Embroidery Placement Guide for T-Shirts & Apparel

Name embroidery is most commonly placed on the wearer’s right chest, while company logos are usually placed on the wearer’s left chest. This creates a balanced, professional look when both are used together. For single-name personalization, either side can work, but uniforms often follow this left-logo, right-name convention for easy identification.

For a centered chest design, embroidery is typically placed about 3 to 4 inches below the collar seam on adult t-shirts, depending on shirt size and design height. The goal is to keep the design visually centered on the upper chest, not too close to the neckline or too low toward the stomach.

A standard left chest embroidered logo is usually 3 to 4 inches wide for polos, t-shirts, button-downs, and lightweight jackets. Smaller logos may lose detail, while oversized designs can look awkward or pull on the fabric. Merlin Embroidery can optimize artwork so lettering, spacing, and stitch density remain readable.

Embroidery works best on stable fabrics such as polos, jackets, hats, uniforms, scrubs, woven shirts, and heavier t-shirts. Very thin or stretchy fabric can pucker if the design is too dense. Choosing the right backing, thread count, and placement helps keep the finished apparel smooth, durable, and professional.

Most logos can be embroidered, but some artwork needs simplification before stitching. Tiny lettering, gradients, shadows, and very fine details may not translate cleanly into thread. Merlin Embroidery provides free design optimization and mockups to help adapt your artwork while preserving the look of your brand.

Logo embroidery typically starts around $8–$15 per item for stitching, with lower pricing available on bulk orders. Final pricing depends on stitch count, garment type, placement, quantity, and whether digitizing or design adjustments are needed. Merlin Embroidery also offers competitive bulk discounts and transparent pricing.

Merlin Embroidery offers fast turnaround, with many custom apparel orders completed in 5–10 days. Same-day embroidery may be available depending on design complexity, garment availability, order size, and current production schedule. Larger orders or specialty items may require additional time to ensure consistent quality.

Yes. Merlin Embroidery works with orders ranging from small runs to large production jobs, including quantities from 12 to 12,000 garments. Bulk orders are ideal for uniforms, schools, teams, events, and promotional apparel because they often qualify for better per-item pricing and efficient production scheduling.