: How to specify a repeating pattern for textile printing I've tried searching for an answer to this, but I have no idea what terms to even search for. I'm creating the artwork for a repeating

@BetL875

I have a friend (now retired) who spent many years as a fabric designer, starting back in the days when it was all done on paper, later assisted by Photoshop and Illustrator. It's a very specialized branch of the craft.

Her advice is the same as e100 and DA01: If it's possible, get the production people to tell you exactly what they need, because technologies and systems change and (especially with China) workflows and methods can be surprising. Absent that, depending on the direction(s) and angle of the repeat, send what e100 recommends.

That said, I've seen a case where the best way to communicate to a provider in China was by creating an infographic (think "IKEA instruction leaflet"). This might well be one of those cases, where the extra time at the front end saves a very expensive correction at the other. It can be dangerous to assume that any text instructions will be correctly understood unless you have had direct communication with the person who will manage the files at the other end of a 10,000+ mile communication line. (Actually, true any time your production is being handled in another country by people who are not native speakers of your language.)

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@Sims5801359

For the complete avoidance of doubt, I might send three versions of the artwork:


A single instance of the element to be repeated, on its own.
A single instance of the element to be repeated, with "bleed" and crop marks in the margin. I'm thinking that the bleed might be really important to cover up any edge discrepancies if they are making up a physical cylindrical roller to print the design - although if the pattern repeats in both directions, perhaps it's being printed digitally?
A single instance of the element to be repeated, with "bleed" and crop lines superimposed over the artwork, labelled "POSITIONAL ONLY - NOT FOR PRINT". This is for instruction only and should clarify any possible confusion between the two others. If the repeating element is small, this might show many instances rather than just one.


But I would ask them first.

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