Embroidery best practices

Looking to create embroidered products for your shop? Here's what you need to know to get the best results when using embroidery.

This guide outlines the process of creating embroidered products for your shop, from selecting the right blanks to designing artwork that is embroidery-friendly and ordering samples.

General guidelines

• Use transparent backgrounds in your design files. Any background graphics may be digitized as part of the design.
• Consider the available thread colors (max. of 6 per design).
• Avoid thin lines. Detail thickness must be at least 0.05" (or 4 pt).
• Minimum text height: 0.3" for uppercase, 0.25" for lowercase.
• Stay under the max stitch count of 15,000 stitches for standard embroidery areas (typically 4" × 4").
• For apparel that supports large embroidery, you can design up to 10" × 6", with no fixed stitch limit (just note that overly complex, high-stitch designs may still be flagged for review).
• Avoid:
  • Gradients (use solid color breaks)
  • Photographic images
  • Fine negative space (unless absolutely necessary)

Choose the right blank

Some products are easier to embroider than others. Embroidery works best on heavier fabrics like heavyweight t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. Lightweight fabrics tend to underperform because embroidery stitching is physically heavier than the fabric itself, causing it to pull the material and sit awkwardly on the garment.

Example: Hats

Here's a breakdown of popular hat types and how they work with embroidery:

Hat type	Description	Embroidery notes
Snapbacks	High profile, 5 or 6 panels, flat brim, adjustable back	High profile allows for taller designs
Bucket hats	Sloped brim, wider surface area	Large, high-profile area (great for embroidery)
Trucker hats	Flat brim, mesh back, tall dome	High front profile supports larger embroidery
Dad hats	Rounded brim, low profile	Best for small logos or lettering due to limited space
Beanies	Brimless, cuffed	Ideal for simple text and small logos on the cuffed area
Visors	Crownless, with only the brim	Very small area (best for minimal designs like emotes or initials)

Make your design embroidery-friendly

Embroidery is different from printing. A design that looks great in DTG (direct-to-garment) printing may not translate well to stitching.

Keep it simple

Avoid high-detail or distressed textures like the example below. Clean, bold designs with solid shapes work best. Thin or overly complex graphics may lose clarity or be rejected.

Think in stitches

• For flat embroidery:
  • Minimum shape thickness: 0.05" (1.3 mm)
  • Use satin stitch for elements between 0.05" and 0.5"
  • Use tatami stitch for anything over 0.5"

Avoid gradients and photos

Embroidery can't replicate photographic images or smooth gradients. Stick to solid color breaks.

Aim for symmetry

A symmetrical design is easier to align and center on hats, shirts, or other gear.

Thread color limitations

You can use up to 6 thread colors per design from a palette of 15 available options.

That said, don't use all 6 just because you can. Curate your palette so every color enhances the overall design. Too many competing colors can look muddy or unfocused once stitched.

note

Why extra thread colors may appear on your embroidery setup

In some cases, you may see additional thread colors (such as gray or gold) appear during embroidery setup, even if your original design only uses a few colors and has a transparent background. This can happen during the embroidery digitization process, where the system interprets certain shapes, joins, or stitch structures as needing separate thread instructions.

These colors are system-generated and are not always editable or removable within the product designer. If this happens, you can try simplifying overlapping shapes, increasing spacing between elements, or re-uploading a revised version of your artwork.

Placement limitations

Some product areas may not support embroidery due to their structure or fabric type. Embroidery requires a flat, stable surface so the machine can secure the fabric in a hoop and stitch cleanly. Areas with seams, folds, or multiple fabric layers (such as pockets, collars, or near zippers) can’t be embroidered because the surface isn’t even or accessible to the machine.

For best results, use approved embroidery zones like the chest, sleeve, or hat front where the fabric is smooth and consistent.

Create your embroidery file

Embroidery machines interpret designs differently than printers do. That's why you should design with embroidery rules in mind from the start.

• Design spacing

  • Maintain 0.05" spacing between design elements for clean stitching.

• Text sizing (Avoid using font size points. Use actual height measurements.)

  • Uppercase letters must be at least 0.3" tall
  • Lowercase letters must be at least 0.25" tall

• Line thickness

  • Any lines thinner than 0.05" are too thin for embroidery.

How to check design thickness and text height

To ensure your design meets embroidery specifications, you can use Adobe Illustrator to check both line thickness and font height manually.

Step 1 - Set up your file with actual product dimensions

Start by creating your design in a file that matches the actual dimensions of the product you're embroidering on.

Step 2 - Create a reference square for line thickness

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a square that is exactly 0.05" x 0.05". This square represents the minimum thickness your design elements need for embroidery.

If you're having trouble setting the exact size, you can enter the measurements manually in the top menu bar in Illustrator.

Step 3 - Use the reference square to inspect your design

Drag the square around your design to compare it against each stroke or element. If any lines or shapes are thinner than the square, they may not embroider clearly and should be adjusted.

Also, check the spacing between each element. Spacing between parts of the design should be at least 0.05" to avoid blending or unclear stitching.

How to check your font size by measuring the actual height

Fonts vary in size even at the same point size, so don't rely on font settings alone. Instead, use the same reference-square technique to measure height.

Step 1 - Create a square for lowercase letters

Draw a square that's 0.25" x 0.25" and place it next to your lowercase letters. Your text should be equal to or taller than the square.

Step 2 - Create a square for uppercase letters

Draw another square, sized 0.3" x 0.3", and compare it to uppercase letters in your design. They should also meet or exceed this height to ensure legibility in embroidery.

Order Your Samples

Once your file is ready, it’s time to test it out. Here's a guide to help you order pre-production samples and review the final result before you launch.