Embroidery vs Printing: Which Is Best for Your Logo?

If you're looking to add your logo, club crest or design to clothing, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is whether to embroider or print it.

Both can produce excellent results, but they suit different garments, designs and uses. A small embroidered logo can look fantastic on a polo shirt or quarter-zip, while a large, detailed design across the front or back of a T-shirt will usually be much better suited to print.

At Varsity 1827, we offer professional embroidery and garment printing for everyone from individuals ordering a single item to clubs, societies, teams and businesses ordering in volume.

So, which should you choose?

When is embroidery the best choice?

Embroidery uses thread to stitch your logo or design directly into the garment. It's durable, tactile and has a premium appearance that works particularly well on heavier or more structured clothing.

We generally recommend embroidery for:

• Polo shirts

• Quarter-zips

• Sweatshirts and hoodies

• Fleeces

• Jackets and gilets

• Workwear

• Caps and hats

• Golf clothing

• Club and teamwear

It's particularly effective for company logos, university and club crests, initials and relatively simple artwork.

One of embroidery's biggest advantages is the finish. Because the design is physically stitched into the garment, it has a texture and depth that print can't replicate.

For businesses, clubs and organisations looking for a smart and professional result, embroidery is often our first recommendation.

Is embroidery durable?

Yes. Good-quality embroidery is extremely durable.

Because the thread is stitched directly into the fabric rather than applied to its surface, an embroidered logo can withstand regular wear and washing extremely well.

This makes it particularly suitable for workwear, uniforms, sports clubs, golf clothing and garments that are going to be worn repeatedly.

When is printing the better option?

Printing is generally better when the artwork is larger, more intricate or contains details that would be difficult to reproduce using embroidery.

At Varsity 1827, we use DTF (Direct to Film) printing, which allows detailed, full-colour artwork to be transferred onto a wide variety of garments.

Printing works particularly well for:

• T-shirts

• Sweatshirts

• Hoodies

• Event clothing

• Large front or back designs

• Multi-colour artwork

• Detailed illustrations

• Promotional merchandise

If you're creating a T-shirt with a large graphic across the back, for example, we'd almost certainly recommend printing rather than embroidery.

What is DTF printing?

DTF stands for Direct to Film.

The design is first printed onto a specialist film before being transferred onto the garment using heat and pressure.

It allows us to reproduce detailed artwork, fine lines and multiple colours while creating a durable finish.

DTF is also particularly useful for smaller quantities because it doesn't require the same traditional setup associated with some other printing methods.

That means we can produce one item, a handful of garments or a much larger order.

Embroidery vs printing: which looks more premium?

For a small logo or crest, embroidery will usually provide the more traditional premium finish.

Imagine a company logo embroidered onto the left chest of a heavyweight polo shirt, or a club crest stitched onto a quarter-zip. The raised thread gives the design texture and permanence.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean embroidery is better.

A beautifully printed graphic on a premium heavyweight T-shirt can be every bit as impressive. It's simply a different aesthetic.

The best technique is the one that suits the design, garment and intended use.

Does every logo work for embroidery?

Not necessarily.

Very fine text, extremely small details, gradients and complex illustrations can be difficult to reproduce accurately in thread.

Before embroidering a logo, the artwork has to be converted into a specialist embroidery file. This process is known as digitisation.

Digitisation tells the embroidery machine how the design should be constructed — including stitch direction, density and sequence.

If a design contains details that are simply too fine to embroider well, we'll tell you. We may suggest simplifying part of the artwork, increasing the size or using print instead.

The objective isn't simply to reproduce the file you've sent us. It's to make sure the finished garment looks right.

What size should an embroidered logo be?

For a typical left-chest logo, somewhere around 7–10cm wide will often work well, although the ideal dimensions depend entirely on the shape and complexity of the design and the garment being embroidered.

A wide wordmark, for example, will require different proportions from a circular club crest.

Caps, sleeves, jackets and other placements also have their own considerations.

If you're unsure, you don't need to work this out yourself. Send us your artwork and tell us where you'd like it positioned and we can recommend an appropriate size.

Can embroidery and printing be used together?

Absolutely.

Some of the best custom garments use both.

You might have a small embroidered crest on the chest and a larger printed design across the back, for example.

This works particularly well for clubs, societies, events and merchandise where you want the premium appearance of embroidery alongside the creative freedom of print.

Is embroidery more expensive than printing?

It depends on the design and quantity.

The cost of embroidery is affected by factors such as the size and complexity of the design and the number of stitches required.

Printing costs are influenced by the size of the printed area, garment and quantity.

For that reason, there isn't a universal rule that embroidery is always more expensive than printing — or vice versa.

If you send us your artwork, garment requirements and approximate quantity, we can advise on the most appropriate and cost-effective method.

Do I need to order a minimum quantity?

No.

You don't need to be a large company, sports club or university society to use our embroidery and printing service.

At Varsity 1827, there is no minimum order quantity.

If you need one embroidered polo shirt, we can help.

If you need 200 printed T-shirts for an event, we can help with that too.

And if you're a business or organisation looking to develop an entire range of branded clothing, we can work with you on garment selection, decoration and production.

From one garment to a complete collection.

Should I choose embroidery or printing?

As a general rule:

Choose embroidery when you want a smart, durable and premium finish for a logo, crest or relatively simple design.

Choose printing when your design is larger, highly detailed, colourful or more graphic in nature.

But you don't necessarily need to decide before contacting us.

Send us your artwork, tell us what you're looking to produce and we'll recommend the method we believe will give you the best result.

Need help with your project?

Whether it's one garment or hundreds, our team can help with embroidery, DTF printing and garment selection.

Send us your logo or artwork and tell us what you have in mind. We'll advise on the best decoration method, positioning and garment for your project.

Get in touch about embroidery & printing.

By Varsity 1827.