Guide
Embroidery vs Screen Printing
Which decoration method is right for your job? This guide compares embroidery and screen printing across cost, durability, garments and use case — with a straight recommendation for each common scenario, from Queensland's largest decorator.
The basics
How each method works
Embroidery and screen printing are the two most common ways to brand a garment, and they work in completely different ways. Understanding how each is made explains everything else — why one costs more on small runs, why the other can fade sooner, and which suits which job.
Stitched with thread
Your logo is digitised into a stitch file, then sewn into the fabric with needle and thread on a multi-head machine. The design is built from thousands of stitches, so cost is driven by stitch count — the size and detail of the logo — not by how many colours it contains. The finish is raised, textured and premium.
Ink through a stencil
A stencil (screen) is made for each colour in the design, and ink is pushed through it onto the garment, one colour at a time. Making the screens is a setup cost that's the same whether you print ten shirts or a thousand, so cost per garment drops sharply as the run grows. The finish is flat, smooth and vibrant.
In short: embroidery stitches the design in, screen printing lays ink on top. That single difference shapes cost, durability and the garments each one suits.
Cost
Cost comparison at different order volumes
Because their cost structures are so different, the cheaper method depends almost entirely on quantity and the number of colours.
Embroidery has little to no setup beyond a one-off digitising fee, and the per-garment price stays relatively flat regardless of quantity — it's tied to stitch count, not run size. That makes it economical for small orders and left-chest logos, and predictable as you scale. Screen printing front-loads a setup cost for each colour's screen: on a handful of garments that setup is expensive per unit, but spread across a large run of a simple, few-colour design it becomes the cheapest option by far.
| Order size | Embroidery | Screen printing |
|---|---|---|
| Small (1–10) | Usually cheaper. Minimal setup; flat per-unit cost. | Expensive per unit — screen setup dominates a short run. |
| Medium (25–50) | Steady, predictable per-unit cost. | Competitive, especially for one- or two-colour designs. |
| Large (100+) | Flat per-unit cost as volume grows. | Cheapest per unit for simple, few-colour designs. |
As a rule of thumb: for small quantities, embroidery usually wins on price; for large runs of a simple design, screen printing does.
Durability
Durability and use case comparison
Both methods are built to last, but they wear differently.
Embroidery is exceptionally durable. Because the design is stitched into the fabric rather than sitting on top, it doesn't crack, peel or fade, and it typically outlasts the garment itself — which is why it's the standard for uniforms, workwear and anything washed hard and often. A properly cured screen print is also hard-wearing and holds colour well, but because the design is a layer of ink on the surface, very heavy, repeated washing over years can eventually cause some cracking or fading, particularly on large, dense prints. For most everyday use that's a non-issue, but it's the reason embroidery is favoured where longevity is paramount.
Typical use cases: embroidery for logos, badges, names, corporate uniforms, workwear and caps; screen printing for large graphics, event and promotional t-shirts, and bold designs across the chest or back.
Garments
Which garments suit each method
The garment matters as much as the design. Some fabrics and shapes take one method far better than the other.
Structured & heavier fabrics
Polos, business shirts, jackets, softshells, caps, beanies and bags. Less suited to very thin or highly stretchy fabrics, and to large photographic or gradient artwork.
Flat, absorbent surfaces
T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and similar, with room for a large front or back print. Less suited to caps, curved or seam-heavy areas, and heavily textured fabrics.
If your job spans both — say branded polos for staff and printed tees for an event — there's no need to choose one method for everything. We simply use the right one for each garment.
Our take
Our recommendation by scenario
To make it practical, here's what we'd typically recommend for the most common jobs.
| Your job | We'd usually recommend |
|---|---|
| A small run of branded polos or uniforms | Embroidery |
| 200 event t-shirts in one or two colours | Screen printing |
| Caps and headwear | Embroidery — or 3D puff for bold logos |
| Full-colour or photographic art, small quantity | DTF printing |
| A mixed uniform of polos and printed tees | Both — embroider the polos, print the tees |
When it's borderline, we'll tell you honestly which will give the better result — we run embroidery, screen printing and DTF in-house, so we're not steering you toward one method over another.
Common questions
Embroidery vs screen printing FAQs
Is embroidery or screen printing more durable?
Embroidery is generally the more durable of the two. Because the design is stitched into the fabric rather than printed on top, it resists cracking, peeling and fading and usually outlasts the garment. A properly cured screen print is also hard-wearing, but after years of heavy washing a large ink print can eventually show some wear.
Which is cheaper for a small order?
For small orders, embroidery is usually cheaper. It has minimal setup beyond a one-off digitising fee, whereas screen printing charges a setup per colour that's costly to spread across only a few garments. Screen printing becomes the cheaper option on larger runs of simple designs.
Can both be used on the same garment?
Yes. It's common to combine them — for example an embroidered logo on the chest and a printed design on the back — and across a mixed order we'll often embroider some garments and print others. We run both in-house, so combining methods is straightforward.
Explore more
Related pages
Still not sure which method fits?
Tell us about your garments, artwork and quantity and we'll recommend the right approach — no obligation.