Designing logos for embroidery: what you must know
Your logo will be sewn onto uniforms, caps, and gear. Here's how to make sure it stitches clean.
A logo that looks sharp on screen can destroy on jersey. Thin lines, compound blending, gradient-heavy marks, and tiny type are embroidery's enemies. Here's what actually survives the stitch.
Design rules for embroidery
- Minimum detail size: 0.25mm (that's your letter serif, inner shapes, dot). Anything smaller gets lost.
- One solid color per thread: blends flatten, gradients wash out.
- Thin lines break: lines under 0.35mm will pull apart.
- Letterforms: bolder is better. Light-weights disappear into fabric.
- No drop shadows: they don't translate.
What actually works
Bold, flat silhouettes. Thick outlined versions. Horizontal stacking for text rather than tiny all-caps sentences. Consider a simplified stitch version alongside the full-color mark.
Test before you commit
Ask your designer for a test stitch on the actual fabric your team uses. A mark that works on a computer screen fails fast after 20 washes, stretch, and game wear.