Why the Decoration Method Matters
Two identical hoodies can feel like entirely different products depending on how the logo is applied. A crisp embroidered chest logo reads as premium; a cracked, thick print reads as cheap; a soft, flexible print can feel like part of the fabric. Decoration also drives cost and minimum quantities, so the right choice depends on your design, fabric, budget and volume. It should be decided during development, not as an afterthought, because it affects pattern, placement and the final sample you approve. Our garment production process guide shows where decoration fits in the production sequence.
Screen Printing
Screen printing pushes ink through a fine mesh stencil, called a screen, onto the garment. Each colour in the design needs its own screen, and the ink is cured with heat. It is the workhorse of garment decoration, especially for tees, hoodies and merchandise.
- Strengths: excellent durability, vivid colour, a wide range of inks (plastisol, water-based, puff, metallic, discharge) and a low cost per unit at volume.
- Limits: set-up costs for screens and colour registration make very small runs expensive, and designs with many colours or photographic detail become complicated.
- Best for: bold graphics, logos and slogans in a limited number of colours, in medium to large quantities.
Water-based and discharge inks soak into the fabric for a soft hand-feel, which suits premium cotton garments, while plastisol sits on top, giving bold, opaque colour. Puff print contains an additive that expands when heated to create a raised, three-dimensional effect, popular in streetwear.
Embroidery
Embroidery stitches the design into the fabric with thread, controlled by a digitised file that tells the machine where to place each stitch.
- Strengths: a premium, textured look; outstanding durability; and a good fit for logos on polos, caps, jackets and hoodies.
- Limits: cost rises with the stitch count and size, fine detail and small text can be lost, and very large designs make the garment heavy or stiff.
- Best for: chest logos, sleeve badges and brand marks where quality perception matters.
Because embroidery is priced largely by stitch count, simplifying a design can reduce cost. Specify the backing (the stabiliser behind the stitches) as well, because the wrong one makes lightweight knits pucker.
DTG (Direct-to-Garment) Printing
DTG works like an inkjet printer for fabric: it sprays water-based ink directly onto the garment from a digital file, with no screens.
- Strengths: full-colour, photographic detail; no set-up cost per colour; and economical for very small runs and many different designs.
- Limits: works best on cotton and light-coloured garments; the ink tends to be less vibrant and durable than a good screen print; and the cost per unit does not fall much with volume.
- Best for: small test runs, complex artwork and print-on-demand.
DTF and Heat Transfers
DTF (direct-to-film) prints the design onto a film, applies an adhesive powder and heat-presses it onto the garment. It handles full colour on many fabrics, including blends and darker colours, and suits small to medium runs. Heat transfers and vinyl are used for names, numbers and simple graphics. They are quick and flexible, but the finished print sits on the surface and can feel plasticky, crack or peel if poorly applied, so check wash durability.
Sublimation
Sublimation uses heat to turn dye into a gas that bonds with polyester fibres. It creates all-over prints that do not crack or feel like a layer on top, but it only works on polyester or high-polyester fabrics, and the base colour must be light. It is common in sportswear and all-over-print garments, and less relevant for cotton streetwear.
Comparison Table
| Method | Best quantity | Colour and detail | Durability | Hand-feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | Medium to large runs | Bold, limited colours | Excellent | Soft (water-based) to thick (plastisol) |
| Embroidery | Any, priced by stitches | Thread colours, limited fine detail | Excellent | Raised, textured |
| DTG | Small runs, many designs | Full colour, photographic | Good on cotton | Soft |
| DTF | Small to medium | Full colour, any fabric | Good | Slight film layer |
| Sublimation | Any | All-over, vivid | Excellent on polyester | Invisible |
The table gives general trade expectations, not guarantees. Actual results depend on the fabric, the inks and the factory's process, so always approve a physical sample.
Which Method Should You Choose?
- Bold logo, 500 or more pieces: screen printing is usually the most economical and durable choice.
- Premium chest logo or cap: embroidery signals quality.
- Testing five designs in small quantities: DTG or DTF avoids screen set-up costs.
- All-over graphics on sportswear: sublimation on polyester.
- Heavyweight streetwear: a combination, such as puff print on the back and an embroidered front logo, is common. See our streetwear brand guide.
Match the Method to the Fabric
The same artwork behaves differently depending on what it is applied to. Cotton jersey and fleece accept screen printing and DTG well. Polyester and blends can cause dye migration, where the garment's dye bleeds into light inks during curing, so printers use low-bleed inks and test first. Textured fabrics, such as waffle or heavy terry loops, make fine print detail look uneven, and embroidery on stretchy or lightweight knits needs a suitable backing to prevent puckering. Pre-shrunk fabrics and garments that will be washed after printing must be tested, because the wash can change both the garment and the print. If your hoodie fabric choice is still open, our hoodie fabric guide shows how weight and construction affect decoration.
Typical Placement Points
Placement is specified from fixed reference points so that every garment in every size looks right. As a general guide, a left-chest logo sits roughly 7 to 10 cm from the centre front and 7 to 9 cm below the shoulder seam on an adult top; a centre-chest graphic sits a few centimetres below the neckline; and a back graphic is usually placed 6 to 10 cm below the collar seam. These distances are illustrative only. Larger sizes may need slightly larger distances, and oversized fits often place the graphic lower, so confirm exact positions on the approved sample. Always give the factory placement dimensions in your tech pack and a reference photograph, not only a flat mock-up.
Common Decoration Defects and Their Causes
- Cracking or peeling: under-cured ink, poor adhesion or a heat transfer applied at the wrong temperature or pressure.
- Colour mismatch: inks not matched to the Pantone reference, or a coloured fabric changing the printed shade.
- Misregistration: multi-colour screens not aligned, leaving gaps or overlaps in the artwork.
- Puckered embroidery: wrong backing, thread tension or stitch density for the fabric.
- Placement drift: inconsistent positioning from garment to garment, often from missing placement guides.
These defects are cheapest to catch at the strike-off or pre-production sample stage, and a clear defect list in your inspection plan helps the inspector classify them as major or minor.
Inks, Chemicals and Sustainability
Water-based and discharge inks avoid some of the plastics in conventional plastisol and give a softer feel, and some brands choose inks tested to standards such as OEKO-TEX for restricted substances. If you want to make environmental claims about your print or inks, make sure you have evidence and keep the wording specific and accurate; see our guide to sustainable fabrics for how UK rules on green claims apply.
Preparing Artwork for Production
Good decoration starts with good files. For printing, supply vector artwork (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) with fonts converted to outlines, Pantone colour references for every colour, and exact sizes and placement measurements from reference points such as the centre front and the neckline. For embroidery, the factory will digitise your logo into a stitch file; check a physical sample, since small text and fine lines often need to be simplified. Include all of this in your tech pack.
Approval Steps Before Bulk
- Approve the digital mock-up showing size and placement.
- Approve a physical strike-off or embroidery sample on the actual fabric and colour.
- Wash-test the print or embroidery for cracking, fading and shrinkage; see our garment testing guide.
- Confirm the placement tolerance with the factory, usually a small margin either side of the specified position.
- Keep the signed sample as the standard for final inspection.
Costs and Minimums
Screen printing carries a one-off cost per screen and a lower unit cost at volume; embroidery carries a digitising fee plus a cost based on stitch count; DTG and DTF have little or no set-up but a higher unit cost that stays fairly flat. When you compare quotes, ask whether set-up, digitising and strike-off samples are included, and how they change on a reorder. Build the decoration cost into your landed cost using our manufacturing cost guide.
Decoration at Ruhrose
Ruhrose arranges screen printing, embroidery, appliqué and woven or printed labels as part of production, on low minimums from 500 pieces per style and colour. Tell us the look you want, and we will recommend the method, show strike-offs and agree the placement before bulk. Start a product enquiry to get started.