Need something embroidered but don't want to order 20, 50 or 100 of them?
At Varsity 1827, our custom embroidery service has no minimum order quantity.
That means you can order one embroidered garment if that's all you need. Equally, we can produce larger orders for businesses, clubs, teams, societies and organisations.
Whether it's one polo shirt or hundreds of sweatshirts, the process starts in exactly the same place: your idea and your artwork.
Here's how it works.
What does "no minimum order" actually mean?
Quite simply, it means you don't have to order a set number of garments to use our embroidery service.
If you need one, we'll embroider one.
You might be:
- An individual wanting a personalised sweatshirt or jacket
- A small business needing a handful of branded polos
- A new company ordering its first piece of branded clothing
- A sports club adding kit for a new member
- A university club or society requiring a replacement garment
- An organisation wanting to see a finished item before committing to a larger order
Whatever the reason, you don't need to increase your order simply to reach an arbitrary minimum quantity.
Why do embroidery companies have minimum orders?
Commercial embroidery involves a certain amount of preparation regardless of how many garments are being produced.
Artwork may need to be prepared, thread colours selected, the garment framed correctly and the embroidery machine set up for the job.
For a large production run, that preparation is spread across many garments. When you're producing a single item, much of the same work is required for just one.
That's why some commercial embroidery companies choose to impose minimum quantities.
At Varsity 1827, we've chosen to offer our embroidery service without one.
We work with everything from individual one-off orders to large-scale production, and our pricing reflects the quantity being produced.
So, how does custom embroidery work?
If you've never ordered embroidered clothing before, don't worry. You don't need to understand embroidery files, stitch counts or machine settings before contacting us.
The process is straightforward.
Step 1: Tell us what you'd like to create
Start by telling us what you have in mind.
Perhaps you want a company logo embroidered onto a polo shirt. A club crest on a quarter-zip. Initials on a jacket. Or maybe you know you want some branded clothing but aren't sure which garment would work best.
You don't need to have every detail worked out.
Tell us what you're trying to achieve and we can help with the rest.
Step 2: Send us your logo or artwork
If you're having a logo, crest or other design embroidered, send us the best-quality artwork you have available.
Don't worry if you don't have a specialist embroidery file.
In most cases, customers won't — and we don't expect you to.
We'll review the artwork and assess how it will translate into embroidery.
If we think a particular detail is too small or another decoration method would produce a better result, we'll tell you.
Step 3: Choose your garment
You can either speak to us about supplying the garment or, in some circumstances, ask us about embroidering clothing you already own.
We can source a wide range of garments, including:
- Polo shirts
- T-shirts
- Sweatshirts
- Hoodies
- Quarter-zips
- Fleeces
- Jackets
- Gilets
- Workwear
- Sportswear
- Golf clothing
- Caps and hats
- Bags
If you're unsure what to choose, tell us how the garment will be used, the look you're trying to achieve and your approximate budget.
We can recommend suitable options.
Step 4: We prepare your design for embroidery
Before a new logo can be embroidered, it needs to be converted into a specialist file that tells our embroidery machines how to construct the design.
This is called embroidery digitisation.
Digitisation determines elements such as stitch type, direction, density and sequence.
It's an important distinction because an embroidery machine doesn't simply "print" an image using thread. The design has to be reconstructed specifically for embroidery.
Good digitisation can make a significant difference to the quality of the finished result.
Once we've created your embroidery file, it can be retained for future orders, making it straightforward to reproduce the same design again.
Step 5: We determine the stitch count
Our embroidery pricing is primarily based on stitch count.
The stitch count is simply the number of individual stitches required to create your design.
A small, relatively simple logo may contain fewer than 5,000 stitches. A detailed club crest with large filled areas could require considerably more.
This means two logos of exactly the same physical size can cost different amounts to embroider.
You don't need to calculate this yourself.
Send us your artwork and we'll do it for you.
How much does no-minimum custom embroidery cost?
Our embroidery pricing starts from £5 per item for orders of 1–12 garments, depending on stitch count.
Our current embroidery prices are:
| Stitch Count | 1–12 Items | 12+ Items |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5,000 stitches | £5 per item | £4 per item |
| 5,000–12,000 stitches | £8 per item | £7 per item |
| 12,000–25,000 stitches | £14 per item | £12 per item |
| Over 25,000 stitches | £28 per item | £25 per item |
These prices cover the embroidery itself and don't include the cost of the garment or any artwork preparation that may be required.
For a fuller explanation of our pricing, read [How Much Does Custom Embroidery Cost in the UK? →]
Is a one-item order more expensive?
The embroidery price per garment is lower when you're producing larger quantities, but you don't have to place a larger order to use the service.
For example, a design containing fewer than 5,000 stitches costs £5 per item for a small order, reducing to £4 per item at the larger quantity band.
This means a business or club ordering in volume benefits from production efficiencies while an individual who genuinely only needs one item can still place an order.
Is the quality different if I only order one?
No.
The same principles apply whether we're producing one garment or hundreds.
Your artwork still needs to be prepared correctly. The garment needs to be positioned properly. The appropriate thread colours need to be selected. And the embroidery itself needs to meet the same standard.
No minimum order doesn't mean a minimum level of service.
Can I order one now and more later?
Absolutely.
In fact, this can be one of the advantages of having no minimum order.
A new business might begin with two or three branded garments rather than committing to a large quantity immediately.
A club might need a single replacement item.
Or you might simply want to see your logo embroidered on a particular garment before deciding whether you'd like more.
Once we've prepared your embroidery artwork, we can retain it for future orders.
So if your first order of two polos eventually becomes another 20, we can reproduce the same design consistently.
Can every design be embroidered?
Not every design is ideally suited to embroidery.
Embroidery works particularly well for:
- Company logos
- Club and society crests
- Lettering
- Initials
- Names
- Simple illustrations and marques
Extremely fine detail, tiny lettering, gradients and very large graphic designs may be better suited to print.
Because we offer both embroidery and DTF printing, we can advise on which method we think will produce the best result.
If you're deciding between the two, take a look at [Embroidery vs Printing: Which Is Best for Your Logo? →]
Can you embroider a garment I already own?
Potentially.
Some customer-supplied garments can be embroidered, but we'll need to consider the material, construction and access to the area you want decorated.
There's also additional risk when working with an irreplaceable or particularly valuable garment.
If you're thinking of buying something specifically to have embroidered, we'd recommend speaking to us before purchasing it.
We may be able to supply the same garment or recommend an alternative that we know works particularly well with embroidery.
What if I don't have a logo?
That's fine too.
Not every embroidery project needs a company logo or club crest.
We can also embroider elements such as:
Names
Initials
Numbers
Simple text
These can work particularly well for individual garments, gifts, workwear, sportswear and personalisation.
Who is no-minimum embroidery for?
Almost anyone.
Our customers range from individuals and sole traders through to businesses, sports clubs, university societies and larger organisations.
The important point is that the size of your order doesn't determine whether you can work with us.
You might need one garment today and 100 next year.
Or you might genuinely only ever need one.
Either is fine.
How do I place an order?
You don't need to prepare a complicated specification.
To get started, simply send us:
- Your artwork or an explanation of what you'd like embroidered
- The type of garment you're looking for
- Where you'd like the embroidery positioned
- How many items you need
If you don't know the garment, embroidery size, stitch count or best position, leave those decisions to us.
We'll help you work through them.
Custom Embroidery — From One Garment to Hundreds
There's no minimum order for custom embroidery at Varsity 1827.
Whether you need a single personalised sweatshirt, five polos for a small business, 20 quarter-zips for a club or hundreds of garments for an organisation, we can help.
Send us your artwork and tell us what you'd like to create.
We'll advise on the garment, artwork, embroidery and positioning and provide you with a quote.
From one garment to a complete collection.
