The single biggest factor in a great custom pillow is the photo. Here's how to choose well.
Photo Quality Rules
Resolution is everything. Use photos taken on a modern smartphone camera — not screenshots, not WhatsApp-compressed images, not photos of photos. Minimum recommended: 1500 x 1500 pixels for a square pillow.
How to check: On iPhone — go to Photos, tap the photo, tap share, scroll to "Save to Files" — the file size tells you quality. Under 200KB is likely too compressed.
Composition for Pillows
Centre your subject. Keep the main subject — a face, a couple, a pet — in the centre third of the image.
Avoid busy backgrounds. A simple background (plain wall, outdoor greenery, beach) prints beautifully. A cluttered room behind a portrait prints as a cluttered pillow.
Lighting in the Photo
Outdoor natural light produces the best print results. Indoor photos are fine if they're well-lit. Avoid heavy Instagram filters — they alter colours unpredictably in print.
The Best Types of Photos for Pillows
- Portrait close-up (face fills 60%+ of frame) — ideal
- Couple photo, well-lit — beautiful
- Family group photo — great for large pillows (60x60)
- Pet portrait — extremely popular, always successful
- Black and white photos — print strikingly well, timeless
Upload your photo: Create your custom pillow →
