How to Make the Perfect Custom Pillow – Design Tips from All About Vibe
When it comes to custom pillows, not all are created equal. At All About Vibe, we’ve made more than 2.3 million pillows and earned the title of America’s Most Trusted Custom Pillow Brand by staying committed to one thing: quality that brings your memories to life.
Whether you’re turning your pet into a cuddle buddy, creating a gift for Grandma, or capturing a silly Halloween costume forever—your photo matters, and so does how we bring it to life.
✨ What Is a “Great” Custom Pillow?
At All About Vibe, a great custom pillow starts with great design—and great care. We combine your image, our expert touch, and high-quality craftsmanship to create pillows that are meaningful, durable, and beautiful.
Here’s what goes into a pillow that makes people say “WOW!”
📸 1. High-Quality Images Make All the Difference
The first step in creating a stunning custom pillow is choosing the right photo.
✅ What Makes a Photo Great for a Pillow:
• High-resolution (at least 1500px wide)
• Clear subject with minimal blur
• Balanced composition — centered and not cut off
• Even lighting — avoid harsh shadows or overexposure
📷 Pro Tip: The clearer the image, the more detail we can reproduce on your pillow.
📐 2. Aspect Ratio: Why Shape Matters
Here’s something many don’t realize—our pillows are sized based on the longest edge of the subject (height or width), not the total surface area. That means if your photo is long and narrow, the final pillow may appear smaller or thinner than a more proportional image.
🤔 Why Does That Happen?
Let’s say you upload a photo of a long dachshund. While it might be 16 inches wide, if the height is only 5 inches, the final pillow will look smaller overall—even though it matches the selected size in length.
Design tip: Try choosing images where the subject fills the frame evenly—not too tall, not too wide. This will give your pillow a fuller, more balanced appearance.
🖼️ Avoid too much background space unless it adds value to the image.
✂️ 3. Smart Cropping Technology + Expert Human Design Review
At All About Vibe, technology and human artistry work together to create pillows that are as magical as the memories behind them.
We use proprietary subject detection software to identify the main subject in your image—whether it’s your pet, partner, child, or favorite object—and automatically remove the background with precision. But that’s only the beginning.
🧠 How It Works:
Our smart cropping system:
• Detects and isolates the subject using advanced image recognition
• Removes busy or distracting backgrounds
• Traces a clean silhouette for lifelike pillow shaping
• Captures details like ears, tails, paws, hats, or costume edges
But we don’t stop at automation.
🤲 Then Comes the Human Touch:
Every pillow design is carefully reviewed by our in-house design team to make sure it’s:
• Proportionally shaped
• Visually balanced
• Faithful to your original photo
• Sized appropriately to give a full and satisfying look
Our design team ensures that your custom pillow doesn’t just look good—it feels emotionally right, too.
📷 Pro Tip:
Choose a photo where the subject is:
• Well-lit (natural light is best)
• Clearly visible and not cropped off
• High-resolution and in focus
This gives both our software and our design team the best tools to make your memory come to life.
🧵 4. Made with Purpose, Made to Last
All About Vibe pillows are:
• Handcrafted in the USA
• Made from ultra-soft, durable polyester velvet
• Printed with vivid, full-color sublimation
• Double-stitched for long-term huggability
• Machine-washable for easy care
With 20,000 five-star reviews and thousands of emotional stories, our pillows are more than décor—they’re keepsakes.
❤️ Why Customers Trust Us
Since day one, we’ve been obsessed with delivering joy. From heartfelt memorials to birthday surprises, our mission is to turn moments into something tangible, personal, and comforting.
“When my husband saw the pillow of our late dog, he broke down in tears. It was perfect—every detail, from the eyes to the little tag on his collar. Thank you.”
— Verified Customer
Learn more about our story and values:
👉 About Us
🖼️ Real Examples of Great Custom Pillows
✅ Do This |
🚫 Avoid This |
| Use clear, centered, close-up photos |
Blurry, low-res images |
| Upload high-res files (JPG/PNG over 1MB) |
Screenshots or pixelated images |
| Choose images with even width/height |
Very tall or very wide subjects |
| Remove distractions or clutter |
Busy backgrounds that take focus |
🛍️ Ready to Design the Perfect Pillow?
Whether it’s your pet, partner, or best friend, a great custom pillow starts with the right photo—and ends with our expert touch.
🎯 Trust America’s #1 custom pillow brand to bring your memories to life.