Design guide
A few simple rules make the difference between a good pillow and a great one. Follow these and your design will print and sew cleanly.
✓Do
Use a PNG with a transparent background
This gives the cleanest custom shape — the pillow is cut around your artwork.
Keep the file clean
Remove pixel residue and stray specks. Loose pixels can change how your shape is cut.
Check the preview
Always look at the on-site preview to see how your shape is interpreted before you order.
✕Don’t
Avoid directionally sensitive designs
The back of the pillow is always mirrored. Text, arrows, or maps will appear backwards when flipped — use designs that look good mirrored.
Don’t use text without a background
Isolated text is hard to cut and sew around. If text is essential, place it inside a shape (like a speech bubble) or on a background that matches the design’s contour.
Avoid widely spaced elements
Separate elements are combined and cut out as a single object, which can look unexpected.
Avoid very small details
Tiny details like 1px lines may not print clearly on plush fabric. Use bold lines and clear shapes.
Good to know before you order
Negative space (internal holes)
Avoid designs with holes. They may show in the preview, but they’re treated as white areas during sewing. Only a single hole with a diameter of at least 3.93″ (10 cm) is possible.
Zipper placement
The zipper is usually sewn at the bottom or side of the pillow (about 2.75–3.93″ / 7–10 cm long). If there’s no smooth area there, it moves to the upper part of the design.
Size variance
Final size depends on how much of the print area your design covers. Designs with lots of empty space produce a smaller physical pillow than the maximum size listed.
Shape distortion
Very narrow parts — thin tails, limbs — may be extended, rounded, or cropped during sewing. Sharp corners come out softer and rounder.
Seam margins
The front and back panels join at the edges. A small white margin can appear along the seam, especially near fine details close to the border.
Thickness varies by shape
Long, thin designs (like a cat or dog) come out flatter. Rounder designs (like a burger) come out thicker and puffier.
Cutting and sewing are done by hand, so mockups and previews are a guide rather than an exact match. If you want full confidence, order one sample before gifting or bulk ordering.