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Embroidering your logo: step by step from file to delivery
From logo to finished embroidery: what an embroidery file is, why fine details need space, how we match thread colours and what to check before you approve.
The process in five steps
Embroidery is made differently from a print. Between your logo and the finished embroidery there is a step you never see: the embroidery file. It tells the machine where every single stitch goes. That is why preparation takes a little longer with embroidery – the production itself then runs very consistently.
Whether you want polo shirts embroidered with your logo, caps or jackets, the route with us is always the same:
Logo and garment
You choose the garment, send your logo and tell us where it should sit.
Embroidery file
We translate your logo into stitches. The embroidery file is included.
Thread colours and preview
We match up to three thread colours and send you a digital preview showing position and size.
Approval
You check the preview and approve it. Without your print approval, we don’t start embroidering.
Embroidery and delivery
We embroider in our own workshop in Munich. Delivery usually takes approx. 7–10 working days.
Step 1: which file we need from you
To create the embroidery file, we redraw your logo. The clearer the artwork, the more accurate the result. Ideally, send us the file your printer or agency uses as well.
Ideal
Vector: PDF, AI, EPS, SVG
Clean edges and exact shapes. Every outline can be taken over precisely.
Good
High-resolution PNG
Enough in most cases, as long as lettering and lines are clearly sharp.
We check
Screenshot or small image
Send it anyway. We’ll tell you whether it works or whether we need better artwork.
What else helps when you send artwork is explained on our page supplying your logo. Also tell us which garment the embroidery goes on. A piqué polo, a softshell jacket and a cap all need different settings. Which polo suits your team is covered in our guide company polo shirts with logo.
Step 2: what an embroidery file is
An embroidery machine can’t do anything with a graphic. It needs instructions, stitch by stitch: where the needle goes in, which direction the thread runs, how densely the stitches sit and in which order the colours come. These instructions are the embroidery file. Creating it is called punching or digitising.
For this, we choose the right stitch type for every area. Narrow shapes and lettering usually get a satin stitch, which has a lovely sheen. Larger areas are filled with a fill stitch, fine outlines with a running stitch. Underneath sit underlay stitches that stabilise the fabric.
| Criterion | What you send Graphic file | Machine-ready Embroidery file |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Pixels or vector shapes | Stitches with direction, length and order |
| Colours | As many as you like, gradients too | Individual thread colours, no gradients |
| Resizing | Unlimited as a vector | Only within narrow limits, otherwise it is reworked |
| Material | Doesn’t matter | Tuned to the fabric |
| Who makes it | You or your agency | Us – included |
Why the fabric matters
While stitching, the thread pulls the fabric together slightly. A stretchy piqué behaves differently from a firm jacket. We compensate for this pull in the embroidery file so your logo ends up with the right shape.
Matching garments
Design them in the shop
Why fine details need a minimum size
A thread has a fixed thickness. Lines can’t be thinner than one stitch, and letters need enough room so their inner spaces don’t fill in. Something that looks razor-sharp on screen can therefore blur in embroidery if it is too small.
Clear shapes and areas
Look three-dimensional and high-quality in embroidery
Lettering with enough height
Stays easy to read, even on the chest
Hairline strokes and tiny text
Fill in or look messy
Photos and colour gradients
Can’t be reproduced with individual thread colours
If your logo has areas like these, we suggest solutions: slightly bolder lines, a larger tagline or leaving out small extra text. You see the result in the preview before anything is stitched. If your design is very detailed, a print may be the better choice. When each option fits is explained in our post embroidery or print for your company clothing.
Step 3: matching thread colours
Embroidery thread comes in fixed shades, not in any mix you like. For each colour in your logo, we pick the thread that comes closest. It helps if you give us your colours as Pantone or HKS values.
Up to three thread colours are included in our embroidery. That covers most company logos. If your logo has more colours, we show you in our free layout consultation how it looks with fewer – it often gains clarity in the process.
Light logo on dark fabric
On navy or black, a logo looks different than on white. Sometimes a light version of your logo works better. In the preview we set the thread colours for each garment colour.
Step 4: checking and approving the preview
Before production you receive a print approval from us: a digital preview that you approve before we start. Take a few minutes for it. Whatever is right here will be right on every piece.
- Position: is the logo where you want it, for example on the left chest?
- Size: do width and height suit the garment and your brand?
- Thread colours: are the colours right for each garment colour?
- Spelling: are names, taglines and web address spelt correctly?
- Order: are the garment, colour and quantity per size correct?
If you want to change something, just tell us. We adjust the preview until it’s right.
Step 5: how the workshop embroiders
Once you have approved, we clamp each piece into a hoop together with an embroidery backing. The backing stabilises the fabric so it doesn’t distort under the needle. The machine then stitches colour by colour. Finally, we remove excess backing and loose thread ends.
From the workshop
Many heads, one embroidery file
The photo shows multi-head embroidery machines with hoops clamped in. Every head stitches the same embroidery file at the same time. It shows why the file matters so much: it runs identically on every head – whatever is right there is right on every piece.
Embroidery looks high-quality and, with proper care, lasts through many washes. Delivery usually takes approx. 7–10 working days.
What about 3D embroidery?
Side noteWith 3D embroidery, a foam layer sits under the stitches. This makes the logo stand out visibly from the fabric. We also do this in our own workshop; it is typical on caps.
- Strong at
- Bold letters and simple, wide shapes
- Less suited to
- Fine lines, small lettering and lots of detail
Logo embroidery: frequently asked questions
Do I pay extra for the embroidery file?
No. The embroidery file is included. We create it from your logo and tune it to your garment.
My logo has more than three colours – is that still possible?
Up to three thread colours are included. With more colours, we show you a reduced version in the layout consultation or tell you whether a print would suit you better.
Can I have my own garments embroidered?
Yes. How it works is explained on our page embroidering your own garments.
How long does an embroidered logo last?
A long time with proper care. Wash the garment inside out and follow the care label. That keeps the embroidery looking good through many washes.
Want to know how your logo will look as embroidery? Send us your logo – we’ll get back to you with an assessment and a quote.
Team Shirtplus
Printing and embroidery in our own workshop in Munich. Created with AI support. Last updated: 12 Oct 2026.
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We advise you on the layout free of charge and tell you which method suits your logo.