Prepare a clear, usable logo for custom workwear. Compare decoration methods, artwork files, small-text choices and the checks to make before approval.
Artwork & decoration guide
A logo that looks sharp on a screen still needs to work at its finished size on fabric. A few decisions about detail, colour and placement can make your custom workwear easier to read and easier to produce.
Use this guide when you are creating a new business logo or preparing an existing one for printed uniforms, embroidered polos or branded headwear. Start with the garment and decoration method, then build an artwork file that suits them.
The short version
The same design can need different preparation for print and embroidery. Use these as starting points, then check the selected product’s decoration options. Our Embroidery & Logo Decoration guide explains the available methods and ordering process. For a broader comparison, read how to choose the right logo decoration.
Consider garment DTF for full-colour graphics and detailed logos on compatible fabric. The design is printed onto film and transferred using heat. Check fine details, transparent effects, heat suitability and the feel of larger printed areas.
Consider embroidery for a textured logo on suitable polos, work shirts, jackets and caps. Clear shapes and readable lettering are a useful starting point. Fabric, digitising, thread, backing and the available area all affect the result.
Compare screen printing for a larger run of the same design, especially when it uses fewer colours. Colour count, print positions, artwork and setup affect the quote. Ask for a comparison based on your actual order.
There is no single decoration method that is best for every uniform. A detailed back graphic and a compact chest logo may need different treatments, even within the same order.
Vector artwork is a strong starting point. Send the original AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF if available. These formats can contain scalable shapes, but a PDF or SVG can also contain a low-resolution image. Simply changing a file extension does not improve the artwork.
A website thumbnail, a photo of a business card or an image copied from a message can help identify the design, but may need to be redrawn. If that is all you have, send it for assessment before placing a time-critical order.
Print the artwork on paper at its proposed size, or view it against a ruler. Read the smallest wording without zooming in. A long slogan that works on a large back print may be too crowded in a chest logo.
Use open spacing and uncomplicated letter shapes. Tiny gaps, fine outlines and small lower-case letters need particular attention. Lettering around 3 mm may be possible with suitable lettering, fine thread, digitising and fabric; it is not a guaranteed minimum. Allowing around 5–6 mm or more can be a more practical starting point for readable lettering, but some designs need to be larger. Ask for a stitch-out when small text or colour matching is important.
Thread manufacturer Madeira’s guidance on small lettering explains why finer thread can help. The finished sample on the intended material is more useful than a universal size rule.
Keep isolated dots, narrow lines and small gaps substantial enough for the chosen transfer process. Soft glows and edges that fade into transparency may need a solid edge or another artwork treatment. A colour gradient inside a defined shape is different from a design fading away into clear space.
There is no universal line-width minimum for every DTF system. For example, Transfer Express publishes artwork limits for its own transfer product. Those are not automatically My Promo Shop’s production specifications. Send the final-size file so we can check your chosen application.
A navy logo can disappear on a navy polo. Keep a light and a dark version of your logo where possible, and review each garment colour separately. Screen colours are a reference; printed ink and embroidery thread may look different on the finished fabric.
| Position | Practical check |
|---|---|
| Chest | Keep the business name readable. Check pockets, plackets, seams and the smallest garment size in the order. |
| Back | Confirm the finished width and how the design sits when worn. Consider hoods, yokes, vents and the feel of a large print. |
| Cap | Use a compact design that suits the panel, seams and available embroidery area. Do not assume the chest artwork can be reused unchanged. |
| Hi-vis garment | Check the manufacturer’s decoration limits. Keep required high-visibility material and reflective tape unobstructed. |
Hi-vis and protective garments need an additional suitability check before decoration. Large logos can affect a hi-vis garment’s classification, and embroidery can affect waterproof construction. Read our custom hi-vis workwear buying guide and provide any workplace requirements with your brief.
My Promo Shop’s team manually prepares the mockup for your selected products. You review and approve the artwork before production. Check the following rather than approving only the overall appearance:
A digital mockup shows the proposed layout. It does not reproduce stitch texture, exact colour or the hand-feel of a print. Discuss a physical sample when these details are critical.
Embroidery generally starts from six items for suitable products and artwork, with some product-specific exceptions. Selected printing options may allow smaller quantities. Check the product options or ask us to confirm your brief; setup charges and production timing depend on the order.
Yes, send the best original export available and tell us the intended garment and logo size. Check that the artwork and fonts are suitable for your intended use. We will assess the file rather than assuming every export is production-ready.
Not necessarily. A design digitised for one size and fabric may need adjustment for a different material, cap panel or logo size. Send any existing embroidery file alongside a clear image of the intended logo.
If small details, colour contrast or the decoration area need attention, discuss the proposed adjustments before approving the mockup. Keep an original brand version and approve the production version for the specific order.
Send your logo, product link or code, garment colour, quantities and size breakdown, preferred logo positions and required arrival date. Add any brand rules or workplace requirements that must be followed.
Browse custom polo shirts or compare the AS Colour Heavyweight Pique Polo for embroidery and the AS Colour Classic T-Shirt for a printed design.
Check our decoration services, then send your artwork and brief to sales@mypromoshop.com.au.
Technical references: Madeira small-lettering guidance; Transfer Express artwork preparation guidance; Syzmik’s decoration cautions for hi-vis and wet-weather garments. Final suitability is assessed for the selected garment, artwork and process.
