Updated 09/11/2026
The short answer
- Choose embroidery for small logos on polos, softshells, fleeces, sweatshirts and caps. It looks premium and lasts the longest.
- Choose printing for big designs, full colour logos, fine detail, and thin garments like t-shirts and hi-vis vests.
- Mix both when you want a smart chest logo and a large name or website across the back.
Side by side
| Embroidery | Printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Raised, textured, premium | Flat, smooth, bold |
| Lasts | Years, won't crack or peel | Many washes, can crack or fade over time |
| Best size | Small to medium: chest, sleeve, cap | Any size, great for big back designs |
| Colours and detail | Solid colours, no gradients or photos | Full colour, gradients and fine detail |
| Best garments | Polos, softshells, fleeces, sweatshirts, caps | T-shirts, hoodies, hi-vis vests, tote bags |
| Not great on | Thin or stretchy fabric, hi-vis vests | Fleeces, caps, some waterproofs |
| Cost | Setup once, then price per stitch count | Cheaper per item as quantity goes up |
How embroidery works
Your logo is first turned into a stitch file, a set of instructions telling the machine where every stitch goes. This is called digitising and it's done once per logo. The machine then sews the design into the fabric, one thread colour at a time, with a backing behind it to keep it flat.
The price depends mostly on the number of stitches, so a small chest logo is good value and a large solid back design gets expensive. That's why big designs are usually printed. More in our embroidery page.
The three main types of printing
DTF (direct to film)
Your design is printed onto a special film, then heat-pressed onto the garment. It handles full colour and fine detail, works on cotton, polyester and blends, and is good value for small runs. It's the most common choice for one-off and small team orders. Read what is DTF printing for more.
Screen printing
Ink is pushed through a fine mesh screen, one screen per colour. Each screen has a setup cost, so it becomes the cheapest option for larger quantities of a design with only a few colours, such as event t-shirts.
Vinyl
Shapes and letters are cut from coloured vinyl sheet and heat-pressed on. It's ideal for names, numbers and simple one-colour text, which is why it's used on sports kit and personalised hi-vis.
You don't need to pick the printing type yourself. We choose the right one for your design, garment and quantity.
Which garments suit which
- Polo shirts: embroidery for the chest, print for a big back design.
- T-shirts and hoodies: print is usual; small stitched chest logos look smart.
- Softshells, fleeces and gilets: embroidery. Fleece doesn't take ink well.
- Hi-vis vests: print, kept off the reflective tape.
- Caps and beanies: embroidery.
- Tote bags: print.
Looking after it
Both last much longer with a little care: wash inside out at 30 to 40 degrees, skip high heat in the tumble dryer, and never iron directly over a print. Embroidery can be ironed on the reverse.
Common questions
- Is embroidery cheaper than printing?
- For a small chest logo on a handful of garments, the two are often close. Embroidery has a one-off setup (turning your logo into a stitch file) and then a price per item that rises with the number of stitches. Printing gets cheaper per item as quantities go up, and large designs are almost always cheaper printed than stitched.
- Which lasts longer, embroidery or print?
- Embroidery. Thread can't crack, peel or fade like a print can. A good modern print still lasts for many washes if it is washed inside out at a low temperature.
- Can I have both on one garment?
- Yes, and it's popular: a small embroidered logo on the chest with a large printed name or website across the back.
- Can my logo be embroidered if it has lots of colours?
- Usually, yes. Embroidery uses one thread colour per colour in your logo. What it can't do well is gradients, photos and very fine detail, so we may simplify those slightly and show you on the proof.
- What's the smallest text that can be embroidered?
- As a rule of thumb, letters about 5mm tall or more stitch cleanly. Smaller text can blur, so print is better for tiny detail.
Not sure which to pick?
Build your kit, choose either method, and we'll tell you on your free digital proof if the other would work better. Nothing is made until you approve.