What are the recommended design guidelines for Custom Shaped Pillows & Mini Plush Keychains?
Our distinctive Custom Shaped Pillows and Mini Plush Keychains are fantastic ways to bring unique characters and designs to life. Whether elevating a living space or accessorizing a bag, the creative possibilities are endless.
Because these products are cut and sewn to custom shapes, there are specific technical limitations. To achieve the best results, please follow the guidelines below.
In this article:
Design dos & don’ts
These rules apply to both Custom Shaped Pillows and Mini Plush Keychains.
Dos
- Make sure your design file is in PNG format with a transparent background.
- Ensure there is no pixel residue or stray specks within the file. Always click Preview in the Product Creator to see how the software interprets your shape.
Don’ts
- Avoid directionally sensitive designs. The back of the product will always be mirrored. Designs with text, arrows, or specific orientations (such as a map) will appear backwards when flipped. We recommend using designs that look good when mirrored.
- Don’t use text without a background. An isolated text is difficult 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 contour of the design.
- Avoid using designs with widely spaced elements, as they will be combined and cut out as a single object.
- Avoid very small details. Tiny details (such as 1px lines) may not print clearly on the plush fabric. Use bold lines and clear shapes.
Product-specific guidelines
Note the differences in "Negative space" and "Hardware" for the specific product you are designing.
Negative spaces (internal holes)
- For Custom Shaped Pillows: Avoid designs with negative spaces. While these holes may be visible in the mockup preview, they will be treated as white design areas during the sewing process. Due to sewing limitations, only a single hole with a diameter of at least 3.93 inches (10 cm) is acceptable.
- For Mini Plush Keychains: Due to the small size of the keychain, internal holes are not supported. Any negative space in your design (like the hole in a donut) will be filled as a solid white area.
Hardware & closures
Typically, the zipper is sewn at the bottom or side of the pillow and keychain. However, if there is no smooth area at the bottom or side, adjustments will be made to the upper part. To preview the final product, click Preview in the Product Creator.
- For Custom Shaped Pillows, zipper length is approximately 2.75 to 3.93 inches (7 to 10 cm), with slight adjustments based on the design.
- For Mini Plush Keychains, the zipper is approximately 0.79 inches (2 cm). Keychains also include a keyring attached to the top part of the design. If the design is horizontal, then the design will be rotated, and the keyring will be attached where it makes most sense.
Size variance
- For Custom Shaped Pillows: The final size depends on how much of the print area your design covers. If your design implies a lot of empty space, the physical product may be smaller than the maximum dimensions listed in the size guide.
- For Mini Plush Keychains: The minimum design size is approximately 1.2 x 1.2 inches (3 x 3 cm). If the design is smaller, we’ll scale the design proportionally to meet the minimum size, without stretching or filling the entire print area.
Additional manufacturing information
These factors affect the physical look and feel of your final product.
- Shape distortion: Due to sewing limitations and the use of filament-filled pillows, very narrow parts (like thin tails or limbs) may experience extensions, rounding, or cropping. Sharp corners will often appear softer and rounder in the final product.
- Seam margins: Unprinted white details may appear in the seam area. This typically occurs when the design includes very fine details in the zipper area or along the sewing border.
- Pillow height/thickness: The height of the pillow will vary based on your design. For example, longer and thinner designs, such as a cat or a dog, will result in a flatter pillow, while a rounder design, such as a burger, will result in a thicker and higher pillow.