Custom Embroidery vs Screen Printing: When to Use Each
Embroidery vs Screen Printing: A Complete Comparison
Two of the most popular methods for customizing apparel are embroidery and screen printing. While both put your logo or design on clothing, they produce very different results and work best in different situations.
What Is Embroidery?
Embroidery uses needle and thread to stitch your design directly into the fabric. It creates a raised, textured finish that looks and feels premium. Think of the logo on your favorite polo shirt or baseball cap — that is embroidery.
What Is Screen Printing?
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen onto the garment surface. It produces flat, smooth designs with vibrant colors. Most band tees, event shirts, and promotional apparel use screen printing.
When to Choose Embroidery
- Polo shirts and business apparel — embroidery screams professional
- Hats and caps — the standard for headwear customization
- Jackets and outerwear — durable enough for heavy fabrics
- Small logos — left chest logos, sleeve branding
- Premium perception — when you want to look upscale
- Durability — thread does not fade like ink can
When to Choose Screen Printing
- T-shirts — the classic choice for custom tees
- Large designs — full front, full back prints
- Detailed artwork — fine lines and small text
- Budget orders — cheaper per unit especially in bulk
- Multi-color designs — up to 8 colors
- Soft feel — ink sits flatter than thread
Cost Comparison
| Embroidery | Screen Printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | Digitizing fee (-75) | Screen setup (-50 per color) |
| Per unit (small logo) | -15 | -8 |
| Per unit (large design) | -30+ | -12 |
| Best at quantities | 12+ | 25+ |
Can You Combine Both?
Absolutely! Many of our customers use embroidery on the left chest and screen printing for a large back design. This gives you the professional look of embroidery where it counts and the impact of a big printed design on the back.
Get Started
Not sure which method is right for your project? Send us a quote request with your design and we will recommend the best approach. At TShirt Brothers, we offer both embroidery and screen printing with no minimums.