You've chosen the garments, you've got the logo — and then comes the question almost every customer asks us: where should it go? Placement seems like a small detail, but it changes how professional your workwear looks, how much decoration costs, and even how long the branding lasts. This guide walks through every standard position, when to use it, and the sizes that look right.
The classic: left chest
The left chest is the default for a reason. It's where the eye lands during a face-to-face conversation, it works on every garment from t-shirts to softshells, and it suits both embroidery and print.
- Standard size: 8–10 cm wide is the sweet spot for most logos. Anything over 11 cm starts to dominate the garment.
- Position: roughly level with the fullest part of the chest, centred between the placket (or centre line) and the side seam.
- Best for: every business. If you brand only one location, make it this one.
A wide, letterbox-shaped logo may need to sit slightly smaller; a square badge can go slightly larger. If you're unsure, ask your supplier for a mock-up at actual size — reputable decorators (ourselves included) will send a proof before production.
The billboard: full back print
A back print turns your team into walking signage — invaluable for trades, delivery crews and anyone who spends the day with their back to the public.
- Standard size: up to 28–30 cm wide across the shoulder blades.
- What to include: company name, trade and contact details or website. Keep it to three or four lines — a phone number nobody can read from five metres away is wasted ink.
- Best for: site trades, drivers, event crews, market stalls.
Back branding is nearly always printed rather than embroidered. Large-area embroidery is expensive, heavy on the fabric, and uncomfortable against the back — this is exactly the job screen printing and DTF transfers were made for. (If you're weighing the two methods up, our guide to embroidery vs DTF printing breaks it down.)
The upgrade: nape of neck
A small logo or web address at the nape — just below the back collar — is a subtle, premium touch you'll recognise from big outdoor brands.
- Standard size: 5–8 cm wide.
- Best for: businesses that want a second placement without a full back print; smart uniforms where a billboard back would feel too loud.
The extras: sleeves, collars and cuffs
- Sleeve (upper arm): 6–8 cm wide. A great home for an accreditation logo, an "Est. 2012" mark or a secondary brand. On hi-vis, sleeve positions are often the only clear space available.
- Collar side / cuff: small text or icons only. These are style details rather than working branding — legibility is limited.
- Leg (trousers/shorts): thigh placement, usually 8–10 cm, keeps branding visible when a jacket covers the torso.
The special case: hi-vis and safety wear
On hi-vis garments, placement isn't purely aesthetic — branding must not compromise the reflective tape or the certified area of fluorescent background material. As a rule of thumb: logos sit above the chest band at the left breast and between the shoulder bands on the back, and there are limits on how much area you can cover before the garment's certification is affected. Our guide to hi-vis clothing classes explains the certification side; a good decorator will flag any placement that risks it.
How placement affects cost
Each decorated position is priced separately, so a left chest + back print costs more per garment than left chest alone. Some practical rules:
- One position, every garment. If budget is tight, put a left chest logo on everything rather than splitting the budget across multiple positions on fewer garments. Consistency beats coverage.
- Save the back print for outer layers. Staff wear jackets over t-shirts for half the year — a back print on the t-shirt disappears in November. Brand the outermost layer your team actually wears.
- Setup is once, positions are per garment. With embroidery, your logo is digitised once and reused across positions and orders — so adding a sleeve logo later doesn't repeat the setup cost. More on that in our guide to preparing your logo for printing and embroidery.
Placement cheat sheet
| Position | Typical width | Method | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 8–10 cm | Embroidery or print | Everyone — the default |
| Full back | 28–30 cm | Trades, drivers, events | |
| Nape of neck | 5–8 cm | Embroidery or print | Premium second placement |
| Sleeve | 6–8 cm | Embroidery or print | Accreditations, secondary logos |
| Thigh | 8–10 cm | Trousers and shorts |
Frequently asked questions
Can I put my logo on the right chest instead?
Yes — the right chest is commonly used for a second element, such as the wearer's name, a role title or an accreditation badge, with the company logo on the left.
How big should a left chest logo be exactly?
Ask for your logo at 9 cm wide on a proof and adjust from there. Wide logos often drop to 7–8 cm; compact badge-style logos can carry 10 cm.
Does placement differ between men's and women's garments?
The positions are the same, but on smaller sizes the logo sits proportionally — a good decorator adjusts placement per size rather than measuring a fixed distance from the collar on every garment.
Can one order use different placements on different garments?
Absolutely — left chest on polos, left chest plus back print on jackets is one of the most common workwear packages we produce.
Get it right first time
Placement is one of those decisions that's cheap to get right and annoying to get wrong. If you're building a uniform from scratch, start with our custom branded workwear service, send over your logo, and we'll come back with a proof showing exactly where — and how big — your branding will sit before anything goes into production.
