DST is the most widely supported embroidery format in the industry. Originally developed by Tajima, it's now accepted by virtually every commercial and semi-commercial embroidery machine on the market. If you have a PNG image you want to embroider, converting it to DST with SewFlow takes just a few clicks.
What Is a DST File?
DST (Data Stitch Tajima) is one of the oldest and most universal embroidery formats. It stores relative stitch coordinates, trim commands, and color-stop signals. Because DST contains no color information itself, thread colors are typically assigned at the machine based on the order stitched.
Step-by-Step: Convert PNG to DST with SewFlow
- 1Visit the SewFlow Image to Embroidery page at sewflow.com/image.
- 2Upload your PNG by clicking the drop zone or dragging the file in. Files up to standard web sizes are supported.
- 3Enable background removal if your image has a background you want removed — SewFlow's AI handles this automatically.
- 4Set your desired design dimensions. For commercial digitizing, 100–250 mm wide is typical.
- 5Choose DST from the Output Format dropdown.
- 6Click 'Preview Stitches' to check the stitch simulation.
- 7Click 'Download DST' to save the .dst file.
- 8Load the file onto your embroidery machine via USB or direct connection, assign thread colors at each color stop, and begin stitching.
Convert your PNG to DST free right now:
Open Image to Embroidery →Which Machines Use DST Files?
DST is supported by Tajima, Barudan, Brother commercial machines, ZSK, Happy, and virtually every multi-head commercial embroidery system. Most home embroidery machines also accept DST files as a fallback format.
Tips for Clean PNG-to-DST Conversion
- •High-contrast PNG images with clear edges produce the best stitch paths.
- •Limit your design to 6–8 distinct colors for best results — DST machines handle color stops sequentially.
- •Avoid photos or gradients; they simplify poorly into thread colors.
- •Use the stitch preview to check for excessive jump stitches before downloading.
- •For large runs, ask your digitizer to optimize the stitch order in the DST file.
Did You Know?
DST files don't store color names — only color stop positions. When you load a DST file on your machine, you assign thread colors to each stop manually. SewFlow's preview shows the color regions so you know what to expect.