Get the best embroidery from your artwork.
Prepare your logo for custom embroidery on hats, polos, hoodies, and jackets. Here's what to send, which details need attention, and how we prepare your artwork for stitching.
Quick reference.
| Format | Quality for Embroidery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .AI (Adobe Illustrator) | Excellent | Vector, cleanest conversion |
| .EPS | Excellent | Vector, industry standard |
| .SVG | Excellent | Vector, scales perfectly |
| .PDF (vector-based) | Very good | Check if it contains vector paths |
| .PNG (high-res) | Good | Send the original with clear edges; transparent background preferred |
| .JPG (high-res) | Acceptable | Send the largest original; compression can blur fine details |
| .JPG (low-res) | Poor | A clearer source or simplified artwork may be needed |
Don't have a vector file? Send the clearest original you have and tell us the intended embroidery size. Enlarging a small web image will not restore missing detail. We will review the artwork and explain whether it is usable or needs a cleaner source.
What makes good embroidery art.
- +Clean, simple shapes with clear edges
- +Bold lines; around 0.05" (1.3mm) is a useful starting point for satin details
- +Simple lettering around 1/4" (6mm) tall or larger; allow more room for fine or script fonts
- +Limited color palette, 3 to 8 colors is the sweet spot (up to 15 supported)
- +Strong contrast between elements
- ✕Photographic detail that needs simplification for logo embroidery
- ✕Gradients, shadows, and transparency
- ✕Very thin fonts or detailed script below 1/4"
- ✕Halftone patterns or dot screens
- ✕Neon or metallic colors (limited thread options)
- ✕Extremely intricate details lost at small sizes
Font recommendations.
These are starting sizes for planning your artwork. The font, thread, fabric, and final stitched size affect legibility, so we check the actual design before production. Use the embroidery placement guide to plan how much space your lettering has.
| Font Type | Suggested Starting Height | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bold block/sans-serif | 1/4" (6mm) | Arial, Helvetica, Futura | Best readability at small sizes |
| Standard serif | 1/4" (6mm) | Georgia, Times New Roman | Works well for formal look |
| Script/cursive | 3/8" (10mm) | Needs extra height for legibility | |
| Outlined/hollow | 1/2" (12mm) | Outlines must be thick enough to stitch | |
| Thin/light weight | 3/8" (10mm) | Consider upgrading to medium weight |
The digitizing process.
Digitizing turns artwork into the stitch instructions an embroidery machine can sew. A logo image or vector file is the starting point; the production file also needs stitch types, directions, density, and a sewing sequence suited to the garment.
We arrange the digitizing and review the file for the intended fabric, size, and placement. A screen preview helps communicate the design, but it does not replace checking the production file and the stitched result.
Your quote includes any digitizing needed for a new logo. Compatible reorders that reuse an approved file avoid a new digitizing fee; the custom-logo minimum still applies. A change in size or garment may need further preparation. Our custom embroidery guide explains how this fits into the quote.
How we handle your files.
Send the clearest artwork you have, your garment ideas, quantity, and intended design size
We review the artwork and explain any adjustments or clearer source files needed
Your quote confirms the garments, embroidery, and any digitizing needed
Once you pay, we stitch a sample of your logo and send you photos of the real thing
You approve the sample before we sew the rest; reorders of an approved logo skip this step
We sew the rest, check every piece and ship it
Have a logo ready?
Upload it, place it on the piece, and see the real price as you build. Tricky art gets a second look from us before anything sews.