1. The Shift from Cheap Print-on-Demand to Luxury Streetwear
For years, independent creators have been trapped in commoditized print-on-demand (POD) platforms where margins are razor-thin, garment fabrics are lightweight 140–160 GSM blends, and artwork is devalued.
Modern streetwear consumers in India and globally demand high-grade apparel: heavyweight 240–280 GSM combed cotton, boxy oversized silhouettes, drop shoulders, and durable screen printing or industrial direct-to-garment (DTG) execution. At CHERD, we built a creator-led fashion house that matches exceptional designer illustrations with luxury apparel manufacturing.
2. Technical Artwork Preparation Checklist
Before submitting artwork for apparel production, your digital files must satisfy strict manufacturing standards to ensure flawless color payoff and edge sharpness on textiles:
Canvas dimensions must be minimum 4000 × 5000 pixels at 300 DPI to prevent raster pixelation on oversized garment backs.
Convert digital RGB files to CMYK color space (FOGRA39 or US Web Coated) to preview exact ink rendering on fabric.
No solid background bounding boxes. Submit on transparent layers so art integrates organically with black, white, or raw cotton garments.
No copyrighted logos, unlicensed anime/movie stills, or uncredited assets. We protect and champion original human artistry.
3. The Economics: Flat 20% Royalties on Retail Selling Price
Most apparel platforms deduct manufacturing, warehousing, marketing, and transaction fees before paying creators a meager 5% to 8% margin.
CHERD operates on a transparent model: Designers receive a flat 20% royalty calculated directly from the retail customer price.
Royalty Calculation Example
On an oversized graphic streetwear tee retailing at ₹5,395:
4. You Own Your Intellectual Property
Unlike traditional clothing brands that demand full work-for-hire buyouts of your copyright, CHERD operates under a non-exclusive license.
You continue to own your original artwork. You grant CHERD the authorization to print, produce, and sell physical apparel collections featuring the design. If you ever choose to withdraw your collection in the future, your intellectual property remains completely yours.
5. Step-by-Step Submission Workflow
- Create a Designer Profile: Register at CHERD Designer Portal and complete your portfolio details.
- Prepare Vector/High-Res Files: Export your graphics following the 300 DPI CMYK guidelines with transparent backgrounds.
- Submit via Dashboard: Upload artwork files with design story, typography meaning, and inspiration context.
- Curation & Print Testing: Our curation team inspects files for color separation and fabric compatibility within 48 hours.
- Capsule Launch: Upon approval, your drop goes live in the CHERD Marketplace. You earn 20% on every order fulfilled across India and globally.