Custom Guidelines

Hello! In this short guide, we’ll explain the best resolution options for your custom designs.

We will do our best to work with your image even if the quality isn’t ideal, but we cannot guarantee perfect results if the resolution is too low or the incorrect PPI/DPI is used.

 

1. Choosing the design

Currently we support any design, with the exception of NSFW content, artwork, or lables owned by other companies. If you’re uncertain about your design, don’t hesitate to contact us as we’re here to help. 

Please also keep in mind that the best option is a horizontal image. Vertical images are generally not suitable unless you are comfortable with significant cropping. 

 

2. Choosing an Image

We like to keep images within a specific PPI range, around 73–165-195 PPI. Images slightly higher or lower than 165 PPI can still work, but the typical average for a print is 165 PPI.

If your image is above 165 PPI, very fine details may be lost or appear slightly smudged/blurry due to dye to cloth printing limitations. If it falls well below 165 PPI, some smaller elements of the image may lose sharpness as a result of reduced image quality. Also, be sure that small elements on your pad such as words, lines, logos, or symbols are not too small, blurry, or thin as they may come out distorted illegible when printed.

73 PPI low quality resolution 

165 PPI typical, suggested, and average resolution 

195 PPI 4K 500x500mm high resolution 

Example:
For a 500 × 500 mm mousepad, an image resolution of 3248 × 3248 px is a normal choice, as it equals 165 PPI which is the average and typical resolution.

These are general guidelines, not strict requirements, but we recommend using an image with a minimum of 73 PPI for the best results. If an image is submitted below 73 PPI, enhancement may be possible upon request through our discord. Depending on the original image quality, in some cases, lower resolution images may not be able to be improved.

Please also keep in mind that just because an image has been enlarged, lines and resolution can still seem blurry. It all depends on the image, how it was edited, and how define/sharp lines and details are.

We can also crop your image to the correct dimensions if needed. 

Different Sizes (Reverse Calculation)

For different sizes, you can use a simple reverse calculation.
For example, starting from a 500 mm = 3248 px reference:

  • For a 900 × 400 mm pad - 165 PPI:
    • 3248 ÷ 500 × 900 ≈ 5846 px
    • 3248 ÷ 500 × 400 ≈ 2598 px

This results in the optimal pixel dimensions for maintaining similar quality.

  • More examples of popular sizes using 165 PPI:
    • 1200 x 500mm = 7795 x 3248px
    • 900 x 400mm = 5846 x 2598px
    • 490 x 420mm = 3183 x 2728px
    • 450 x 400mm = 2923 x 2598px

You can use this online PPI calculator to find the correct resolution based on your desired pad size.

3. Double check, and final edit

Once you’ve chosen your final design, please use this link to convert your designs colors to CMYK, as the printing method we use follows industry grade CMYK printing color pallet. These colors may appear different compared to RGB (JPEG or PNG) since we print on materials like cloth and glass, and the final result may vary slightly from what you see on screen.

If you are not satisfied with any of the CMYK color profiles your image was converted to, you may upload your image in the standard RGB format. Our printing technicians will do their best to match the original colors within the CMYK color palette. However, some colors may appear slightly different due to the limitations of the CMYK color pallet.

NOTE: Custom glass pads offer slightly higher image quality, but the guidelines above apply equally to both cloth and glass pads.

To help ensure the best results, we encourage you to reach out to our team if you have any questions about your design. If we don’t hear from you beforehand, Matrova will not be able to take responsibility for designs that turn out blurry or discolored.