The four you will meet
DST is the universal trade format: coordinates and stop commands only, no colour information, read by virtually every commercial head. PES carries colour and design metadata for Brother and Babylock. JEF is Janome's equivalent. EXP is Melco's, and is common in contract shops.
- DST — Tajima and most commercial machines; send this when unsure.
- PES — Brother, Babylock; keeps thread colours.
- JEF — Janome home and semi-pro machines.
- EXP — Melco/Bernina; frequently requested by contract embroiderers.
Why DST loses your colours
DST stores a colour change as a stop instruction, not as a named thread. The operator assigns actual threads at the machine. Always send a colour sheet or the stitch simulation alongside a DST so the sequence is unambiguous.
What to send a contract shop
Send DST plus a preview image plus the finished size in millimetres. That combination is accepted everywhere and removes the two most common production emails: what colour is stop three, and how big should this be?