How to Order Embroidered Workwear: A Step-by-Step Guide (Logo Files, MOQs & Lead Times)

Ordering embroidered workwear takes four steps: choose your garments, provide your logo, approve a digital proof, then we stitch and dispatch. 

The four steps, start to finish

1. Pick your garments. Polos, hoodies, softshells, hi-vis, trousers, caps. If you're not sure what suits the trade, tell us what the team does and we'll suggest a starting point.

1. Provide your logo. Either by email, whatsapp or uploading through our site. We'll tell you honestly whether it'll stitch cleanly or whether print is the better route.

1. Approve the proof. You get a digital mock-up showing size, position and thread colours – all before having to commit to ordering. Once the order is in process, we complete a physicial, stitch out sample, which is sent to you for your approval. Nothing goes near a machine until you're happy with it.
2. We produce and dispatch. Embroidery and printing are both done in-house, so if something needs adjusting we're not waiting on a third party to fix it.

The stage people worry about is the second one. It's almost always the easiest. You don't need a perfect logo file, there's no minimum order to clear, and the whole thing can be done in 2 simple processes:

Option One – Order through our website:

• Our website is fully functioning so that you can select your garments and upload your logo that you wish to be embroidered on our site.
• To do this, simply browse our website & select which items you would like (if you are struggling or unsure on what items to select, feel free to get in touch with us via – sales@3qworkwear.co.uk or 01353 6655555 & we can help give guidance on items we would recommend for your business.) 
• Once you have chosen your garments – there is an ‘add personalisation’ button on the products that can be used to add customisation and create your embroidered workwear.
• This is a simple process of selecting the customisation required & the location of that customisation.
• The last part of the personalisation tool allows you to upload your logo which will be applied to that garment and all the sizes/quantities selected.
• You can then add this product, including the personalisation to the cart & place the order online.
• As soon as the order is submitted, we will get notified of the order & this will include the customisation specifics and logo you have provided.
• At this point – we will always create a visual of the garments and your logo applied in a realistic graphic to check sizings, logo colours and give you peace of mind that the order will be customised exactly as you need it to be. No customisation will be completed until you have approved the visuals by email.

Option Two – Ordering embroidered workwear by email or phone.

• If you find it easier to provide us with information (either by calling 01353 665555 or emailing sales@3qworkwear.co.uk) – you can do this.
• We can discuss the garment options available and put together a quote for you.
• We would then request the logo to be sent – and this can be done by email, or by whatsapp – basically whatever is easiest for yourself.
• From there, we would set up the quote, check stocks, create visuals of how the garments would look & send all of this info. over to you by email.
• Once you are happy and have proceeded with the order, the next steps would be for us to create a stitch out sample of the logo that would be applied to create your embroidered workwear.
• We would send to you by email, for your approval & no customisation will be completed until you have given approval.

What logo file format do you need for embroidery?

A vector file is ideal: .ai, .eps, .pdf or .svg. Vectors scale without losing quality, so a logo drawn for a van livery works just as well stitched at 8cm across a chest.

If you haven't got one, that is fine, send whatever you have. A high-resolution PNG or JPEG is usually workable, and even a photo of an existing garment gives us something to work from. We review every file before production and tell you straight away if it needs redrawing.

Where files genuinely cause problems:

• Screenshots and social exports. A logo lifted off a Facebook page is often 200 pixels wide and turns to mush when it's scaled up.

• Very fine detail. Thread has a minimum practical width, so hairline strokes and tiny text tend to disappear or bleed together once stitched.

• Gradients and photographic elements. Embroidery works in solid thread colours, so a logo that fades from teal to navy has to be simplified into flat blocks.

• Too many colours. Every additional thread colour means another machine change. Rarely a dealbreaker, though simplifying a nine-colour logo down to four usually looks sharper anyway.

One thing worth knowing: artwork has to be digitised before it can be stitched. That's the process of converting a logo into stitch instructions covering direction, density, sequence and underlay. It's a skilled job, and it's why the first order for a new logo involves more setup than every order after it.

Is there a minimum order for embroidered workwear?

No. Customisation is priced per garment, so you can order a single embroidered polo for a new starter as easily as fifty for a full crew. We have no set up fee for customisation.

There's a value point rather than a rules point, though. Setup happens once regardless of quantity, so the cost per garment on a batch of thirty beats a batch of three. Our steer: if you're kitting a team out from scratch, order the full set in one go rather than drip-feeding it, and look at the [INTERNAL LINK: workwear bundles] before you buy piecemeal.

What does embroidery cost?

Customisation is priced separately from the garment, so you can see exactly what the branding adds:

• Embroidered logo, small: £3.99 + VAT

• Embroidered logo, large: £6.95 + VAT

• Embroidered text, small: £2.99 + VAT

• Embroidered text, large: £4.99 + VAT

• Printed logo, small: £2.99 + VAT

• Printed logo, large: £3.99 + VAT

A typical trade setup is a small embroidered logo on the left chest plus small embroidered text across the back, either the company name or an individual's name. That's around £6.98 + VAT of branding per garment on top of the shirt.

Embroidery costs more per placement than print, and it earns it. Stitched thread survives industrial washing and site abrasion in a way printed vinyl doesn't, which is why most trades pick it for daily kit. Print holds its own on large back designs, detailed artwork and anything with a gradient. The full breakdown is in our embroidery vs print cost comparison.

How long does a branded order take?

Turnaround depends on stock, quantity and how quickly the proof gets signed off. The stage that most often adds days isn't production. It's approval. Proofs land in an inbox on a Friday afternoon and the order sits idle until Monday.

If you're working to a deadline, say so in your first message rather than after you've ordered. We'll tell you what's realistic instead of what you want to hear, and if the date can't be met we'd rather you knew on day one. For anything urgent, call us on 01353 655555 instead of emailing.

Where should the logo go?

Left chest is the default, for good reasons. It sits in eye line during a conversation, it doesn't clash with a harness or a hi-vis vest, and it looks right on everything from a polo to a softshell.

Beyond that:

• Back, between the shoulders: company name or trade. This is what people read from across a site, so keep it simple and legible.

• Sleeve: accreditations, a secondary logo, or a phone number.

• Cap front: a compact version of your mark. Caps have a limited stitch area, so wide logos often need reworking to fit.

Hi-vis is the exception worth taking seriously. Logos shouldn't obscure the retroreflective bands or eat into the certified fluorescent background, or you risk affecting the garment's rating. Send us the garment you're planning to brand and we'll position around it. The [INTERNAL LINK: hi-vis collection] covers vests through to Class 2 shells.

Four things that slow orders down

• Sending the logo embedded inside a Word document instead of as its own file.

• Not having sizes. Get a size run from the team before you order, not after.

• Approving a proof without checking thread colours against your brand guidelines.

• Ordering hi-vis and standard garments as separate jobs when they could ship together.

None of these are disasters. They just cost days, and one email at the start avoids all four.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a quote before committing to anything?

Yes, and most business customers do. Send over garment types, rough quantities and your logo, and we'll price the whole job so you can see the total before deciding. We will also produce visuals at the quoting stage, so you can see exactly how your items will look before committing.

Do you keep my logo on file for reorders?

Yes. Once artwork has been digitised, repeat orders skip setup entirely. For firms with regular new starters that turns a process into a two-minute email, or simply ordering online.

Can I mix garment types in one order?

Absolutely. Polos for summer, softshells for winter, a few hoodies and some hi-vis vests, all on one order with one logo and one delivery.

What if the embroidery doesn't look how I expected?

That's what the proof stage exists for. You see the design mocked up before production starts and can change size, position or thread colours at that point. If something's genuinely wrong with what arrives, ring us.

Is embroidery worth it on cheaper garments?

Depends how long the garment lasts. Putting £6.95 of embroidery on a tee that'll be binned in four months is poor value. On a softshell or fleece that'll see three winters, the branding cost per year is negligible.