SPROUT · MERCH PRODUCTION SPEC

Sending Sprout to the print shop

Everything a vendor needs to quote and produce the sticker, magnet, and patch sets without a back-and-forth: file formats, sizes, cut and finish options, color, and the limits each process imposes. Pair it with the visual Merch Library, where every piece carries its own size and cut.

How to use this. Send the relevant section to your printer with the vector art. Color, thread, and material values here are starting points — always approve a physical proof (and a sewn strike-off for patches) before a full run.

1 · Universal file prep

These apply to every product unless a section below overrides them.

  • Vector source. Supply art as PDF, SVG, AI, or EPS. Every piece in the library is built from vector shapes and the SVG mark, so it scales to any size cleanly.
  • Color mode CMYK for anything printed (stickers, magnets). Convert from the brand's screen RGB/HEX using the table in §2 and approve a proof — greens shift most.
  • Bleed 0.125" (3 mm) on all printed pieces, with a 0.125" safe margin inside the cut line. Keep text and the mark out of the safe margin.
  • Cut line on its own layer / spot color. Name it CutContour (or your printer's convention) as a 100% spot, 0.25–1 pt stroke, no fill — this drives die, kiss, and contour cuts.
  • Outline all fonts (Baloo 2, Hanken Grotesk, JetBrains Mono) or embed them. Don't rely on the shop having them.
  • Raster fallback: if a piece must ship as raster, 300 dpi at final size, minimum. Vector is always preferred.
  • Minimum line weight 0.5 pt (≈0.18 mm) for print; thinner strokes may break up. The mark's stem holds fine at every size in the library.
  • Transparent / holographic stock needs a white underbase layer under the art, or colors print see-through. Flag it on the cut layer.

2 · Brand color reference

Source values from sprout-tokens.css (ADR-0004). CMYK and Pantone columns are approximate bridges for quoting — confirm against a printed proof. Pantone matches are Coated (C); ask for the Uncoated equivalent on matte stock.

RoleHEXCMYK (approx)Pantone bridge
Leaf · primary green#34A85368 / 0 / 75 / 07739 C
Sprout · bright accent#8BD24F48 / 0 / 82 / 0367 C
Water · wet / watering#17B6C472 / 0 / 22 / 07466 C
Sun · drying / warmth#F5A6230 / 37 / 90 / 0143 C
Due · over-warm#E8703A0 / 65 / 80 / 01655 C
Fault · alert red#E0483D0 / 80 / 78 / 01788 C
Saturated · deep teal#0E7A8688 / 30 / 36 / 87474 C
Ink · near-black#1E2A1870 / 50 / 72 / 62Black 6 C
Soil · earth brown#5A3F2840 / 55 / 75 / 454625 C

For embroidery, hand these hex values to the digitizer and approve a sewn strike-off; common thread systems (Madeira Polyneon, Isacord) carry close matches to the greens, but the dye lot is what matters — judge thread on fabric, not on screen.

3 · Stickers — both sets

Two sets: Moods & Mark (character die-cuts) and Sayings & Signals (words + instrument motifs). Same base process; finishes vary.

SpecValue
MaterialDurable white vinyl (PVC or PET); BOPP for sheets. Outdoor-grade vinyl for anything that lives on a water bottle or laptop.
Finish / laminateMatte (default), gloss, or soft-touch laminate — scratch/UV/water resistant. Holographic and clear reserved for the Signals (sparkline, band ladder, drop); both need a white underbase.
CutDie-cut (custom contour through backing) for singles. Kiss-cut for the 4×6" sheet — cut through vinyl, not backing, easy peel.
Sizes1.5"–3.5" longest side. Per-piece sizes are on each card in the library. Min 2" for the mood faces to keep the mark legible.
FormatsSingles (die-cut) and one 4×6" kiss-cut sheet of the full Set 02. Optional sheet of Set 01 moods.
Bleed / safe0.125" bleed · 0.125" safe · 1pt CutContour
Quantity (MOQ)Typically 50–100 per design; price breaks at 250/500/1000. Sheets from 25.

4 · Magnets — The Windowsill Crew

Flexible printed magnets for fridge, locker, and whiteboard. Two are functional (watering tracker, mood key), so legibility and a writable surface matter.

SpecValue
Material30 mil (0.030") flexible vinyl magnet, UV-printed. 20 mil acceptable for small pieces; 30 mil holds better on vertical fridges.
Face finishMatte (default) or gloss. Dry-erase laminate on the watering tracker so a day can be marked and wiped. No holo/clear (opaque white face only).
Shape / cutRounded-rectangle standard; die-cut contour for the potted-Sprout shape. Cut line on its own layer.
Sizes2.0"–3.0". Tracker & name badge 3.0×2.5"; pot 2.0×3.0"; mood/mark 2.0×2.5".
Bleed / safe0.125" bleed · 0.125" safe
Quantity (MOQ)Often 25–50 per design; sheet-ganging several designs lowers cost.

5 · Patches — Embroidered Badges

The keepsake tier. Embroidery is bold and forgiving of wear but can't do fine detail or gradients — the art is drawn for it (thick strokes, flat color blocks). Where finer detail is wanted (small text, the sparkline), specify woven instead.

SpecValue
TypeEmbroidered on twill (crests, badges, laurel). Woven for any piece with small text or fine line work.
BorderMerrowed (overlocked) edge for circles & ovals; heat-cut / laser border for shields, banners, and the drop — anything non-round.
BackingIron-on (heat-seal) default. Offer sew-on and hook-and-loop (Velcro) for jackets and packs.
Sizes2.5"–3.5", measured as (W+H)/2. Below ~2.5" detail and text suffer.
Thread colorsUp to 9 per patch; the library pieces use 3–5. Match to the §2 hex; approve a sewn strike-off.
Min text / lineText ≥ 0.2" (≈5 mm) cap height embroidered (smaller → woven). Lines ≥ 0.08" (≈2 mm).
Coverage50–100% stitch. The crest & merit badge are ~100% (full twill cover); wordmark is partial on a twill ground.
Digitizing fileVendor converts vector → stitch file (.dst / .emb). Supply vector + the §2 colors; review the digitized proof before sewing.
Quantity (MOQ)Usually 50–100 (digitizing is a one-time setup cost amortized across the run).

6 · Uses & distribution

Contributor giveaways — earned, not sold

The “I TEND” merit-badge patch is the flagship reward: one per merged PR (or first contribution). Pair a first-merge thank-you with a sticker pick and the in its own words signal sticker as an in-joke. Keep a small mailer stock; ship with a handwritten tend well.

Supporters — packs to buy

Bundle for sale to fund the project: the full 7-mood die-cut pack, the magnet crew, and a patch + sticker starter. Sell at cost-plus through a simple store; the goal is sustainability, not margin. The same candor extends to pricing — say where the money goes.

Kids — cute and safe

The mood faces and the sun/moon/drop are the kid magnets (literally). Specify non-toxic inks, laminated stickers (no peeling fragments), and note any small-parts / choking considerations for magnets aimed at young children — magnets especially should carry the standard caution and not be marketed to under-3s.

Promo — show up everywhere

Conference and unboxing swag: the kiss-cut sheet for sticker bombing, the SPROUT wordmark and plants-with-a-pulse patches for bags, and the “Hi, I'm Sprout” speech bubble as the give-one-to-everyone opener. One die-cut hero mark in every package.

7 · Pre-flight checklist

Design lane · pairs with the Merch Library · colors per ADR-0004 tend well.