7 Pro Tips for Great Logo Embroidery
7 Pro Tips for Great Logo Embroidery
Embroidery Tips and Notes for Custom Merch
Logo File Artwork
For the best results in embroidered designs, higher resolution images, around 300 DPI, are ideal.
Merchology's embroidery software and equipment work well with these file types:
- .png - Preferred
- .jpeg - Preferred
- .ai
Because of the nature of embroidery, if your art is complex with small details, and/or very thin lines, we may have to modify some elements for your decoration to achieve the quality we strive to provide.
To ensure that your logo embroidery looks as good as possible, be sure to provide a high resolution image file like the one below on the right. We recommend reaching out to your internal Marketing or Design team to provide you with the highest resolution file rather than using one directly off of your website or materials.
Embroidery Lettering Quality
The final quality of small embroidered lettering can deteriorate very quickly, Merchology recommends enlarging company names, taglines and any other small text in the artwork before submitting.
- Basic logo text must be at least 3/16” tall - such as Arial or Helvetica fonts
- Traditional serif text must be at least 1/4" tall - such as Times New Roman or Garamond fonts
- Script fonts must be at least 5/16" tall - such as Brushscript or French Script fonts
We recommend discussing the sizing needs of your logo decoration beforehand, so our team of logo decoration experts can match your art file as closely as possible with the fewest surprises.
Stitch Count
At Merchology, our dedicated team of order graphics experts will work to make your company logo as efficient as possible on our embroidery machines! This helps save both us time and money on your order.
All orders at Merchology will receive up to 10,000 stitches for embroidery of 1 logo per item for free. This allows you to shop with ease knowing that your company logo can typically be added to your merch without additional fees as long as minimum quantities are met with each product.
Because larger and more complex logos require more time to produce, however, Merchology does charge an additional fee when these artwork designs go over the standard 10,000 stitches.
Most logos that are embroidered fall under our 10,000 stitch count limit. If a logo surpasses that amount, it’s typically because the design of the logo is very detailed, contains a high quantity of colors, is large in size, or has a heavy background fill.
For example, a logo intended as a full-back decoration on a jacket will typically always be well over 10,000. Our teams will gladly review the logo and evaluate it for the potential stitch-count.
Though not a guarantee, our expert Order Graphics team will always aim to edit and simplify logo artwork to look its best while trying to keep the design under that maximum stitch count.
Worried your logo design exceeds the 10,000 stitch limit? Email into merchologists@merchology.com with your logo artwork and we'll review it for you free of charge.
Embroidery Colors
There is a wide range of embroidery thread color options available to use for your logo. You'll be sure to find an exact match or close match to your company color palette. If you're not sure what your corporate Pantone colors are refer to our PMS color matching chart.
Merchology is able to do full color for most logo designs, however, for a subtler style, we can use a tonal or near-tonal thread. This will deliver a premium look on your company merch that shines but doesn't shout.
Embroidery Color Gradients
To improve quality and efficiency at the embroidery machine, our team may consolidate colors that are very similar. If your logo includes color gradients, we’ll do our best to accommodate them, where it’s possible.
For the best results on a gradient, we recommend a linear (single direction) gradient in a large shape.
Embroidery Stitch Types
There are three basic types of stitches we use in our decorations: Tatami, Satin, and Run.
Tatami stitches, otherwise known as Fill stitches, are used to cover larger areas in a design. These stitches are typically used as the background for lettering and shapes in the design.
Satin stitches, also known as Column stitches, are used for standard lettering, narrow columns, and most detail work within a logo embroidery design. These stitches deliver a silky, satin look to an embroidered piece.
Run stitches are most typically used underneath the design to stabilize it, but they can make an appearance to define some shapes and small details. Because run stitches like to sink into fabrics, we often add a fill stitch to the design when a logo uses a lot of them.
Embroidery Appearance
Professional fabric embroidery can have a very unique look depending upon the different stitch styles chosen. With various techniques, you may see added dimension in your embroidered logo or a softer texture to your font.
We always strive for the best possible results we can give you, but there will often need to be some adjustments made to achieve the final results, whether it be because of the goods, or because of design elements that don’t translate well, including small text.
If you’re concerned about the results of your embroidered artwork, feel free to request a sew-out prior to approving your logo, and our Order Graphics department will gladly provide that for you.
Logo Sizing
Merchology offers over 20,000 products to be personalized for your company, and each product type have their own specific logo sizing requirements.
Left or Right Chest - Average size 2.5" - 3.5" Width
Hats and Caps
Average size 2" - 2.25" Height
Visors and Beanies
Average size 1" Height
Full Front or Full Back of a Shirt or Jacket
Average size 10" - 12" Width
If you have specific dimensions in mind for your logo, please talk to one of our friendly Merchologists. We’ll do our best to accommodate your sizing needs, or help you find options that will get you the quality results you’re expecting.
Contact Us at Merchology
Have some questions on your company's logo art files and design? Want to make sure that your logo is embroidered at it's cleanest and best? Give us a call at Merchology! We'd love to talk through your logo art and help pinpoint areas before they become issues. Give us a call today!