Embroidery vs. printing

When to choose embroidery and when to choose printing, what artwork works for each, and how they look and last.

Both look great; they just suit different designs and uses.

Printing

• Full color, any number of colors, photos and gradients.
• Large designs on the front, back or both.
• Soft feel, best on tees, hoodies, sweatshirts and gifts.
• No setup fees.

Embroidery

• Stitched with thread: a raised, premium look that lasts for years.
• Best for logos on polos, jackets, work shirts, hats and beanies.
• Usually a small logo on the left chest or the front of a hat.

Artwork that stitches well

• Simple logos with solid colors. Thread colors are matched to your logo as closely as possible.
• Text at least about 0.25 inch (6 mm) tall; smaller text runs together.
• Avoid photos, gradients, shadows and very thin lines; they do not translate to thread.
• If your logo has a detailed tagline, consider leaving it off the embroidered version.

Which should I pick?

Photo, colorful artwork or a big design: choose printing. Company logo on workwear or hats: choose embroidery. Not sure? Upload your logo and preview it on both, or ask us.