- Every logo needs a stitch file before it can be machine embroidered.
- It’s normally a one-off cost per design and size; keep the file and reuse it.
- Tiny text, gradients, photos and hairlines may need simplifying first.
- Ask whether you’ll receive the file if your embroiderer digitises it.
What does digitising a logo mean?
Digitising (often spelled digitizing in the US) is turning your logo into a stitch file: a set of instructions telling the embroidery machine where every stitch goes, which way it lies, how dense it is and in what order the design sews. A digitiser rebuilds the logo for its finished size and fabric, then saves it in your embroiderer’s machine format. Our guide to what embroidery digitising is explains the process in more depth.
Does every logo need digitising?
Yes, for machine embroidery. The only time you can skip it is when a stitch file already exists for that design, size and garment type. If a previous embroiderer digitised your logo, ask whether they can send you the file (often a DST). Our guide to digitising fees and file ownership explains what to ask.
Having a vector logo (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) doesn’t count: vectors are great artwork for a digitiser, but a machine can’t sew them.
Can any logo be embroidered?
Most can, but some features need adjusting to stitch cleanly, especially at left-chest or cap size.
| Logo feature | Why it’s a problem in thread | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Very small text | Letters close up or blur. Hatch Embroidery lists 6 mm as a minimum height for common fonts | Enlarge the text, use a bolder font or drop a tagline |
| Gradients and shading | Thread is a solid colour; smooth blends are hard to reproduce | Replace with solid colour blocks |
| Photographs | Too much tonal detail for most garment embroidery | Simplify to a graphic version |
| Hairline strokes | Too thin for thread to form a clean line | Thicken lines or remove them |
| Many colours | Each colour is a thread change, adding time and cost | Merge similar shades |
| Large solid areas | Dense fills can make the garment stiff | Lighter fill or an appliqué approach |
A good digitiser will flag these before starting and suggest the least visible change.
How can I check my logo now?
Try the free image-to-embroidery checker. It looks at your image in the browser and flags common issues such as low resolution, fine detail and too many colours before you order.
Get your first design digitised free
One free design per new registered business: Simple or Medium complexity, standard turnaround (4–8 hours), all formats included.
Claim your free first design →What does logo digitising cost, and who pays?
If you buy embroidered garments from a local embroiderer, digitising is often added to your first order as a one-off setup or digitising fee. If you buy the file yourself, you pay the digitiser directly and give the file to whoever does the stitching.
At PlixaLabs every design has one flat price, set by its complexity, with all formats, unlimited revisions and a stitch preview included. Rush (2–4 hours) and super rush (1–2 hours) are available for +50%. See the price list.
For how UK digitisers and embroiderers price this work, read how much embroidery digitising costs.
What should I send to get my logo digitised?
- Your logo: vector (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) if you have it; otherwise the sharpest PNG or JPG.
- The garment: polo, fleece, cap, workwear jacket, school jumper and so on.
- Placement and finished size: e.g. left chest, width in millimetres.
- Colours: Pantone or thread codes if you have them.
- Your embroiderer’s machine or file format, if you know it. Every PlixaLabs order includes all formats.
Only send artwork you own or have permission to use, such as your own business logo.