Custom crop tops are printed like a short tee: place the design higher and keep it clear of the short hem, use a platen or pallet that fits without stretching the garment, and test stretch blends for heat, shine and print stretch before the run.

Rule: on a crop top the hem, not the chest, sets the limit. Work out how much print height the shortest blank in the order really has, then size and place the art to fit it.

Part of the heat transfer and press guides in the DAX Learning Hub. For general placement measurements, see the Shirt Print Placement Guide.

Published by DAX (Decorated Apparel Expo) · Last updated: October 2026

Crop Top Styles

Tanks have their own guide: Printing on Tank Tops.

Print Size and Placement on Crop Tops

A crop top has a shortened body that ends at or above the waist, so it has far less print height than a standard tee. Design files and placements built for a full length shirt can run into the hem. Plan the print area shorter and move the design up toward the collar instead of using a standard center chest position.

Think wide rather than tall. Center chest prints suit the smaller end of the usual size range and set higher on the body. A left chest logo keeps roughly the same size as on a standard tee, around 3 to 4 inches wide, and suits almost every crop style. On fitted, stretchy crops, large solid graphics are more likely to distort or feel stiff when worn, so open, flexible artwork helps.

If you want a design that sits right at the bottom edge, leave a margin above the hem rather than printing across it; hems and seams are raised and interfere with print quality. On cropped hoodies, keep back prints in the upper part of the garment so they do not crowd the short hem.

Heat Pressing and DTF on Crop Tops

Many crop tops are cotton jersey and press like any tee. Fitted crops often include spandex, and stretch blends need more care. Read the garment care label first; if it warns against high heat or ironing, run a controlled test before any production.

Lay the garment flat on the lower platen without stretching it. A shirt stretched to fit the platen relaxes after pressing or washing, and the transfer can ripple or pucker. A foam pad under the print area gives even contact with lighter pressure. A short pre-press removes moisture and wrinkles. If a seam, hem or band falls under the print area, a heat press pillow lets it sink so the decorating area sits flat and raised. On stretch blends, choose a vinyl or DTF transfer rated for stretch and follow that maker settings. After pressing, let the print cool, stretch it about as far as normal wear would and check for cracking or lifting.

Test on a spare of the same blank and blend, because a high spandex garment behaves very differently from a low spandex one. For more, see How to Heat Press Performance Wear Without Scorching or Bleeding and DTF Printing for Beginners.

Screen Printing Crop Tops

Crop tops print well on a screen press when the garment lies flat. Shops keep smaller pallets for youth and small sizes because a narrow pallet keeps a small shirt flat without stretching it; a crop top loaded on an adult pallet can stretch, and the print then shrinks back and distorts when the garment relaxes.

Size the art for the smallest crop in the order. Screen printers usually size a design to fit the smallest garment that gets it and print the same size on every shirt in the run, because the platen and that smallest garment set the maximum. If the size range is wide, ask about a second screen with a different imprint size for the largest sizes. Choose a pallet that covers the print area with about an inch to spare, since shops leave a margin of roughly an inch around the image on the platen.

Ordering Crop Top Blanks

Measure the actual blank before you finalize art, because a design sized from a standard tee mockup can end up printed past the crop hem. Confirm the fiber content of each style, since spandex content changes the pressing approach. Request samples and run them through your full process, including pre-press, press or cure and a test wash, before you commit to the run.

Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Crop Tops (FAQ)

Where do you place a design on a crop top?

Higher than on a standard tee, closer to the collar, with a margin above the hem. A left chest logo stays about where it would on a standard shirt.

What size print fits a crop top?

Usually wider rather than taller, with a left chest logo around 3 to 4 inches wide. Size the art to the smallest crop in the order and measure the actual blank.

Can you screen print crop tops?

Yes. Use a pallet that fits the garment without stretching it, often a youth or small pallet, and size the art to the smallest garment in the run.

How do you heat press a stretchy crop top?

Lay it flat without stretching, use a foam pad, choose a stretch rated transfer or vinyl, follow the maker settings and stretch test a sample.

Can you crop a printed shirt after?

You can cut a jersey tee below the print. Cut jersey edges tend to curl rather than fray, so leave room between the cut and the design, and test on a spare first.

Supplier note: figures here are hedged starting points that vary by garment, film, ink, blank, machine and method; confirm every setting against the supplier or manufacturer spec sheet, the garment care label and your own tests. Print sizes are hedged starting points; measure the actual blank and follow the transfer, vinyl or ink maker settings.

Browse more guides in the DAX Learning Hub, and check cities and dates on the DAX show schedule when you are ready to see crop top blanks, transfers and presses in person.