When it comes to creating branded apparel and merchandise that people actually want to wear, two techniques stand above the rest: screen printing and embroidery. These methods have been trusted for decades by businesses, event organizers, and nonprofits looking to make their brand memorable. Whether it’s a vibrant t-shirt handed out at a festival or a polished embroidered polo for your sales team, the right decoration method can instantly elevate your merch from ordinary to impactful.
But here’s the challenge. How do you know which option is best for your brand? Screen printing delivers bold, colorful designs that shine on bulk orders, while embroidery offers a premium, textured finish that signals professionalism and durability. Each approach has its strengths, costs, and ideal use cases, making the decision more strategic than it may first appear.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about screen printing and embroidery, from their benefits and differences to practical tips on choosing the proper method for your merch. You’ll also learn how wise design choices, cost considerations, and the right promotional partner, like BRAND NEW Promotions, can help you get the most value from your custom merchandise.
Get ready to discover how these two timeless techniques can boost your brand visibility, engage your audience, and keep your logo top of mind.
The Difference between Screen Printing and Embroidery
When it comes to customizing apparel or promotional products, screen printing and embroidery are the two most widely used decoration methods. Each technique has its own process, finish, and advantages, which is why businesses often consider both before choosing the best option for their merchandise.
Screen Printing Explained
Screen printing is a method where ink is pushed through a mesh stencil (called a screen) directly onto the fabric. Each color in your design requires its own screen, which makes this process ideal for bold graphics, text, or multi-color artwork.
Why brands use screen printing:
- Creates smooth, vibrant, and durable prints
- Works well on cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics
- Cost-effective for large or bulk orders
- Perfect for t-shirts, hoodies, and event giveaways
Think of screen printing as your go-to method for colorful designs that need to grab attention, especially when you’re producing in high volumes.
Embroidery Explained
Embroidery uses machines that stitch threads directly into the fabric to create your design. Unlike ink, the thread creates a raised, textured effect that feels premium and lasts for years.
Why brands use embroidery:
- Durable and resistant to fading after multiple washes
- Adds a polished, professional appearance
- Best for thicker fabrics like polos, jackets, caps, and bags
- Works especially well for company uniforms and gifting
Embroidery is ideal when you want your merch to look upscale, professional, and long-lasting.
While screen printing and embroidery both enhance brand visibility, they achieve very different results. Screen printing focuses on bold, colorful visuals at scale, while embroidery emphasizes a high-quality finish with lasting durability.
Benefits of Screen Printing for Custom Merch
Screen printing has been a favorite in the branding world for decades because of its ability to produce bold, eye-catching designs that stand out. If your business is looking for promotional items that combine visibility with affordability, this method offers plenty of advantages.
Why Screen Printing Works for Bulk Orders
One of the biggest benefits of screen printing is its cost-effectiveness for large quantities. Once the screens are set up, the printing process becomes faster and cheaper per item, making it ideal for bulk orders of t-shirts, hoodies, or tote bags.
Key takeaway: The more you order, the lower your cost per piece—perfect for events, giveaways, or company-wide uniforms.
Design Versatility and Color Options
Screen printing excels at producing vivid and sharp designs. From simple logos to complex multi-color graphics, this technique gives your merch a bright, polished finish. It also works across a wide range of fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and blends, offering flexibility in product selection.
Key takeaway: If your brand wants bold visuals that pop on almost any fabric, screen printing delivers.
Ideal Apparel Types for Screen Printing
This method is especially effective for lightweight clothing and casual apparel. Popular items include:
- T-shirts: Great for mass events, festivals, and corporate giveaways
- Hoodies: Perfect for branded swag that customers or employees will actually wear
- Tote bags: Affordable, reusable, and practical merchandise options
Key takeaway: Screen printing is best when you want to combine affordability with high visibility across everyday apparel and accessories.
Why Businesses Choose Screen Printing
Screen printing strikes the right balance between budget and impact. It allows you to showcase your brand through bold visuals while reaching a large audience without breaking the bank.
With BRAND NEW Promotions, you can leverage professional screen printing services to produce merch that’s vibrant, durable, and cost-effective for any campaign.
Benefits of Embroidery for Custom Merch
While screen printing shines with bold colors, embroidery stands out for its durability and premium appearance. Businesses often turn to embroidery when they want merchandise that feels professional, upscale, and built to last.
Durability and Long-Lasting Quality
Embroidery stitches thread directly into the fabric, which means the design becomes part of the garment rather than sitting on top of it. This makes embroidered logos resistant to fading, peeling, or cracking even after years of wear and repeated washes.
Key takeaway: If your merch needs to hold up through daily use, embroidery is the most reliable choice.
Professional and Premium Look
Embroidery creates a raised, textured effect that gives apparel a polished, sophisticated finish. This makes it a top choice for corporate wear, employee uniforms, and client gifts. A crisp embroidered logo instantly communicates quality and professionalism.
Key takeaway: Embroidery enhances your brand image by making every piece of merch look high-end.
Best Uses for Embroidered Logos
Embroidery works best on thicker fabrics and structured items. Popular applications include:
- Polos and dress shirts: Ideal for corporate uniforms and team apparel
- Jackets and outerwear: Adds a premium finish to durable workwear
- Caps and beanies: Perfect for giveaways and everyday wear
- Bags and backpacks: A practical way to showcase your brand on-the-go
Key takeaway: Embroidery elevates items that need a more professional or long-lasting touch compared to screen-printed merch.
Why Businesses Choose Embroidery
Companies that want merch with staying power and an elevated look choose embroidery. It’s more than decoration—it’s a branding upgrade that helps products feel valuable, whether they’re worn by employees, gifted to clients, or sold as premium merch.
With BRAND NEW Promotions, you can create embroidered merchandise that communicates quality, professionalism, and lasting brand impact.
Screen Printing vs. Embroidery: Key Differences
Both screen printing and embroidery are powerful branding methods, but they serve different purposes depending on your goals, budget, and design needs. Understanding their differences helps you choose the right method for your merch.
Design Complexity and Detail
- Screen Printing: Excels with large, bold, and detailed designs. It can reproduce multi-color graphics, gradients, and even photo-like images.
- Embroidery: Best for simpler logos or text. Very detailed or large designs can be difficult to execute because they require thousands of stitches, which can make the fabric heavy or distorted.
Takeaway: Choose screen printing for intricate, colorful graphics and embroidery for clean, professional logos.
Fabric and Material Suitability
- Screen Printing: Works on lightweight fabrics like cotton, polyester, or blends, making it perfect for t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags.
- Embroidery: Shines on thicker fabrics like polos, jackets, caps, and backpacks. The stitching adds texture and dimension that looks best on structured items.
Takeaway: The type of apparel you’re customizing plays a big role in determining which method to use.
Cost and Order Size Considerations
- Screen Printing: Costs depend on the number of colors and print locations. More colors mean more screens, but the per-item cost drops significantly in bulk.
- Embroidery: Pricing is based on stitch count rather than color. This makes embroidery more cost-effective for small orders or simple logos but potentially expensive for large, detailed designs.
Takeaway: Screen printing is the economical choice for bulk orders, while embroidery is better for smaller runs or high-end pieces.
Overall Look and Feel
- Screen Printing: Flat, smooth, and vibrant. Perfect for casual or event-driven merch.
- Embroidery: Raised, textured, and durable. Ideal for corporate or premium apparel.
Takeaway: Think of screen printing as bold and trendy, and embroidery as polished and timeless.
At BRAND NEW Promotions, we help you decide between screen printing and embroidery based on your design, fabric, and budget so your merch makes the right impression every time.
Best Applications for Screen Printing and Embroidery
Choosing between screen printing and embroidery often comes down to how you plan to use your merch. Both techniques excel in specific scenarios, and knowing where each works best ensures your brand gets maximum visibility and value.
Corporate Apparel and Uniforms
- Embroidery: The clear winner for uniforms and professional wear. Polos, jackets, and dress shirts with embroidered logos project professionalism and authority.
- Screen Printing: Works for casual company apparel like branded t-shirts or team hoodies that employees wear at events or in relaxed settings.
Tip: Use embroidery for client-facing staff and screen printing for everyday team apparel.
Event Merchandise and Giveaways
- Screen Printing: Perfect for bulk event swag such as t-shirts, tote bags, and hoodies. The cost-per-item is low in large runs, and the bold graphics make a statement.
- Embroidery: Works for high-value giveaways like hats or jackets where durability and a premium look matter.
Tip: If you need hundreds of items for a festival or conference, screen printing saves costs. For VIP swag bags, embroidery adds prestige.
Employee Swag and Gifting
- Embroidery: Excellent for durable gifts like backpacks, polos, or outerwear that employees will use daily.
- Screen Printing: Ideal for fun, seasonal swag like summer tees or branded sweatshirts that foster team spirit.
Tip: Use embroidery for long-term items that show appreciation and screen printing for seasonal drops that energize your team.
Fundraising and Nonprofit Merch
- Screen Printing: Best for large runs of t-shirts or hoodies sold to supporters. The affordability helps maximize fundraising margins.
- Embroidery: Ideal for special edition merch such as caps or jackets that can be sold at a higher price point to raise more funds.
Tip: Pair screen-printed basics with a limited line of embroidered items to appeal to different supporter groups.
Screen printing thrives in high-volume, colorful, and casual scenarios, while embroidery shines in professional, durable, and premium applications. By matching the technique to the occasion, your brand can maximize both impact and cost-effectiveness.
With BRAND NEW Promotions, you can create the right mix of embroidered and screen-printed merch to suit your events, team needs, and customer engagement strategies.
Cost Comparison: Screen Printing and Embroidery
One of the biggest factors in deciding between screen printing and embroidery is cost. Both methods can be affordable, but the pricing structure is different. Understanding how costs are calculated will help you choose the best option for your budget.
How Screen Printing Costs Are Calculated
Screen printing expenses are influenced by the design setup and the number of colors used. Each color requires its own screen, which means more complex designs add to the initial setup cost. However, once the screens are prepared, the cost per piece drops significantly with higher quantities.
Cost factors for screen printing:
- Number of colors in the design
- Number of print locations (front, back, sleeve, etc.)
- Total order size
- Type of fabric or product
Best value: Screen printing is most cost-effective for large orders with bold, colorful designs.
How Embroidery Costs Are Calculated
Embroidery pricing is based on the stitch count of the design, not the number of colors. That means a logo with multiple thread colors doesn’t automatically cost more, but a large or highly detailed design does. Since embroidery takes longer per item, it can be pricier for large runs.
Cost factors for embroidery:
- Stitch count of the design
- Size of the embroidered area
- Type of garment or accessory
- Quantity of items ordered
Best value: Embroidery is more cost-effective for small to medium orders with simple logos.
Screen Printing vs. Embroidery: At a Glance
The Bottom Line on Cost
If you’re printing hundreds of t-shirts for an event, screen printing offers the best return on investment. If you’re ordering uniforms, jackets, or hats for your team, embroidery provides lasting quality at a reasonable cost.
BRAND NEW Promotions can help you balance cost and impact by recommending the right method for your project, ensuring your merch looks great without stretching your budget.
Tips for Designing Effective Custom Merch
No matter which method you choose whether screen printing or embroidery, your merch design plays a huge role in how people perceive your brand. A well-designed item gets worn, shared, and remembered, while a cluttered or poorly planned design ends up in the back of a drawer. Here are some practical tips to make sure your custom merch works hard for your brand.
Choosing Colors That Match Your Brand
Colors are one of the first things people notice. Stick to your brand palette to create consistency across all marketing touchpoints. Keep in mind that screen printing allows for bright and detailed color mixes, while embroidery uses thread colors that may be slightly more limited.
Pro tip: Use high-contrast color combinations so your logo or design stands out on the chosen fabric.
Logo Placement for Maximum Visibility
Where you place your logo can make or break your design.
- Screen printing: Works best on large, flat areas like the chest or back of a t-shirt.
- Embroidery: Ideal for smaller, focused placements such as the left chest, sleeve, or hat front.
Pro tip: Consider balance and proportion. A large embroidered logo can feel heavy, while a tiny screen-printed graphic may not grab attention.
Keeping Designs Simple but Impactful
The most effective merch designs are often the simplest. Overly detailed artwork may not translate well to embroidery, and overly busy graphics can look cluttered when screen printed. Clean lines, bold fonts, and iconic shapes make your design memorable and versatile.
Pro tip: Always request a digital mock-up or sample before final production to catch design issues early.
Matching Design to the Occasion
Think about how and where the merch will be used:
- Events: Bold, fun, and colorful screen-printed designs for t-shirts and hoodies.
- Corporate: Subtle, professional embroidery for polos, jackets, and accessories.
- Gifting: A mix of both methods, depending on whether the item is casual or premium.
Pro tip: Tailor your merch design to the audience’s lifestyle so they’ll actually wear and use it.
Final Design Checklist
Before sending your design to production, ask yourself:
- Does this reflect my brand identity?
- Is the design clear, even from a distance?
- Does it work for the chosen decoration method?
- Will my target audience be proud to wear or use it?
BRAND NEW Promotions can guide you through the design process, helping you choose the right colors, placements, and styles so your merch makes a lasting impression.
How BRAND NEW Promotions Helps With Custom Merch Solutions
Creating impactful merchandise takes more than just picking between screen printing and embroidery. It requires expert guidance, high-quality materials, and reliable execution. That’s where BRAND NEW Promotions comes in—we make the process simple, professional, and results-driven.
Tailored Guidance for Your Brand
Not sure whether screen printing or embroidery is the better fit? Our team evaluates your design, budget, and intended use to recommend the method that delivers the best results. We don’t push a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we ensure every project aligns with your brand identity and goals.
Access to High-Quality Apparel and Products
We source premium apparel and accessories that pair perfectly with either screen printing or embroidery. From classic t-shirts and hoodies to professional polos, jackets, and caps, our catalog is designed to give your brand the right canvas.
Expert Decoration Services
Our production team specializes in both techniques:
- Screen Printing: Vibrant, detailed designs ideal for large orders and event merch.
- Embroidery: Durable, premium finishes perfect for uniforms, outerwear, and gifts.
With the latest equipment and quality control standards, we guarantee your logo looks sharp and professional on every item.
Cost-Effective Solutions Without Compromise
We know budgets matter. By helping you choose the most efficient method for your project, we maximize value without sacrificing quality. Whether it’s a bulk screen printing job or a smaller embroidered order, you’ll always get competitive pricing with long-lasting results.
End-to-End Support
From design consultation to production and delivery, BRAND NEW Promotions handles the entire process so you can focus on growing your business. We also provide mock-ups and samples to ensure you’re confident before final production.
Partnering with BRAND NEW Promotions means more than just ordering custom merch. It means gaining a trusted promotional partner dedicated to making your brand stand out.
FAQs About Screen Printing and Embroidery
To help you make the most informed decision for your merch, here are answers to some of the most common questions about screen printing and embroidery.
How long does screen printing last?
With proper care, screen-printed designs can last for years. While the ink may gradually fade after repeated washes, high-quality printing techniques and inks keep the design looking vibrant for a long time.
Is embroidery more durable than screen printing?
Yes. Embroidery uses thread stitched directly into the fabric, making it extremely resistant to fading, peeling, or cracking. It often outlasts the garment itself.
Can screen printing handle detailed designs?
Absolutely. Screen printing excels with bold and complex designs, including gradients and photo-like images. Just keep in mind that more colors increase setup costs.
Does embroidery cost more than screen printing?
It depends on the order. Embroidery is priced by stitch count, which makes it affordable for small logos but more expensive for large, detailed designs. Screen printing is cheaper for bulk orders, especially if you’re printing colorful designs on t-shirts or hoodies.
What products are best for embroidery?
Embroidery works best on thicker fabrics and structured items like polos, jackets, caps, beanies, and backpacks. It gives these items a professional and polished look.
Can I order small quantities?
Yes. While screen printing is often better for bulk orders, small runs are possible. Embroidery is particularly cost-effective for low-volume orders, such as uniforms or employee gifts.
Which method is better for events?
For large-scale events, screen printing is usually the best choice since it’s cost-effective for bulk orders of t-shirts and hoodies. For VIP gifts or premium swag, embroidery adds a high-end touch.
Still unsure which method fits your project? The experts at BRAND NEW Promotions can guide you through every step, from design to delivery, ensuring your merch looks great and aligns with your goals.
Conclusion: Elevate Your Brand With Screen Printing and Embroidery
When it comes to creating merchandise that people will actually use and remember, screen printing and embroidery are two of the most reliable methods available. Screen printing delivers bold, colorful designs at scale, making it ideal for events, giveaways, and casual apparel. Embroidery provides a premium, polished finish that elevates corporate wear, uniforms, and high-value gifts. Together, they give your brand the flexibility to balance cost, durability, and style across a wide range of products.
The key is matching the right technique to your goals. If you want affordable visibility at large events, go with screen printing. If you need long-lasting, professional apparel that communicates quality, embroidery is the better choice. Either way, both approaches reinforce your brand identity and help keep your business top of mind.
At BRAND NEW Promotions, we specialize in helping companies design and produce custom merch that stands out. From choosing the right decoration method to delivering high-quality products on time, we ensure every piece of merchandise strengthens your brand’s presence and impact.
Ready to elevate your next campaign? Partner with BRAND NEW Promotions today and bring your vision to life with custom screen printing and embroidery that leaves a lasting impression.