Screen print vs embroidery for crew shirts
Print the tees, embroider the polos and work shirts. That is the rule most trade companies end up with, and it is usually right. Here is the cost and durability reasoning behind it, with the numbers Battle Born Clothing charges.
Cost at three quantities
| Quantity | Screen print, 1 color, dark shirt | Embroidery | One-time fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Quoted per job (screens make small runs expensive) | $12.04 | Print: $20 screen. Embroidery: $18.99 digitizing |
| 48 | $10.63 | $11.54 | same |
| 144 | Quoted per job (lower than 48) | $10.04 | same |
At 48, a one-color front print is $0.91 cheaper than embroidery. Add a back print and the gap widens, because a second embroidery location is quoted per job while a second print location is $4.59. Under 24 pieces, embroidery usually wins because there are no screens to pay for. The full schedule is on the pricing page.
Durability on a jobsite
- Embroidery is thread through fabric. It does not crack, fade or peel. It survives bleach, industrial dryers and a year of daily wear. The shirt wears out first.
- Plastisol screen print cured properly on our conveyor dryer lasts the life of a crew tee under normal washing. Hot industrial dryers and bleach will eventually crack and fade it.
- Water-based and discharge prints are soft and fade gently rather than cracking. They are for cotton, not blends or polyester.
- DTF is a film layer. Good for 50+ washes, more hand than water-based, less than thick plastisol.
Which to use on which shirt
| Garment | Default | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crew tees (PC61, PC54, PC55) | Screen print | Cheapest at 48+, full back print possible |
| Polos (K500, CS410) | Embroidery | Looks right on pique, survives laundry |
| Button-front work shirts (Red Kap) | Embroidery | Industrial washing, names over the pocket |
| Hi-vis (CS401) | 1-color print or embroidery | Both fine; placement clear of tape matters more |
| Performance polyester (ST350) | Screen print (low-bleed) or DTF | Embroidery can pucker thin knits |
| Carhartt Force | Embroidery right chest | Keeps clear of the pocket label |
Artwork differences
Screen print reproduces fine lines and small text well in one color. Embroidery needs text at least 0.2 inches tall and simplifies gradients to solid fills. If your logo has a photo or a gradient, screen print needs it separated into spot colors; embroidery needs it redrawn; DTF prints it as-is. Send what you have and we will say on the proof what needs to change.
What each looks like on a crew after a year
We see our own shirts come back for reorders, so this is from the shop floor, not a brochure. Embroidered polos and work shirts look the same at month twelve as at week one; the collar wears out before the logo does. Plastisol tees that went through a home washer and dryer are still bright with light cracking at the edges of large fills. Tees that went through a commercial laundry at high heat show more cracking by month six; if your crew's shirts are laundered by a service, embroider them or budget for a yearly reprint. Water-based prints on cotton fade evenly and never crack, which some owners prefer for the look.
Thread and ink colors
Embroidery thread comes in a fixed palette; we match to the closest Rapos color and show it on the proof. Plastisol can be mixed to a Pantone, so a brand with a specific orange or green gets an exact match in print and a close match in thread. If the brand color is critical and the shirt is a polo, say so and we will send a thread swatch photo with the proof.
Mixing both in one order
Common and easy. One logo file becomes a vector for the screens and a digitized file for the machine. You pay the screens and the $18.99 digitizing once each. The HVAC example shows a mixed order with the totals.
Questions
Can you embroider a crew tee?
Yes. A PC61 with a left-chest embroidered logo is $11.54 at 48 and $10.04 at 144. Electrical contractors often choose it for the durability.
Can you print a polo?
Yes, but pique texture shows through a print. We recommend embroidery on polos unless the run is very large.
Which is faster?
Same 28-day standard turnaround from proof approval for both. Rush quoted per job.