If you're putting a logo on apparel, you've got a few ways to do it, and they're not interchangeable. The right method depends on what you're decorating, how detailed the artwork is, and how many you need. Here's how embroidery stacks up against screen printing and the other common options.
Embroidery
Embroidery stitches your logo into the fabric with thread. It's the most durable and the most premium-looking option, and it's the standard for hats, polos, jackets, and bags. It handles logos and text beautifully, holds up wash after wash, and never cracks or peels. The trade-offs: it isn't built for big, photo-realistic art or huge full-front designs, and very fine detail gets simplified. For a company logo on a cap or a left chest on a polo, nothing beats it. This is what we do.
Screen printing
Screen printing pushes ink through a stencil onto the fabric. It's the go-to for t-shirts, especially large, bold, full-color designs across the chest or back. It gets cheap per piece at high volume, but each color needs its own screen, so it's expensive for small runs or many-colored art. Prints can crack or fade over years of washing. Pick screen printing for event tees and big graphic designs, not for a logo on a structured hat.
DTG (direct to garment)
DTG prints your design straight onto the garment with a specialized inkjet. It nails photo detail and unlimited colors with no setup screens, which makes it great for small runs and complex art on soft cotton tees. It's less durable than screen printing and doesn't work on hats or heavy technical fabrics.
Heat transfer and vinyl
Heat transfer presses a printed or cut design onto the fabric with heat. Cut vinyl is the standard for names and numbers on jerseys, and it's good for one-offs and small batches. It can peel over time and looks less premium than embroidery or a good screen print.
Sublimation
Sublimation dyes the design into polyester fabric, so it can cover the whole garment with no feel at all. It's used for all-over prints and performance jerseys, but it only works on light polyester, not cotton, and not on hats.
Quick comparison
| Method | Best for | Durability | Works on hats? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embroidery | Logos on hats, polos, jackets | Excellent | Yes |
| Screen print | Bold tee graphics at volume | Good | No |
| DTG | Photo detail, small tee runs | Fair | No |
| Heat transfer/vinyl | Names, numbers, one-offs | Fair | Limited |
| Sublimation | All-over poly prints | Excellent | No |
So which should you choose?
For a logo you want to look sharp and last, on hats, polos, jackets, or bags, choose embroidery. For a big colorful graphic on a stack of cotton tees, screen printing is cheaper and better. Plenty of brands use both: embroidered caps and polos for the team, screen-printed tees for the event.
Curious what embroidery runs? See how much custom embroidery costs, or read how we turn your logo into stitches on the digitizing page. Ready to go? Browse hats, polos, and jackets.
Ben B., founder of Embroidery Inc, Woodland CA