How to Prepare Your Logo for Custom Embroidery and Printing

You've picked your garments and chosen your decoration method — now comes the part that quietly makes or breaks the finished result: your artwork. A logo that looks perfect on your website can still come out fuzzy on a polo shirt or lumpy in an embroidered chest crest if the file isn't prepared properly. The good news is that getting it right is straightforward once you know what decorators actually need. This guide walks you through preparing your logo for both embroidery and printing, so your branding looks sharp on every garment and you avoid costly reruns.

Why your logo file matters

Embroidery and printing are physical processes. A printer needs enough detail to reproduce every edge cleanly, and an embroidery machine needs a design simplified enough to be recreated in thread. Supplying the right file from the start means faster turnaround, lower setup costs and a result that matches what's in your head. Supplying a low-quality file usually means delays while we ask for something better — or a print that looks pixelated and unprofessional.

The best file formats to send

Vector files (the gold standard)

Vector files — .ai, .eps, .pdf or .svg — are built from mathematical paths rather than pixels, so they can be scaled to any size without losing quality. They're ideal for logos because the same file works equally well on a small left-chest badge or a large back print. If you have your logo as a vector, always send that.

High-resolution raster files

If you only have a pixel-based image, send the highest resolution you can — ideally a 300 dpi PNG with a transparent background, sized at roughly the dimensions it will be printed. A small JPEG pulled from social media or a website (usually 72 dpi) rarely has enough detail and often carries a white box or compression blur around the logo.

What to avoid

Screenshots, photos of a logo, images embedded in Word or PowerPoint, and tiny web graphics all cause problems. If that's all you have, don't worry — our team can often recreate or redraw a logo as a clean vector for you.

Preparing artwork for printing

For printed garments, resolution and colour are the two things to get right. Aim for 300 dpi at actual print size and use a transparent background so the print sits directly on the fabric rather than inside a visible rectangle. If exact brand colours matter, tell us the Pantone (PMS) references — screen colours can shift in production, and a named Pantone keeps your blues and reds consistent across reorders. Methods like DTF printing handle full-colour, detailed artwork beautifully, while screen printing is most cost-effective when your design uses a small number of solid spot colours.

Preparing artwork for embroidery

Embroidery works differently to printing because the design has to be stitched, not sprayed. Before stitching, your logo is converted into a digitised file — a set of instructions telling the machine where to place each stitch, in what direction and in which colour. This is a skilled step, and it's why embroidery has a one-off digitising charge on a new logo.

Keep detail realistic

Thread can't reproduce hairline detail or very small text the way ink can. As a rule, lettering under about 4–5mm tall tends to fill in and lose legibility. If your logo has tiny taglines or intricate line work, we may suggest simplifying it slightly for the embroidered version — it will still be recognisably your brand, just optimised for thread.

Limit the colour count

Each thread colour adds a colour change in production. Most logos translate well into a handful of solid colours; gradients and photographic shading don't embroider cleanly and are better suited to print. If you're unsure which method fits your design, our embroidery service page explains what works best.

Getting the sizing right

Placement and size make a surprising difference to how professional the finished garment looks. As a general guide, a left-chest logo usually sits around 8–10cm wide, a large back print around 25–30cm, and a cap front around 5–6cm tall to fit the panel. Sending your logo at, or proportional to, the intended size helps us preview it accurately. When in doubt, ask for a digital mock-up before production — it's the easiest way to catch a sizing issue before it's stitched or printed onto fifty garments.

A quick pre-send checklist

• Send a vector file (.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg) if you have one.
• No vector? Send a 300 dpi PNG with a transparent background.
• Note any Pantone colours for brand-critical shades.
• Flag any small text or fine detail so we can advise on embroidery.
• Tell us the garment, placement and rough size you have in mind.

Frequently asked questions

What if I only have a low-quality logo?

That's common, and it's not a problem. Our studio can redraw most logos into a clean vector or digitise them for embroidery. Just send the best version you have and we'll take it from there.

What is digitising and why is there a charge?

Digitising converts your logo into machine-stitch instructions. It's a skilled, one-off task per design — once it's done, every reorder of the same logo uses the stored file at no extra digitising cost.

Will my logo colours match exactly?

We match as closely as the method allows. For print, supplying Pantone references gives the most consistent results; for embroidery, we match your logo to the nearest thread shades and can send a thread chart if colour accuracy is critical.

Can I see a proof before you produce my order?

Yes — we recommend it. We can provide a digital mock-up showing your logo on the chosen garment so you can approve placement, size and colour before anything goes into production.

Ready to get started?

Once your artwork is ready, the rest is easy. Browse our printing services or embroidery options, and send your logo over for a free quote and mock-up. If you're not sure your file is up to scratch, send it anyway — we'll check it and tell you exactly what we need.