Embroidery vs screen printing: the right method for your uniforms
Durability, cost, garment rules and the honest house view — how we choose between thread and ink for Sydney teams.
Pick the wrong decoration method and you find out the hard way — usually by the third wash, when the print cracks on a work tee or the stitching puckers a light polo. Both methods have jobs they were born for. Here's how we choose between them at our Moorebank studio, for crews across Liverpool, Casula and Western Sydney.
Two methods, two different animals
- Embroidery is thread. A digitised file drives a machine that lays down thousands of stitches. The result is a raised, textured logo stitched into the garment itself — it can't peel, crack or wash out. Done right, it outlasts the shirt.
- Screen printing is ink. Ink is pushed through a fine mesh — one screen per colour — then cured into the fabric. It sits flatter, handles big bold art brilliantly, and is the most economical way to run a batch of tees.
- Why it matters. A large gradient-heavy graphic stitched in thread turns muddy; a small chest logo printed in ink is usually the first thing to fade on a hi-vis. Match the method to the job and either one lasts years.
What each method actually costs
- Embroidery. One-off digitising fee per logo (modest for a simple chest design), then a steady per-item price that barely moves between 5 shirts and 50. Re-orders are the cheap part — the file is already digitised.
- Screen printing. Per-colour screen set-up on the first run, then a per-unit price that drops sharply with quantity. Big one- and two-colour tee runs are where print wins on price; every extra colour adds cost.
- The honest bit. Exact pricing depends on stitch count, print size and garment choice — a quote is exact, this is just the shape of it.
Side by side: the honest comparison
First, the fabric rule that saves re-orders: embroidery suits structured fabrics — polo piqué, canvas, caps; screen print suits smooth cotton tees. Stitch a dense logo onto stretchy fabric and it puckers; print across a polo's texture and it sits patchy.
| Embroidery | Screen print | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Raised, textured, premium | Flat, bold, sharp edges |
| Feel | Sits on the surface, adds slight weight | Ink bonds into the fabric |
| Durability | Outlasts the garment — 100+ washes | Years with cool washes; can crack under hard abrasion |
| Best on | Polos, caps, hi-vis, jackets, work shirts | Tees, event shirts, fundraisers, big graphics |
| Price behaviour | Steady per item, any quantity | Drops sharply with volume |
| Size limit | Small-to-mid logos shine; large fills get heavy | Poster-sized prints, no problem |
The CRINO house view
- Polos: embroidered. A left-chest logo in thread reads premium at the front counter and survives industrial washing.
- Tees: printed. Bold, light and cheapest at volume — sports teams, events, fundraisers.
- Hi-vis: either works. Thread looks sharpest; ink is lighter on hot sites. Either way it goes on the chest, never over the reflective tape.
- Caps: always embroidered. Six-panel caps don't hold a print.
- One garment, both methods. An embroidered chest logo with a printed back graphic is a common combo for crews.
Make it last
Whichever method you choose, washing habits decide how it ages: cool washes, inside out, skip the tumble dryer — the full routine is in our guide to caring for printed and embroidered uniforms. We also keep your digitised embroidery file and print-ready art on file at Moorebank, so re-ordering for new staff is a one-email job.
FAQs
One, for both methods. A single embroidered polo or one printed tee is no problem — you just carry the full set-up on that first piece, which is why per-item pricing improves with quantity.
Yes, and it's common: an embroidered chest logo with a printed back graphic, or printed numbers with an embroidered crest. We plan the placement so neither process interferes with the other.
Embroidery. Thread keeps a small chest logo crisp for the life of the shirt. Placement stays on the chest — never over the reflective tape.
Plenty — threads are changed per colour and the count is locked in at digitising. Photographic gradients suit print better; solid brand colours suit thread.
Kitting out a Sydney crew? See our branded apparel and uniforms, browse printing for Chipping Norton and the south-west, or pick up garments direct in the CRINO shop.
Not sure which method? Send us your logo.
We'll tell you honestly what we'd choose for your garments — and quote both if it's genuinely close. From our Moorebank studio, delivered Sydney-wide.