How to make a personalised t-shirt with a photo, step by step

Q: How much does a personalised photo t-shirt cost?

The price shown on the page, shipping included, one at a time with no minimum. The code BIENVENUE10 takes 10% off a first order from €35, and ten t-shirts in the same basket get 10% off automatically.

From the photo on your phone to the t-shirt you're wearing: eight steps, in order, with what to check at each one. T-shirt $23.00, one at a time, no minimum, shipping included.

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The short answerTo make a personalised t-shirt with a photo: 1. choose a sharp photo, the original rather than a screenshot; 2. check it's big enough; 3. crop it, and remove the background if needed; 4. add a short line of text; 5. pick a t-shirt colour that contrasts with the photo; 6. go by a t-shirt the person already wears for the size (S to 2XL); 7. order; 8. wash it following the care guide. At Pose ton design: $23.00 shipping included, one at a time, delivered in 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere.

Upload my photoOpens your photo library. Instant preview, no account needed.

Steps 1 and 2: choose the photo and check its size

This is where it's won or lost. A good t-shirt starts with a photo where the subject is easy to see, even from a distance.

Use the original, the one in your photo library or on the camera, not a screenshot or a photo that's been recompressed by a messaging app: it loses detail every time it's passed on.
A sharp, well-lit subject: a face that's blurred or shot against the light stays blurred once printed, and size won't rescue it.
A subject that reads from a distance: one or two people, a pet, an object. A group photo of twenty people gives you tiny faces across a chest.
A photo that's big enough: our guide to resolution explains what to look at before printing. If it's too small, the studio's Make the photo sharper (AI) button helps.

To see which kinds of image come out best on clothing (contrast, framing, background), our guide to photos that print well on a t-shirt has examples.

Step 3: place the photo

Upload your photo in the studio: the preview on the t-shirt appears straight away, with no account, and the photo isn't sent anywhere before you order. This is where you decide how it looks.

Crop before uploading if the subject is small in the frame: a face that fills the photo will be large on the t-shirt.
Remove the background if it's busy: the free Remove background (AI) button cuts out the subject in your browser. A cut-out figure sits cleanly on any fabric colour.
Keep the background if it tells the story (the beach, the mountains, the gig): the photo then reads as a rectangular print.
Try a design template if you want a ready-made look: Polaroid for a keepsake, Team for a group, Seventies for a retro style.

Steps 4 and 5: the text and the t-shirt colour

Text is optional. If there is some, it needs to be readable from two metres away.

Three to six words: a name, a date, a place, a group motto. Any more and the letters shrink until nobody reads them.
Use the ready-made text styles: font, size and layout are already set, so all you do is type.
Stuck for words? The studio suggests text ideas by occasion.

As for colour, the t-shirt comes in 9 colours. The rule fits on one line: you need contrast between the photo and the fabric. A dark photo gets lost on a dark t-shirt, a very pale photo on a pale one. A cut-out figure stands out well on a strong colour. Switch colours in the preview: the right one is obvious straight away.

Steps 6 to 8: size, ordering, washing

The size. Adult sizes only, S to 2XL; there are no children's sizes. The most reliable method: lay a t-shirt the person already wears flat, measure it and compare with the size guide. The t-shirt is a Gildan 64000 Softstyle, in soft, lightweight 150 g/m² cotton.

Ordering. The t-shirt is $23.00 shipping included, one at a time, no minimum. Printed to order near the delivery address; delivery takes 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere. For a group, the discount kicks in on its own in the same basket: −10% from 10 items, −15% from 25, with different products mixed. You can have it delivered straight to the person, at no extra cost.

The mathsA t-shirt costs $23.00 shipping included. Ten t-shirts in the same basket: 10 × $23.00 = $230.00, less 10% = $207.00, or $20.70 each. That's the price of nine t-shirts without the discount (9 × $23.00 = $207.00): if you're ordering nine, the tenth costs nothing extra.

Washing. This is what makes the print last. Before the first wash, read our care guide for printed clothing: temperature, drying and ironing are all covered.

Mistakes to avoid

A screenshot of a photo instead of the photo itself: it has already lost some of its detail.
A dark photo on a black t-shirt: the subject disappears. Check the contrast in the preview, or cut it out.
Text that's too long or too small: a whole sentence under a photo can only be read from thirty centimetres away.
Guessing the size for someone else: a label or a flat measurement saves an exchange.
Ordering too late for a set date: allow 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere, so give yourself two weeks, more outside Europe. For Christmas, the cut-off in Europe is Thursday 10 December; outside Europe, order in early December.

Prices include shipping, no minimum order. Printed to order near the delivery address, delivered in 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere.

Questions we get asked

How do I make a personalised t-shirt with a photo? Upload your photo in the studio, crop it or remove the background, add a short line of text if you like, choose the colour and the size (S to 2XL), then order. The preview is instant and needs no account. $23.00 shipping included.

What photo should I put on a t-shirt? An original photo, sharp and well lit, with a subject that reads from a distance: one or two people, a pet, an object. Avoid screenshots and very wide group shots.

How much does a personalised photo t-shirt cost? $23.00 shipping included, one at a time with no minimum. Ten t-shirts in the same basket come to $207.00 with the automatic 10% discount.

How long does a personalised t-shirt take to arrive? Printing and delivery take 5 to 10 working days in the UK, Europe and the US, up to 15 elsewhere. Allow two weeks before the date you need it, more outside Europe.

Make my t-shirtNothing is sent before you order: the preview is generated in your browser.