirt manufacturer should have a vector PDF of their garment dimensions on their site,
or you should be able to request one be sent to you.
I know Gildan and AA have them, although I had to do some digging a few years ago to find em.
I think Gildan needed a formal request ( lol ) to send me one.
Perhaps things have changed.

Offline Action1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 486
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2012, 09:27:25 AM »
What would you mean by shirt (CAD) files?  Computer Aided Design?  Are you looking for various garment body styles?

Yes - Computer Aided Design - cad files of any and all garments and sizes we can get.

Offline royster13

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1975
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2012, 09:32:34 AM »
I am still trying to understand your request......Are you looking for files so you can cut & sew your own shirt?...Are you looking for plotter ready designs to put on shirts?....Are you looking for files so you can do "mockups" of designs on shirts?...

Offline Frog

  • Administrator
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13980
  • Docendo discimus
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2012, 09:51:34 AM »
If I may be so bold as to hazard a guess. Since they manufacture shirt boards for a wide variety of uses in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, these files will be used in that process.
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline royster13

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1975
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2012, 10:35:03 AM »
Because many of us do not have access to member information, I had no idea what this member does.....

Offline Action1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 486
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2012, 07:54:39 AM »
Because many of us do not have access to member information, I had no idea what this member does.....

Please excuse my lack of clarification in the request. Frog is correct. We want these files to better and more speedily design Our Printing production Accessories. That is - we manufacture accessories of garment decorators. Previously we have taken in stacks of t-shirts and other garments and made measurements of them to generate the cad files. I have attached a model of one of the cad files that we have made. This one shows a Gildan Adult Medium on an all-over-pallet. The new files are for the same purpose. I am hoping that we can avoid the process of measurement.

Offline Dottonedan

  • Administrator
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5907
  • Email me at art@designsbydottone.com
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2012, 11:52:55 AM »
Most of what I have seen is not done to spec for presentation. Heck when art is used for presentation, most of the art is placed on the garment (at a size not printable in standard format).  Not by me of course, those other non apparel artist do crap like that.


Usually, you can get the specs of the garments from the wholesalers.  I will bet that many of the (all over perinters) have specs on varuious garments as they would "need" that info for print.  See SpreadingInk.com 
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com

Offline royster13

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1975
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2012, 03:05:37 PM »
I was just pressing some Gildan shirts and noticed the actual sizes seemed to vary from 1 colour to the next....So what spec does one use?...

Offline Dottonedan

  • Administrator
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5907
  • Email me at art@designsbydottone.com
Re: Anyone know where to get Shirt cad files?
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2012, 03:34:49 PM »
They will always vary a little. Especially between lots.  Where I worked last, we did spec out the body's down to the number of ruffles, color of bands in the seems and all. Width x height of mid body seem (on all potential sizes) etc.


reminds me of how two faced the industry is.  X company goes into a retail store to gather/purchase product they like that they think is (in this season), take it back to the spec department and they measure/knock off every detail of the product, then send (their custom made specs) in to China to have them manufacture it for them...with their design on it. Then, this same company might "FIGHT"China about copyright infringement.  LOL.  It's a dirty laundered world we live in.
Artist & high end separator, Owner of The Vinyl Hub, Owner of Dot-Tone-Designs, Past M&R Digital tech installer for I-Image machines. Over 35 yrs in the apparel industry. e-mail art@designsbydottone.com