The Two Main Customisation Methods — Explained Honestly
Every business ordering customised workwear faces the same early decision: screen print or embroider? Both produce great results in the right situation. Both look terrible in the wrong one. The difference comes down to your garment type, your logo design, your wash frequency, and your budget.
Let’s cut through the jargon and give you a straight answer.
What Is Screen Printing?
Screen printing pushes ink directly through a mesh stencil onto the fabric surface. The result is a flat, bold print with vivid colours and sharp edges. It’s fast, cost-effective at volume, and works brilliantly on flat surfaces like t-shirts, hi-vis vests, and tote bags.
Best for: Large back prints, event t-shirts, promotional clothing, high-colour logos, gradients, and photographic designs.
Limitations: Screen prints can crack or fade after heavy washing. They don’t work well on textured or structured fabrics like fleeces or softshells. Each colour in your design requires a separate screen, which increases setup costs for multi-colour logos.
What Is Embroidery?
Embroidery stitches your logo directly into the fabric using industrial thread. The result is a raised, textured logo with a distinctly premium feel. It lasts the life of the garment, survives heavy washing cycles, and communicates quality in a way that printing simply doesn’t.
Best for: Corporate uniforms, hospitality staff, trade workwear, polo shirts, jackets, fleeces, caps. Essentially anything that gets washed regularly and needs to look sharp long-term.
Limitations: Very fine detail and gradients don’t translate well to embroidery. Very large designs become expensive due to high stitch counts. Lightweight fabrics like thin jersey need careful handling to avoid puckering.
Browse our embroidered workwear bundles to see what garments we recommend for embroidery.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Screen Printing | Embroidery |
|---|---|---|
| Durability | Good (fades over time) | Excellent (lasts garment life) |
| Premium feel | Medium | High |
| Best on | Flat fabrics, t-shirts | Most workwear garments |
| Colour range | Unlimited | Large thread palette |
| Fine detail | Excellent | Good (simplified logos better) |
| Cost at volume | Very competitive | Competitive from 10+ items |
Which Should You Choose?
If you’re ordering polo shirts, fleeces, or jackets for a professional team that represents your brand face-to-face with clients, choose embroidery. Every time. The quality difference is tangible and your clients will notice.
If you’re ordering event t-shirts, promotional stock, or garments with large, multi-colour back prints, screen printing is your best value option.
Still not sure? Talk to our team. We’ll look at your logo and your garment choice and give you a straight recommendation — no upsell, no nonsense. Just the right answer for your business.
Ready to order? Browse our full workwear shop and start building your customised uniform today.