DST vs PES: embroidery file formats explained
If you've paid for digitizing, or a maker has asked "do you have a DST?", you've met embroidery file formats. They're less confusing than they look once you know what each one holds.
Artwork files vs stitch files
Your logo as a JPG, PNG, SVG or AI file is artwork. It describes shapes and colors. An embroidery machine can't use it.
A stitch file describes needle movements: where each stitch lands, where to trim, where to jump, when to change color. It's what digitizing produces. DST and PES are both stitch files.
DST
DST is the Tajima stitch format and is widely used on commercial multi-needle machines; many machines from other makers read it too.
- Stores stitch coordinates and commands: stitches, jumps, trims, color stops.
- Does not store which thread colors to use, only where colors change. The maker assigns colors on the machine, so send a color list with a DST.
PES
PES is the Brother stitch format and is common on home and small-business machines from that family.
- Stores the stitches and thread color information, so the design opens with colors on screen.
- Versions change over time. An older machine may not read a file saved in a newer PES version; a digitizer can save to an older version.
Other formats you may see
EXP, JEF, VP3, HUS and others belong to different machine families. Most digitizing software can export to many formats, so ask for the one your maker uses.
Converting between formats
Converting stitch files is usually straightforward, but it's not always perfect. Small issues, such as lost color information when going to DST, are easy to fix. Converting an artwork file into a stitch file isn't conversion at all; that's digitizing.
Keep in mind that a stitch file is built for a size. Scaling a stitch file up or down by more than a small amount can leave density wrong, so a big size change usually means a quick re-digitize.
What to ask for
When you pay for digitizing, ask for:
- The format your maker sews from, and
- A second common format (DST and PES cover a lot of machines), and
- A color sheet listing threads in sewing order.
That way you own the design and any embroiderer can reorder it.
A stitch file also tells you the exact stitch count. If you don't have one yet, the stitch count calculator gives a range from size and coverage. To get a file made, post a digitizing job; file-only jobs are welcome.