Printing your logo on a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, a cap or a mug is one of the best ways to make it live. It is also one of the materials where technical constraints are felt most: a logo designed for screen can give a disappointing result if it isn't adapted to the process chosen.

The main processes and their constraints

  • Screen printing: ink applied through a screen, in flat colours. Excellent for runs, but the number of colours counts in the price, and gradients can't be reproduced.
  • Digital textile printing or transfer: more flexible for multiple colours, gradients and small runs.
  • Embroidery: solid-colour threads, so no gradients, limited fine detail, and letters that must stay large enough to be legible.
  • Engraving and laser marking (objects, metal, wood): generally a single tone, with strokes thick enough.
  • Sublimation (mugs, some textiles): colour rendering, depending on the material and background colour.

Simplifying the logo for the process

It is common to have to adapt the logo: thicken very fine strokes, remove tiny details, replace a gradient with flat colours, reduce the number of colours. That's why you should plan a simplified version and a one-colour version from the design stage. See monochrome logo: why a single colour and can you use a gradient in a logo.

The files to supply

  • A vector file, the basis of every process. See which file formats to request for a logo.
  • Fonts converted to outlines.
  • The colour references the supplier asks for (for example reference shades for screen printing).
  • The version adapted to the process (one colour, flat colours, thickened strokes).

Traps to avoid

  • The garment colour: a dark logo on a dark garment disappears; plan a light version.
  • Size and placement: a logo too small is illegible, too big it overwhelms. Ask for the usual dimensions of the position.
  • Minimum quantities: some processes require a minimum number of pieces.
  • Colour rendering: ask for a sample or a preview before a run.

Approve before producing

Always ask for a proof to approve (often called a "print proof") before production. It is the last chance to check the colours, size, placement and spelling. For other materials, see also packaging: why it influences your sales (in French).

Frequently asked questions about printing a logo on clothing and objects

Can you embroider any logo?
No. Embroidery reproduces fine detail, small text and gradients badly. The logo has to be simplified and adapted in number of colours and stroke thickness by the embroiderer.

What is a print proof?
A preview of the result that the supplier has you approve before production. It is the last chance to check colours, size, placement and spelling.

More questions about logo design

How Do You Use Your Logo on a Business Card and Company Stationery?
Supply a vector file, place the logo consistently with a margin, and check size and colours on a printed test. Read the article →

How Do You Add Your Logo to Your Website?
Favour SVG, with a transparent PNG as backup, a mobile version and a favicon, and add alt text. Read the article →

What Are Logo Usage Guidelines?
It is the document that sets the logo's rules of use: versions, clear space, minimum size, colours, backgrounds and no-nos. Read the article →

What Should You Do With Old Materials When You Change Your Logo?
Take stock of your materials, change digital on launch day and print as it's renewed, limiting how long the two logos coexist. Read the article →

What File Formats Should I Request for a Logo So I Can Use It Across Different Materials?
A professional logo should be delivered as a vector file (SVG, PDF, EPS) for print, plus PNG and JPG exports for the web. Read the article →

How Do I Measure the Impact of a New Logo on My Brand's Recognition?
A new logo's impact is measured through recognition, perception and indirect signals, observed over 3 to 6 months. Read the article →

What Are the Key Elements of a Professional, Memorable Logo?
A good logo combines five qualities: simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and relevant to the business. Read the article →

See all questions about logo design →

My take as a designer

Textiles are a material where a well-prepared logo saves a lot of time and money: a one-colour version, strokes thick enough, a clean vector file. When these exist, the supplier has almost nothing to adapt; otherwise it all goes back to the designer.

A logo designed for textiles is recognised by the fact it survives embroidery.

To sum up

Each process has its constraints: limited colours in screen printing, no fine detail in embroidery, a single tone in engraving.

Start from a vector file and a simplified version of the logo, adapted to the process.

Approve a proof before launching production.