You're ordering polos for your team. The printer asks: "Screen print or embroidery?" If you don't live in this world, that's a coin flip — and the wrong choice costs you either money or credibility.
Here's how to decide, from a shop that's done both for Miami businesses since 1988.
Embroidery: The Premium Play
Embroidery stitches your logo directly into the fabric. It looks rich, lasts for years, and signals "established business."
Best for: Left-chest logos, small designs (under 4 inches), polos, jackets, caps.
Cost: Higher per piece — around $6.50 per polo up to 8,000 stitches, with a 24-piece minimum.
Durability: Excellent. Thread outlasts print through hundreds of washes.
Limitation: Not great for large designs, gradients, or photorealistic art.
Screen Printing: The Workhorse
Screen printing lays ink on the fabric. It's faster, cheaper at volume, and handles big, bold, colorful designs.
Best for: Large chest or back designs, team names and numbers, event shirts, high quantities.
Cost: Drops fast with volume — a 2-color print at 72 pieces runs just over $2 per shirt per location.
Durability: Very good on quality garments.
Limitation: On polos, large prints can look less premium than a clean embroidered chest logo.
The Decision Framework
1. Who wears it? Client-facing and management → embroidery. Crew, events, giveaways → screen print.
2. How many? Under 24 pieces → embroidery or DTG (no minimums). Over 48 → screen print pricing gets very attractive.
3. What's the design? Small logo → embroidery. Big, bold, colorful → screen print.
Many of our Miami clients do both: embroidered polos for the office team, screen-printed tees for field crews and events.
The Bottom Line
There's no universally "better" method — there's the right method for your team, your design, and your quantity.
Outfitting a Miami team? Send us your logo and headcount. We'll recommend the method, the garments, and exact pricing — within the hour. Get a free quote at miamiteesonline.com.