If you want your logo embroidered on the left chest of a shirt, size matters, right? Too big and it will out of proportion and goofy on the shirt. Too small and it may not be easily seen or read by the people you want to see it.
How big your logo should be, depends on a few factors: the shape of your logo, the size of your smallest element, where you are putting your logo, and on what. There is no one single answer, but we will break down what we’ve found works best.
Embroidery Sizes for Shirts
The final size of an embroidered logo can also depend a great deal on the shape of the logo. For example, we approach logos that are a circle shape differently than ones that are more horizontal or vertical. By the nature of their shape, circle logos look bigger because they cover more area.
There are logos that could very well be exceptions to these guides, but for the standard logo, we have some base recommendations. Much bigger than these sizes, and most logos will start to look a little out of proportion.
For logos on the left chest we recommend:
- 2.5’’ in diameter for circle logos
- 3’’ wide or less for square logos
- 2 - 3.5’’ at it’s widest point, for horizontal or vertical logos
For logos embroidered across the sleeve we recommend:
- 3’’ in diameter for circle logos
- 3’’ wide for square logos
- 3 - 3.75’’ at its widest point, for horizontal or vertical logos
Tip for Sizing Your Logo on a Shirt Like a Pro
We’ve also come up with a few tricks over the years. Logos on the left chest are some of the most popular embroideries we do, so we get a lot of questions about how big they should be. Try using a business card to check how big your logo will look.
Most everyone is familiar with the size of a business card. Most logos, either horizontal or vertical in orientation end up about the size of a business card. The standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches. Try taking a business card and put it to your left chest to get a clear idea of how large a logo will be.
Embroidery Sizes for Hats
Hats are also a popular option, and they are their own beast. We embroider both structured and unstructured hats, along with beanies. You can embroider on the front, the side, or the back of your cap, and the front of your beanie. Each location has different sizing restrictions.
For logos embroidered on the front of a cap or beanie, we recommend:
- 1.75’’ in diameter for circle logos
- 1.75’’ wide for square logos
- 4 - 5’’ x 1.75’’ for horizontal logos
- 1.75’’ tall for vertical logos
For logos embroidered on the side of a cap we recommend:
- 1’’ in diameter for circle logos
- 1’’ wide for square logos
- 2’’ x 1’’ for horizontal logos (vertical not recommended)
For logos embroidered on the back of a cap, we recommend:
- 1’’ in diameter for circle logos
- 1’’ wide for square logos
- 3’’ x ½ - 1’’’ for horizontal logos (vertical not recommended)
Embroider For The Smallest Element
When in doubt, consider the smallest elements in the logo. Embroidery has its limitations. Putting thread on material is different than putting ink on paper.
So we look at how big we need to make the smallest elements in the logo so they embroider well then adjust the size of the overall image to reflect that.
There are some cases where the smallest elements are so small that if we adjusted the size so they would embroider well, the logo would blow up to a point that it would be too big. In those cases, the smallest elements may be to be adjusted or eliminated so the logo will embroider cleanly and not be too big.
Try Our Easy Logo Upload Tool
Sizing a custom embroidered logo can be challenging, even with these tips and guidelines. You don’t want to order something that looks off or wonky! That’s why each of our apparel allows for easy logo upload. Before you check out, you have the opportunity to upload your logo and size it to scale on the image, to see how it will look.