Designing for Embroidery

Embroidery Overview

Embroidery adds dimension and texture to your design using stitched threads. It’s ideal for durable, high-end presentation across apparel and accessories.

Logo Preparation

Embroidery requires a completely different design approach than printing. While printed logos can use gradients, fine detail, and transparency, embroidery needs simplified, stitch-optimized assets. Your logo must be converted into a digitized file to stitch properly. Use bold shapes, solid fills, and wide strokes. Avoid fine lines or effects like shadows or glow. You must choose from our approved thread palette, and designs should be limited to 1–6 thread colors. Learn more about digitizing your logo for embroidery.

File Format & Digitizing

Vector files (AI, SVG) preferred. Your artwork will be converted into a stitch-ready embroidery file (.DST). This process is called digitizing and is required for all embroidered products.

Stitch Density & Complexity

Overly complex designs can result in excessive thread breaks or poor readability. Use simplified shapes and avoid thin lines under 1pt.

Minimum Size Guidelines

Text should be at least 0.25" tall (approx. 18pt). Small fonts or complex logos may not translate cleanly when embroidered.

Color Selection

Embroidery uses physical thread, not ink. You’re limited to a practical max of ~6 colors. Metallic threads and neons are available upon request but may incur surcharge.

Placement & Backing

Standard placements include left chest, front cap, center chest, and sleeves. Backing is used to stabilize the fabric and ensure clean stitchout.

Contrast & Texture

Light thread on dark fabric (or vice versa) enhances clarity. Avoid tone-on-tone unless subtlety is the goal. Too much texture may obscure fine details.

Common Mistakes

• Using small or serif fonts
• Not accounting for color limitations
• Skipping the digitizing step
• Designs with excessive detail
• Expecting gradients or shadow effects