At KDI Print & Embroidery, we’ve seen how a well-executed embroidered shirt design can transform a simple garment into a powerful statement for a brand or team. The texture, dimension, and professional finish of embroidery are unmatched, but achieving that perfect result starts long before the first stitch. Based on our experience, we've put together some essential tips to help guide you through the design process, ensuring your final product is something you'll be proud to wear and share!
Tips for Custom Embroidery Designs
Start With High-Quality Artwork
The quality of your final custom embroidery garment is directly tied to the quality of your initial artwork. For the cleanest and most precise results, we always recommend using vector files (like .AI or .EPS) for design inspiration. Unlike pixel-based images, vectors can be scaled to any size without losing clarity; this allows for a clean digitization process, where we convert your design into a stitch-ready format. A high-resolution file ensures every detail of your logo or design is captured accurately.
Match Your Design to the Garment
Not all fabrics are created equal when it comes to custom logo embroidery or stitching an entire elaborate design. A heavy, intricate image might not sit well on a lightweight T-shirt, while a delicate design could get lost on a thick, textured jacket. When planning your project, we consider the garment's material, thickness, and stretch. For custom polos with embroidery, a crisp logo works beautifully, while fleece or jackets can support more substantial designs.
Simplify Your Color Palette for Impact
While the number of thread colors available is vast, the most effective embroidery designs often use a limited and thoughtfully chosen color palette. Too many colors can make a design look busy and can increase production time and cost. At KDI Print & Embroidery, we find that focusing on a few key colors that offer strong contrast with the garment fabric creates a bold, clean look that stands out!
Pay Attention to Text & Fine Details
When it comes to embroidered shirts or other garments, tiny details and small text can be challenging to replicate perfectly. We advise keeping text clean, bold, and above a certain size to ensure it remains legible and crisp. Extremely fine lines or intricate details may need to be simplified slightly to translate well into stitches.
Our experience in this area has not only refined our process but also deepened our understanding of how to bring a vision to life through thread. See how KDI Print & Embroidery can help translate your brand imagery, artwork, or other graphic design onto clothing!