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Creative FactoryLabs

Print method

Embroidery

Your logo is digitised into a stitch file and sewn in thread. It's the classic choice for polos, caps, jackets and workwear: textured, professional and extremely durable.

Get a quoteTry it in the Merch Lab
An embroidery machine stitching a design

Is it right for you?

Best for, and not ideal for

Best for

  • Left-chest logos on polos and workwear
  • Caps and beanies
  • Corporate uniforms
  • A premium, textured finish

Not ideal for

  • Photographic artwork or smooth gradients
  • Very fine detail and tiny text
  • Large full-front designs, which get heavy and costly

Behind the scenes

How it works

  1. Your logo is digitised into a stitch file, once, and reused on repeat orders.

  2. The garment is hooped and stabilised.

  3. An embroidery machine stitches the design in matched thread colours.

  4. Loose threads are trimmed and the garment is pressed.

The details

Minimums, durability and colour

Minimum order

5 units

Colours

Thread colours matched from a chart; priced by stitch count

Hand feel

Textured and slightly raised, with a stiffer feel under the logo

Durability

Outstanding: stitching outlasts most garments

Price guide

From $3.90 per item (ex GST); depends on stitch count and quantity

Setup

$73 one-off digitising fee, half price on repeat orders with the same artwork

Turnaround

2 weeks from proof approval

Prices are indicative, in AUD and exclude GST. Your quote confirms the final price for your artwork, quantity and delivery. Benchmarked against competitor pricing and reasonable market defaults (Hasan, 2026-09-24) — confirm against real supplier costs and margin before launch.

How embroidery rates

  • Detail and colour range
    2 out of 5 Fair
  • Durability
    5 out of 5 Excellent
  • Soft feel
    2 out of 5 Fair
  • Suits small runs
    3 out of 5 Good
  • Value in bulk
    3 out of 5 Good

Compare

How it compares to the other methods

All print methods
Print methods compared. Ratings run from 1 (basic) to 5 (excellent). This table scrolls sideways on small screens.
FeatureScreen PrintingDTG PrintingDTF PrintingSublimation PrintingEmbroideryThis methodSpecialty Finishes
Detail and colour rangeFine lines, gradients and lots of colours
3 out of 5 Good
5 out of 5 Excellent
5 out of 5 Excellent
5 out of 5 Excellent
2 out of 5 Fair
3 out of 5 Good
DurabilityHow well it holds up to washing and wear
5 out of 5 Excellent
3 out of 5 Good
4 out of 5 Very good
5 out of 5 Excellent
5 out of 5 Excellent
4 out of 5 Very good
Soft feelHow light and comfortable it feels to wear
3 out of 5 Good
5 out of 5 Excellent
3 out of 5 Good
5 out of 5 Excellent
2 out of 5 Fair
1 out of 5 Basic
Suits small runsGood value for a handful of pieces
2 out of 5 Fair
5 out of 5 Excellent
4 out of 5 Very good
4 out of 5 Very good
3 out of 5 Good
3 out of 5 Good
Value in bulkHow much cheaper it gets on big orders
5 out of 5 Excellent
2 out of 5 Fair
3 out of 5 Good
3 out of 5 Good
3 out of 5 Good
2 out of 5 Fair
Best forRuns of 25 pieces or moreFull-colour and photographic artworkFull-colour designs on cotton, polyester and blendsFull-colour artwork, gradients and photographsLeft-chest logos on polos and workwearStreetwear and merch drops
Minimum order20 units5 units5 units10 units5 units50 units
ColoursPriced per colour; most jobs use 1 to 4 coloursNo colour limit; gradients and photos are fineNo colour limit; gradients and photos are fineNo colour limit; gradients and photographs are suitableThread colours matched from a chart; priced by stitch countDepends on the finish; ask us for the current range
How it feelsInk sits on the surface, so heavier coverage feels slightly raisedVery soft: the ink soaks into the fibres instead of sitting on topSmooth and flexible; a thin layer sits on top of the fabricNo raised ink layer on compatible polyester fabric; the colour is part of the surfaceTextured and slightly raised, with a stiffer feel under the logoTextured: raised (puff) or smooth and reflective (foil, metallic)
DurabilityExcellent: the toughest option for repeat washingGood, though not as tough as screen printing over many washesVery good on most fabricsExcellent on compatible substrates; the design will not crack or peelOutstanding: stitching outlasts most garmentsGood with careful washing; avoid high heat
Setup$63 setup per colour (screens), reusable for repeat orders at half price with the same artwork$63 one-off file-prep fee, half price on repeat orders with the same artwork$63 one-off file-prep fee, half price on repeat orders with the same artwork$118 one-off file-prep fee, half price on repeat orders with the same artwork$73 one-off digitising fee, half price on repeat orders with the same artworkExtra setup for the effect layer, on top of the base print's setup
Price guideFrom $1.50 per print at volume (ex GST); depends on garment, colours and quantityFrom $7.90 per print (ex GST); no per-colour setup, depends on garment and quantityFrom $2.90 per print (ex GST); no per-colour setup, depends on garment and quantityFrom $27.90 per item (ex GST); depends on product, print area and quantityFrom $3.90 per item (ex GST); depends on stitch count and quantityFrom $3 per layer (ex GST), added on top of the base print's price

Where it's used

Products suited to embroidery

  • Hoodies & Sweatshirts: custom printed in Australia

    Hoodies & Sweatshirts

    Heavyweight, cosy and made to be worn on repeat.

    Screen PrintingDTG Printing
    from$34.00/unitex GST
  • Polos & Workwear: custom printed in Australia

    Polos & Workwear

    Sharp, embroidered uniforms for staff and trades.

    EmbroideryDTF Printing
    from$24.00/unitex GST
  • Caps & Headwear: custom printed in Australia

    Caps & Headwear

    Embroidered caps and beanies with your logo front and centre.

    EmbroiderySpecialty Finishes
    from$11.50/unitex GST
  • Hi-Vis & Uniforms: custom printed in Australia

    Hi-Vis & Uniforms

    Hi-vis and workwear branded for the job site.

    Screen PrintingDTF Printing
    from$30.00/unitex GST

Questions

Embroidery FAQs

Embroidery suits bold, simple logos. Very small text (under roughly 5 mm tall), thin lines and gradients don't stitch well, so we'll suggest a simplified version if your logo needs it.

PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, AI or EPS, up to 20 MB. Vector files (SVG, AI, EPS or PDF) give the sharpest result because they scale without losing quality.

The minimum depends on the print method: 20 units for screen printing, 10 for sublimation, and 5 for DTG, DTF and embroidery (specialty finishes, an add-on, need 50). If you need fewer, ask us; we'll tell you what's possible.

Related methods

You might also consider

  • Close-up of a gold foil finish

    Specialty Finishes

    Puff, foil and metallic effects that make a design stand out.

    • Streetwear and merch drops
    • Hero pieces and limited runs
    How it works and what it costs
  • Ink being pulled across a screen with a squeegee

    Screen Printing

    The workhorse for bold, hard-wearing prints in bulk.

    • Runs of 25 pieces or more
    • Logos and bold graphics (1 to 4 colours)
    How it works and what it costs

Ready to print with embroidery?

Upload your artwork, tell us what you need, and we'll send a free digital proof and a firm price.

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