How long should it take to get an order of logo embroidered apparel?

We live in a “get it now” society.  Many things can be downloaded from the Internet instantly.  Orders from many companies can be shipped the same or next day. Amazon has changed and is changing the way we order merchandise and how quickly we get it.

With all of that, it begs the question of how long it takes to get an order of logo embroidered apparel. As with most things, the answer is more complicated than the question.  But we can make it very simple for you to understand.

The biggest reason is logo embroidered apparel takes longer to create-the fact everything is custom made.  Every order that leaves Thread Logic is different because it has a different logo embroidered on it.  Many companies the sell the same product, when an order is placed, they simply pull it off the shelf in the warehouse, package it and ship it out.

But because we have to embroider your order with your logo, it would be impossible for us make your custom logo embroidered shirts ahead of time and pull them off the shelf and ship them when and order is placed.

The second reason revolves around cost control and logistics reasons.  We don’t inventory any product.  When an order is placed, we have to then order those specific shirts from the supplier.  While we are able to get those orders in 1 to 3 days, that still takes some time.

Not carrying an inventory saves us a lot of money and allows us keep our prices down.   Can you imagine if we had to carry every style in every size and color?  Wow, that would be a lot of shirts and a lot of extra costs.

The final reason it can take days to ship out an order is production time.  It takes time to receive, sort and prepare garments for logo embroidery even before they are embroidered.  Then it takes some time to make sure the logo is going to embroider on the shirts exactly the way you want it to.

At Thread Logic, we are shipping orders of custom embroidered logo apparel in 8 to 10 business days.  In this industry that is better than average.  Some companies are able to do it a little faster and most not as fast.  In fact, almost every day we hear from customers who regularly have to wait 4 weeks or more for their order.

We work very hard to create processes and procedures that keep an order moving through the system as quickly as possible.  Yes, when compared to ordering non-custom products, the turnaround time for custom logo embroidered apparel can be longer.  But when compared with other companies providing this service, we are doing it faster than most.

What’s the difference between sleeve types on a polo shirt?

It’s not the kind of question one asks every day.  But as fashion trends come and go, the finish on the sleeve of a polo shirt has really brought some attention to those seeking custom logo embroidered apparel.

There are basically two ways to finish a short sleeve on a golf shirt.  For years, a very popular way to finish the has been with a band.

Let’s start with a clarification.  This is a picture of a banded sleeve.  You can see a small band of material is attached at the end of the sleeve that finishes off the sleeve.

The banded sleeve has been around for decades.  It has been the most popular style for finishing off a polo shirt.

The advantage of a banded sleeve is that is finishes off the sleeve.  It creates a uniform look around the arm.

Recently, customers have been asking for short sleeve golf shirts that are finished with a simple hem on the sleeve.

In this picture you can see how a hemmed sleeve it different.  In this case, the shirt maker extended the length of the sleeve, folded that extra material under the sleeve and finished it off with a sewn hem.

The hemmed sleeve is less constrictive, creates a more open look.  As hemmed sleeves first became available, they were mostly found on higher quality golf shirts.  But shirt makers are now introducing them on golf shirts of all price points because buyers have requested it.

The difference in these sleeve styles really comes down to personal preference.  Is there any real difference in performance? No.  It is more about the look you like and the comfort of the shirt.

What is a sandwich bill cap?

A baseball style cap makes for a great palate in which to embroider and display your logo.  Behind polo shirts, logo embroidered baseball caps are the most popular style of apparel we sell at Thread Logic.

Baseball caps come in a number of different styles, shapes and color combinations anyone of which could make a good place to have your logo embroidered.  Like shirts, styles of baseball caps do come and go.

One of the most popular styles of baseballcaps today is known as the sandwich bill cap.  The sandwich bill cap has been around for a few years and are made in both structured and unstructured style caps.

The sandwich bill is fairly easy to define.  It basically is what it sounds like.  There is a piece of material, usually a different color, that is “sandwiched” between the material that makes up the top and bottom of the bill.  Here is a great picture of one.

The sandwich bill doesn’t serve any real purpose except that of fashion and style.  One of the advantages of a sandwich bill cap is that addition of color for the bill.  When paired with a logo color, it creates a very coordinated and professional look.

There are a number of different color combinations available to fit the needs of almost any logo to be embroidered on them.

The sandwich bill caps generally cost slightly more than a regular style baseball cap.  But there is real value in that increased cost.

Next time you are looking for a different way to present your logo embroidered on a cap, consider a sandwich bill.

What’s the difference between a constructed and an unconstructed cap?

In every product description on our website Thread Logic related to caps, you will see the one of these two terms; constructed or unconstructed. You will also sometimes see the terms “structured” and “unstructured”.   It is one of the most commonly used terms to describe a cap style and it is also some of the most questioned.

Customers always ask us what those terms mean when it comes to caps with logo embroidery.

The answer is actually fairly simple to understand. 

In a constructed cap, there is a piece of material called buckram that is placed in the crown of the cap and it helps the crown hold its shape.   One of the most common examples is that of a baseball style cap.  

The crown in this cap has a distinct shape.  The buckram holds the crown up giving it a more formal or uniform look.

In an unconstructed cap, that piece of the buckram is not used.  Therefore, the crown of the cap is lays more flat against the forehead.  It is a less formal or more casual look for a cap.  Some people call these floppy caps.

Constructed caps are great if you are looking for a more formal, uniform or athletic look for your company logo.

Unconstructed caps tend to be more casual and informal looking.  People also seem to really like the way these caps fit on their head.  That’s why you will see more people wearing unconstructed caps than constructed one. 

At Thread Logic, we sell way more unconstructed caps than we do constructed ones.

As you can see the logo embroidered cap you chose has a lot to do with the kind of look you are trying to achieve.  We also recommend thinking about who will be wearing the cap.  Are they more likely and/or comfortable wearing a certain style?  Very few women wear constructed caps outside of an athletic team so you may take that into consideration as well.

Either way, embroidered caps are very functional and a great way to promote your company or organization with beautiful logo embroidery.

How Big Will My Embroidered Logo Be?

That is a question we often get asked when someone is interested in buying custom logo embroidered apparel from us at Thread Logic.  And it is a very good question. 

If you want your logo embroidered on the left chest of a shirt, size matters, right?  Too big and it will out of proportion and goofy on the shirt.  Too small and it may not be easily seen or read by the people you want to see it.

The answer of course is more complicated than it first appears but in this post I will try and explain two quick ways you can see what sized your logo might end up being.

First of all, there is no real standard size for every embroidered logo.  And that is simply because every logo is different and must be treated differently.  However there are some guidelines that can help you understand how big a logo will be on a shirt.

Because nearly all of the logos we embroider on the left chest of apparel, we will concentrate on that application.  Obviously if the application is a full front or full back, the discussion is very different.

The Logo Shape

The final size of an embroidered logo can depends a great deal on shape of the logo.  For example, we approach logos that are a circle shape differently than ones that are more horizontal or vertical.  By the nature of their shape, circle logos look bigger because the cover more area. 

Therefore, we usually recommend circle logos be sized to 2.5 inches in diameter.   At that size, the elements are generally big enough to embroider well and the circle image still doesn’t look out of proportion on the left chest of a shirt.

The America’s Best Companies is a good example of a circle shaped logo.

The Moss Landing logo is more of a square shape.  A square shape can appear very large

because of the area it covers.  Therefore, we need to be careful not to make it too big.  In the case of logos that have more a square shape, we like to keep them at about 3 inches wide or less.  Anymore and they don’t look good.

Business Card Size

Most everyone is familiar with the size of a business card.  If you are looking for a quick and dirty definition of logo size, this is the one.  Most logos, either horizontal or vertical in orientation end up about the size of a business card.  The standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches.

When asked this question, I have even recommended that people take a business card and put it to their left chest so they can get an idea of how large a logo will be.

The Chocolate Pink logo is a good example of a logo that is about the size of a business card.

Too Big

We have found that any logo that is over 4 inches long or 4 inches tall is too big for the left chest of a shirt.  Not only does it look out of proportion, but larger than 4 inches wide and it starts to dive into the arm pit-which never looks good.

As you can see, answering the question about logo size may not be as easy as it first appears.  Hopefully we have helped you answer this question and therefore make a more educated decision about your embroidered logo apparel purchase.

The Smallest Element

When considering what size to embroider a logo, we first consider the smallest elements in the logo.  Embroidery has its limitations.  Putting thread on material is different from ink on paper. 

So we look at how big we need to make the smallest elements in the logo so they embroider well then adjust the size of the overall image to reflect that.

This method works well in some cases.  In others, the smallest elements are so small that if we adjusted the size so they would embroider well, the logo would blow up to a point that it would be too big for the left chest of a shirt.

In those cases, the smallest elements may be to be adjusted or eliminated so the logo will embroider cleanly and not be too big.

Embroidery vs. Screen Printing

There are a number of methods to decorate apparel but by far the two most common are embroidery and screen printing (aka silk screen or serigraphic).  However, they are very different in terms of their application, benefits and situations in which you would use one over the other.

Embroidery is basically defined as decorating fabric using a needle and thread.  Screen printing is a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance, and ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface, usually a t-shirt.

An logo embroidered directly
on a polo shirt material.

At Thread Logic, we do a form of direct embroidery on all logo apparel.  Direct embroidery is where the design or logo is woven or sewn directly into the material of the garment.  The embroidered design essentially becomes part of the material.  You might contrast direct embroidery with something like a patch where the logo is embroidered on a piece of material first and then the patch is placed on top of and merely attached to a garment.

There are three major ways to compare and contrast embroidery and screen printing-how they look, how much each costs, and the applications for best using each method.

How They Look

In general, embroidery is considered a nicer and classier way to present a design.  An embroidered logo looks very nice and classy on the left chest of a shirt.  It is the preferred way to decorate a shirt with a logo by many companies.  Because thread has dimension, an embroidered logo ends up being three dimensional.  In addition, embroidery thread is coated and therefore has a sheen that helps the colors pop to attention.

A design screen printed on a t-shirt.

Screen printed designs look like they were painted or printed with an ink-jet printer on a shirt.  It is possible with screen printing to create designs or certain looks that could not be recreated in thread and embroidery.  The designs can be very colorful, but are one dimensional.  In general, screen printed items are considered by many to be less valuable and not as nice as embroidery.est of a shirt.  It is the preferred way to decorate a shirt with a logo by many companies.  Because thread has dimension, an embroidered logo ends up being three dimensional.  In addition, embroidery thread is coated and therefore has a sheen that helps the colors pop to attention.

The Best Applications

Logo embroidery is used most often for apparel that will be used for uniforms or promotions.  Millions of companies across the United States wear logo embroidered shirts to identify and promote their company logos and image.  Most embroidered logos are done on the left chest and look really good on polo shirts, button-down shirts, caps and hats, sweatshirts, jackets and bags.

Screen printed designs are usually best done on t-shirts and sweatshirts.  One reason for that is the finish on a t-shirt or sweatshirt is smooth and therefore provides a nice surface on which the ink can be applied.

If you need to do a large full-front or full-back design on a t-shirt for example, screen printing is the best choice.  Putting a large embroidered design on a t-shirt would spell disaster for both the shirt and the embroidered design.  The t-shirt material is too thin to properly hold all the embroidery stitches it would take to create a large design.  It would not look good or last very long.

Embroidery and screen printing are equally durable.  Often times, these decoration methods will outlast the garment they are printed on.

How Much They Cost

Pricing for each decoration method involves a number of variables that one should consider ahead of time.  Embroidery is most often priced by stitch count.  That is the number of stitches it takes to create a design in embroidery.  More stitches equal more cost.

However, at Thread Logic, we created a flat pricing structure that includes the embroidery in the cost of the garment to simplify the pricing process for our customers.

The pricing for screen printing is completely different.  It is driven by three variables including the number of shirts, the number of colors in the design and the number of different locations (i.e. front and back) printed on a shirt.

The more shirts you have to print, the lower the printing cost per shirt.  However, more colors in a design drives up the printing cost.  Similarly, if you want a design on the front of a shirt and one on the back, that also adds cost to the item.

Hopefully we have been able to provide some basic information about the difference between embroidery and screen printing.  Both decoration methods have their advantages and disadvantages.  If you have any additional questions, please contact us for more information.

What does ‘preshrunk’ mean?

One of the challenges we all face when choosing a shirt to wear is the sizing and fit.  An important consideration in that decision is any potential shrinkage of the material.  We have all bought logo embroidered shirts, washed and dried them only to have them shrink up to the point where we can’t wear them anymore.  That can be very frustrating not be mention expensive.

In the not-so-distant past in fact, it was common place to buy a t-shirt or polo shirt that was a size too big knowing it would shrink down to a size that would fit.  Thankfully, those days are long past.  The good news is technology has caught up significantly with this problem.

One of those technological advances is the ability for manufacturers to “pre-shrink” material in order to address that issue.  For many of the products on our website and the websites of others, you will see the term “pre-shrunk” used in the product description.

Fabric, either natural or synthetic, innately wants to shrink when washed.  Pre-shrunk fabric is not washed and dried as the name may imply, but put through a machine that pushes the fibers tightly together, condensing the fabric by removing the space between the stitches.   In essence, it replicates the shrinking process.

In theory, the practice seems ideal to eliminate sizing guess-work. However, If you understand the technical part, you know that pre-shrunk means they’ve taken most of the shrinkage out.  But that can be misleading for some people.  Pre-shrunk can imply that the garment will not shrink at all when it is washed.

That assumption is incorrect. Most every fabric will shrink, on average 3 to 7 percent depending on the type.  Even if it says the fabric is preshrunk, there will still be some shrinkage when it is washed.  However, shrinkage of 3 to 7 percent is not something most of us would even notice when it comes to fit.

So the bottom line is next time you see the word pre-shrunk or shrink resistant know that it means a majority of the shrinkage has been take out of the material.  You will see that mostly in loose knit shirts like polo shirts that are made of 100% cotton. Therefore, you can be confident that you will not need to get a size larger to account for any shrinkage.

How hard is it to remove an embroidered logo from a shirt?

This is another question that gets asked of us often.  There are a couple scenarios where this question comes up.  The two most common are people who have a shirt they love, but it has a logo on it that they really don’t care for.

The second scenario is a company already has some logo embroidered shirts but now they have changed the name of their business or logo and want to put the new image on shirts they already have without buying new ones.

In both of those cases, it is logical to assume one option would be to remove the undesirable logo and/or replace it with a different one.

Well, as is true with many things, it is not always as easy as it may appear.

Most logos are embroidered onto shirts using a method called direct embroidery.  With the direct embroidery method, the logo is actually sewn into the material of the shirt.  The embroidered logo becomes part of the shirt or the item it is applied to.

The goal is to remove the logo without damaging the shirt or item.

Therefore removing a logo cleanly can be problematic.

This is not to say removing a logo cannot be done, it can.  But the definition of how successful one can be in removing a logo is based on a number of factors.  The first is the stability of the shirt material it is sewn onto.  Cotton knit and twill shirts work better than polyester knit shirts for example.  The second factor is the logo design itself.  If it is an image with a lot of small text and details, it is less likely the logo can be removed without damaging the shirt.

The next problem is related to the fact that thousands of holes were created in the shirt material when that logo was embroidered.  Depending on the shirt material, those holes will remain in the material after the embroidery is removed.

If you were planning on embroidering another logo onto that shirt, that certainly helps.  Now you have a chance of covering up those holes.  But if you were just going to remove that logo, chances are really good you will be able to see those holes left by the embroidery of the first logo.

Finally, it can be very time consuming to sit and pick out an embroidered logo.  How long it takes can depend on your skill level and the tools you have available.  But there is a good chance you could spend some significant time doing it and still ruin the shirt to the point where it is not wearable.

As you can see, it is really not very easy to remove an embroidered logo.  It can be done, but it is not easy and there is a good chance you will ruin the shirt in the process.  Our best advice, don’t try it.

What is “Pique” and how is it pronounced?

It happens almost on a daily basis.  A customer calls with a question about a polo shirt they want to use for their embroidered logo.  Invariably the shirt has the word “pique” in it and they stumble trying to pronounce it.

That is really easy to understand.  It’s one of those words that have no obvious pronunciation.  When I first started in the business I didn’t know how to pronounce it correctly either.

It seems like a small thing, but being able to pronounce a particular word properly is a basic part of having a conversation with someone.  It makes communication between two people easier and improves the chances that both parties completely understand each other.

We have heard a lot of different attempts from people who try and pronounce it.  Most often the attempts center around two variations, they are “peak” and “pick”.

Webster’s dictionary lists the pronunciation as “\pi-ˈkā, ˈpē-\”.  As in “pi-kay” or “pee-kay”.

Pique refers to a weaving style, normally used with cotton yarn, which is characterized by raised parallel cords or fine ribbing.  It creates a fine textured surface that appears similar to a waffle weave.  Commonly used for polo shirts.

This is a detailed picture of a pique knit weave.  You can see the parallel cords and who it give the weave a 3 dimensional quality.

A vast majority of golf or polo shirts sold on the market today feature a pique weave.  It has proven very popular in style and durability for decades.

Over the years the logo embroidered golf polo shirt has become a favorite giveaway in many corporate events, and is a fashion style that can be worn with jeans, shorts and slacks.

So now you can dazzle your friends with a Cliff Clavin moment the next time you get into a conversation with them about pique knit polo shirts.