When it comes to embroidering your logo on shirts, hats, and more, size matters. Too large and it will be out of proportion, but too small and it may not be easily seen or read by the people you want to see it.
How big your logo should be depends on a few factors: the shape of your logo, the size of your smallest element, the placement of the embroidery, and what type of clothing you are embroidering on. For example, we approach logos that are a circle differently than ones that are horizontally or vertically oriented. By the nature of their shape, circle logos look bigger because they cover more area. Embroidery size guidelines aren't one-size-fits-all, but we will break down what we’ve found works best.
Embroidery Sizes for Shirts and Jackets
Custom embroidery can be applied to many types of apparel, from polos and T-Shirts to dress shirts, jackets and other layering tops. Logo embroidery is commonly applied to either the left chest area or on a sleeve.
Left Chest Embroidery Size Chart:
| Shape | Height (inches) | Width (inches) |
| Circle | 2.5" | 2.5" |
| Square | 3" or less | 3" or less |
| Horizontal | 2" – 3.5" max at its widest point | |
| Vertical | 2" – 3.5" max at its tallest point |
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Shirt Sleeve Embroidery Size Chart:
| Shape | Height (inches) | Width (inches) |
| Circle | 3" | 3" |
| Square | 3" | 3" |
| Horizontal | 3" – 3.75" max at its widest point | |
| Vertical | 3" – 3.75" max at its tallest point |
Tip for Sizing Your Logo on a Shirt Like a Pro
We’ve also come up with a few tricks over the years. Logos on the left chest are some of the most popular embroideries we do, so we get a lot of questions about how big they should be. Try using a business card to check how big your logo will look.
Most logos, either horizontal or vertical in orientation, end up about the size of a business card. The standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches. Try taking a business card and holding it to your left chest to get a clear idea of how large your logo embroidery will be.
Embroidery Sizes for Hats
Hats are also a popular option for custom embroidery. We offer both structured and unstructured hats, along with beanies. You can embroider on the front, the side, or the back of your cap, and the front of your beanie. Hat embroidery sizes vary by location, but the standard embroidery logo size for hats is around 1.75" for the front panel or 1" on the side.
Hat Embroidery Size Chart:
| Placement | Shape | Height (inches) | Width (inches) |
| Front | Circle | 1.75" | 1.75" |
| Square | 1.75" | 1.75" | |
| Horizontal | 1.75” | 4" – 5" | |
| Vertical | 1.75" max | ||
| Side | Circle | 1" | 1" |
| Square | 1" | 1" | |
| Horizontal | 2" | 1" | |
| Vertical | Not recommended | ||
| Back | Circle | 1" | 1" |
| Square | 1" | 1" | |
| Horizontal | ½" – 1" | 3” | |
| Vertical | Not recommended | ||
Sizing Embroidery for the Smallest Element
Embroidery has its limitations. Putting thread on material is different than putting ink on paper, so we consider the smallest elements in the logo and judge how big they should be to maintain clarity. Then, we adjust the size of the overall image to reflect that.
There are some cases where the smallest elements are so detailed that adjusting the size to accommodate them would mean making the logo too big for the canvas. In those cases, we may need to adjust the design of your logo to work well for embroidery. You can always contact our team of experts for assistance with your custom embroidery orders.