Getting your logo ready for embroidery

The cleaner the source file, the more accurately we can digitise it. Send the original logo from your designer whenever possible.

You can upload up to 5 files of 25 MB each with your quote request; zip folders are accepted.

A vector file stores your logo as shapes and lines, so we can see exactly where each edge and curve sits. A raster file stores it as pixels; when it is small or compressed, edges become fuzzy and we have to guess. For embroidery that guesswork shows up as uneven lettering or wobbly outlines.

If you only have a small image from a website or social media, send it anyway. We will tell you whether it can be digitised as is or whether it needs to be redrawn first. Redrawing is quoted separately as artwork or graphic design work.

Thread has thickness, so very small elements cannot be reproduced the way a printer can. As a general guide:

• Text: lettering of roughly 5 mm high or more usually stays legible; smaller text may close up, depending on the font, fabric and stitch type. Thin serif and script fonts need more height than bold sans-serif fonts.
• Fine lines: hairlines and thin outlines may disappear or need thickening.
• Gradients and shading: embroidery uses solid thread colours, so gradients are converted into bands of colour or simplified.
• Photographs: not suitable for stitching; a print method such as DTF printing is a better fit.

Where your logo is too detailed for the chosen size, we suggest a larger size or a simplified version on the proof.

Embroidery thread comes in a large but fixed range of colours, so we match your brand colours to the closest available shades. If you have Pantone references, include them. Screen colours vary, so your proof shows the thread numbers we plan to use, and you can request a different shade before production.

Remember that thread is shiny and reflects light differently from printed ink. Metallic and neon threads are options for some jobs; ask us whether they suit your design and fabric.

Digitising is the process of converting artwork into a stitch file that tells the embroidery machine where each stitch goes, in what order, at what density and with what stitch type. A good digitiser plans underlay, stitch direction and pull compensation for the specific fabric, so a logo on a stretchy golf shirt is set up differently from the same logo on a cap or a fleece.

We digitise in-house and keep your approved file for repeat orders. Digitising files remain ours unless purchased, as set out in our terms and conditions. Learn more on embroidery digitising and artwork setup.

1. Find your original file. Ask your designer, printer or signage supplier for the vector logo (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF). It saves time and gives the cleanest result.
2. Have a simpler version. Many brands keep a simplified logo or icon for small uses. On caps, sleeves and small chest logos, a simplified mark often stitches better than a detailed full logo with a tagline.
3. Think about the garment colour. A logo designed on white may disappear on a navy or black shirt. Decide whether you need a reversed or single-colour version, and we will show it on the proof.

For printed T-shirts, DTF transfers, signage and print work, the usual print rules apply: high-resolution artwork at about 300 dpi at final size, 3 mm bleed with important content kept inside a safe zone for printed paper items, CMYK or specified spot colours, and fonts outlined. Apparel prints work best from vector files or transparent PNGs at full print size. See embroidery vs DTF vs screen printing to decide which method suits your design.