Kitting out a team in embroidered workwear looks simple until you are staring at 40 garment codes, three thread colours and a deadline. This guide walks through everything a UK business needs to specify, price and order custom embroidered workwear properly — garment choice, logo setup, placement, sizing, turnaround and the small decisions that quietly decide whether a uniform looks sharp after fifty washes.
Why embroidery beats print for workwear
Screen print sits on top of the fabric; embroidery is stitched into it. On garments that get washed weekly, dragged through vans and worn in the rain, that difference matters. Embroidered logos do not crack, peel or fade, and they read as more premium on polos, softshells and fleeces. Print still wins for large back graphics, photographic artwork and very fine gradient detail — which is why most uniforms end up using both: an embroidered chest logo and a printed back panel.
When to choose print instead
- Artwork wider than roughly 25cm, such as a full back panel.
- Photographic images or complex colour blends.
- Very lightweight technical fabrics where stitching would pucker.
- One-off event tees where cost per unit matters more than lifespan.
Choosing the right garment
Start with the environment, not the catalogue. A groundworks crew and a dental practice need opposite things from the same budget.
Outdoor and site teams
Hi-vis vests and jackets to the relevant class, softshells for shoulder seasons, and heavyweight fleeces for winter. Look for reinforced stitching at stress points and cuffs that survive gloves.
Office, retail and hospitality
Piqué polos in 200–220gsm hold their shape and take embroidery cleanly. Lighter 180gsm polos are cheaper but distort more easily around a dense logo.
Healthcare
Scrub sets with embroidered names and titles help patients identify staff instantly. Our healthcare range covers women's and men's cuts in ward-appropriate colours.
Logo setup, stitch counts and what you actually pay for
Embroidery pricing has two parts. The first is digitising — converting your logo into a stitch file that tells the machine where every needle drop goes. That is a one-off setup cost per logo. The second is the per-garment run cost, which scales with stitch count rather than physical size: a dense filled circle costs more to stitch than an open line-drawn wordmark of the same width.
| Cost element | Typical basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Logo digitising | One-off setup fee | Not charged again when you reuse a logo already on file |
| Per-garment embroidery | Stitch count | Simplify fine detail to reduce it |
| Personalised names | Per garment | Priced by character band |
| Printed back number | £6 per garment | Adults and kids jerseys alike |
Two practical tips. Send vector artwork (AI, EPS, SVG or a high-resolution PDF) wherever possible — a 200px JPEG pulled off a website forces guesswork on edges. And check the smallest legible text in your logo: anything under about 5mm tall tends to close up in thread, so it is usually better to drop a strapline than to stitch it illegibly.
Placement: the detail people notice
Standard left-chest placement sits roughly 20cm down from the shoulder seam and 8–10cm in from the centre. But garment cut changes everything — a women's-fit polo, a kids jersey and a men's softshell all need different offsets to look centred on the body rather than centred on the flat fabric. That is exactly why our live customiser lets you nudge placement freely rather than snapping to fixed positions.
Common placements
- Left chest — the default for logos and crests.
- Right chest — usually the wearer's name, opposite the logo.
- Sleeve — secondary marks, accreditations or sponsors.
- Upper back / nape — job role, department or team name.
Sizing a whole team without the reorders
The single biggest source of waste in a uniform order is guessed sizing. Circulate measurements before you buy, allow for layering on outdoor roles, and remember that kids and baby sizes run by age band rather than chest measurement. Full adult, children and baby measurements are on our jersey size guide, which lists chest sizes rounded to the larger inch so nobody ends up between two sizes.
Turnaround, reorders and keeping the look consistent
Ask for a dispatch date in writing when you place the order. The real time sink is approval, not stitching — so nominate one decision maker for artwork sign-off. Because we keep your digitised file on record, a new starter next March gets the identical logo at the same position with no repeat setup fee, which is what keeps a uniform looking like a uniform two years in.
Care: making embroidered kit last
- Wash at 30°C, inside out, on a normal cycle.
- Skip fabric softener on technical fabrics — it clogs wicking finishes.
- Never iron directly onto stitching; press from the reverse with a cloth.
- Air dry where possible; repeated hot tumble drying shrinks cotton around the stitch block.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for embroidered workwear?
There is no minimum — you can order a single polo. Per-unit cost falls as quantity rises because the setup fee is spread across the run.
Can I mix garment types in one order?
Yes. Polos, fleeces, softshells and hi-vis can all carry the same logo in one order, and the setup fee is charged once.
Do you handle bulk and team orders?
We do — request a bulk quote with your quantities and we will price the full spec, including mixed sizes and multiple placements.
Can you embroider retro jerseys too?
Yes. Crests, names and printed back numbers are available across our retro jersey range in adult, children and baby sizes.
Ready to spec your kit?
Upload your logo, position it exactly where you want it and see the result before you commit — start in the customiser, or talk to us if you would like help choosing garments for a mixed team.