A reference chart for embroidery placement and size on polos, caps, jackets, bags, aprons and beanies, with positions from seams, what to avoid and how size drives cost.
This embroidery placement guide gives you the numbers we use every day at our in house embroidery shop in Hollywood, Florida: how wide a left chest logo should be, how tall a cap front can go, where a sleeve logo sits and how big a jacket back can run. Use it as an embroidery size guide when speccing uniforms or planning a merchandise order.
Embroidery placement chart
Every measurement is a range because garment size, logo shape and fabric all move the ideal number. Positions are measured from seams and edges, the way an operator hoops the garment.
| Placement | Typical size | Where it sits | Common garments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 3 to 4 in wide | Center about 7 to 9 in down from the shoulder seam and 4 to 6 in in from center, roughly over the heart | Polos, work shirts, quarter zips, scrubs, lab coats |
| Right chest (name or title) | Up to 3.5 in wide, text 0.25 to 0.5 in tall | Mirrors the left chest at the same height | Work shirts, scrubs, lab coats, hospitality polos |
| Cap front | 2 to 2.5 in tall, up to about 4.5 in wide | Centered on the front panels, bottom edge about 0.5 in above the bill seam | Structured caps, dad hats, trucker hats |
| Cap side | 1.5 to 2 in wide | Centered on the side panel, above the ear | All caps |
| Cap back | 1.5 to 2.5 in wide | Centered above the closure | All caps |
| Sleeve | 2 to 3 in wide | Centered on the outer sleeve, 1 to 1.5 in below the shoulder seam on short sleeves; mid bicep on long sleeves | Polos, work shirts, jackets, tees |
| Full back | 10 to 12 in wide on jackets; 8 to 10 in on polos and work shirts | Centered, top edge 4 to 6 in below the collar seam | Softshells, work jackets, fleece, heavy twill shirts |
| Upper back (yoke) | 3 to 5 in wide | Centered, 1.5 to 2.5 in below the collar seam | Polos, work shirts, quarter zips |
| Bag face | 4 to 8 in wide depending on bag | Centered on the front panel, clear of pockets and zippers | Totes, backpacks, duffels |
| Apron bib | 3 to 5 in wide | Centered on the bib, 2 to 3 in below the top edge | Bib aprons |
| Apron pocket or waist | 3 to 4 in wide | Centered above or on the pocket | Waist aprons, bistro aprons |
| Beanie cuff | 2 to 3 in wide, under about 1.5 in tall | Centered on the fold up cuff | Cuffed beanies |
| Towel | 3 to 6 in wide | Centered above the hem or dobby border | Golf towels, gym towels, bath towels |
These are embroidery positions. For printed jobs, our printed placements page covers the larger chest and full front sizes used for DTG and screen printing.
Left chest logo size and placement on a polo
The left chest is the workhorse of business embroidery. A logo 3 to 4 inches wide reads clearly across a room. Height follows the shape: a horizontal logo at 3.5 in wide might be 1.25 in tall, while a round crest at 3 in wide is 3 in tall.
- Vertical: on an adult polo, the design center lands 7 to 9 inches below the left shoulder seam; 6 to 7 inches on women's cuts and smaller sizes.
- Horizontal: 4 to 6 inches from the center placket, between the placket and the armpit seam.
- The placket test: the bottom of a left chest logo usually lines up near the bottom of a three button placket. It is a quick check that works across most brands.
Logos with a long name under a mark often need the larger end of the range so the text stays above the 0.25 in minimum that reads in thread. For a long horizontal wordmark, we may suggest stacking the mark above the name.
Cap embroidery size
A cap front has a hard limit set by the hoop and the panel. Structured caps allow about 2.5 inches of height; low profile and dad hats are closer to 2 inches. Width can reach about 4.5 inches, but most logos look best at 3 to 4 inches so they do not crowd the seams.
- Keep the design about half an inch above the bill seam; stitching into the seam distorts it.
- Six panel caps have a center front seam; five panel and trucker caps give a single clean field for wide logos.
- Side placements at 1.5 to 2 inches suit a secondary mark, website or department name. Back placements above the closure fit a small wordmark at 1.5 to 2.5 inches.
- 3D puff on structured caps works for bold, simple shapes at the same front size. Thin lines and small text do not puff well.
More on panel types and crown heights in our guide to custom embroidered hats.
Sleeve embroidery
Sleeve logos run 2 to 3 inches wide because the sleeve is a narrow tube that has to be hooped flat. On short sleeves the design centers on the outer arm 1 to 1.5 inches below the shoulder seam; on long sleeves it drops to mid bicep. Sleeves suit a secondary mark, a flag or a certification when the left chest is taken. Keep sleeve text at 0.3 in or taller, since the fabric curves away from the eye.
Jacket back and large designs
A softshell, work jacket or fleece can carry a design 10 to 12 inches wide, top edge 4 to 6 inches below the collar seam. Polos and lighter shirts cap at 8 to 10 inches because the fabric puckers under more stitching. Large back designs behave differently in production:
- Stitch counts climb into the tens of thousands, so machine time per piece is far higher than a left chest.
- Open designs (outlines, text) run faster and lighter than solid fills at the same dimensions.
- A yoke placement at 3 to 5 inches just below the collar gives polos a back presence without the cost of a full back.
Programs combining left chest and full back are covered in our guide to embroidered jackets and quarter zips.
Bags, aprons, beanies and towels
- Bag face. Totes allow the biggest field, often 6 to 8 inches wide. Backpacks and duffels are limited by pockets, zippers and padding, so embroidery usually lands at 4 to 5 inches on the largest flat panel.
- Apron bib. A 3 to 5 inch logo centered 2 to 3 inches below the top edge shows above a counter. Waist aprons take 3 to 4 inches above or on the pocket, a common setup for restaurants in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
- Beanie cuff. The design must fit inside the fold: 2 to 3 inches wide, under 1.5 inches tall, never across the fold line.
- Towels. 3 to 6 inches above the hem. Terry loops swallow fine detail, so designs are kept bold with extra underlay.
What to avoid
- Over pockets. A logo stitched over a chest pocket sews it shut or distorts through the double layer. Place it above the pocket or on the opposite chest.
- Over seams. Side, shoulder and princess seams, and the center seam on a six panel cap, create a step that throws off registration. Keep a half inch of clearance.
- Across zippers. A quarter zip logo sits to the left of the zipper, never bridging it. Split designs on full zips add cost and never line up when worn open.
- Too big for the fabric. A 4 inch dense fill on a lightweight tee will pucker. Lightweight tees are usually better printed, and our DTG printing runs in the same building.
How size changes stitch count and cost
Embroidery is priced on machine time, which tracks stitch count, and stitch count grows with area rather than width. A typical left chest logo runs 5,000 to 10,000 stitches. Scale it from 3 to 4 inches wide and the area grows about 78 percent, and a solid fill design grows roughly that much in stitches.
| Placement | Typical stitch range | Main cost driver |
|---|---|---|
| Cap side, sleeve, beanie cuff | 2,000 to 5,000 | Small text legibility |
| Left chest, cap front | 5,000 to 10,000 | Fill area and detail |
| Upper back yoke, apron bib | 6,000 to 15,000 | Width of the design |
| Full back on jackets | 20,000 to 60,000 or more | Solid fill versus open design |
Digitizing is a one time step per logo per size, and we keep the stitch file on record so reorders match. A left chest file and a full back file are different files, because stitch structure at 3.5 inches does not simply scale to 11. For what else moves the price, read custom embroidery cost in South Florida.
Getting placement right on your order
Send artwork with the garment, placement and width you want, or just tell us what the shirts are for and we will recommend. We can sew a sample on the actual garment first, with no minimum order and shipping nationwide from our shop between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Visit the embroidery hub for garments and options, or the design guide for the artwork files that make digitizing clean.
Frequently asked questions
How big should a left chest embroidery logo be?
Most left chest logos are 3 to 4 inches wide, with height following the shape of the logo. The center sits about 7 to 9 inches below the shoulder seam and 4 to 6 inches in from the placket. Logos with small text underneath need the larger end so lettering stays at least 0.25 inches tall.
What size is embroidery on a hat?
Cap front designs are usually 2 to 2.5 inches tall and 3 to 4 inches wide, with the bottom edge about half an inch above the bill seam. Side designs run 1.5 to 2 inches wide and back designs 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Low profile and dad hats allow a little less height than structured caps.
Where should embroidery go on a polo shirt?
The standard position is the left chest, over the heart, with the bottom of the logo near the bottom of the placket. A name can mirror it on the right chest, a secondary mark fits the sleeve at 2 to 3 inches, and a yoke design 3 to 5 inches wide sits below the back collar. Avoid seams, pockets and the placket.
How big can embroidery be on the back of a jacket?
Softshells, fleece and work jackets carry full back designs 10 to 12 inches wide, with the top edge 4 to 6 inches below the collar seam. Polos and lighter shirts top out around 8 to 10 inches. Full backs run tens of thousands of stitches, so open designs are far more economical than solid fills.
Does a bigger embroidered logo cost more in South Florida?
Yes, because embroidery is priced on stitch count and stitch count grows with area. Going from 3 to 4 inches wide increases the area about 78 percent, and a filled design grows roughly that much in stitches. Our shop in Hollywood, FL quotes per project on stitch count, garment, placement and quantity, with no minimum order.
Not sure what size to run? Send the logo.
We will recommend placement and size for your garment, sew a sample you can hold, and keep the stitch file on record so every reorder matches. In house embroidery in Hollywood, Florida, no minimum order, ships nationwide. Text or call (954) 280 0627.
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