Branding
Embroidery or printing for school uniforms: which one lasts?
Embroidered crest or printed logo? How each is made, where each belongs on a school uniform, and why most schools choose embroidery for the crest.
· 4 min read · Modish Formals
A school crest is the first thing a parent checks and the first thing to look worn. The choice between embroidery and printing decides how it looks in the third term.
How they differ
Embroidery stitches the design into the fabric with thread. It has a slight raised texture and a rich finish, and it survives repeated washing because it is part of the garment.
Printing (screen printing) presses ink onto the surface. It is flat, quick to produce, and suits large simple shapes and bright colour blocks. Over many washes and a hard school year, printed designs are the ones that crack or fade first.
Where each belongs
Embroidery or printing, garment by garment
- On the garment
- Blazer, pinafore, shirt crest
- Usually best
- Embroidery
- Why
- Small, detailed, seen up close, worn daily
- On the garment
- PE shirts and house colours
- Usually best
- Printing
- Why
- Large area, simple design, washed hard
- On the garment
- Promotional or event shirts
- Usually best
- Printing
- Why
- Fast and economical for one-off runs
- On the garment
- Tie and badge
- Usually best
- Embroidery or woven
- Why
- Needs to hold its shape
What to ask a supplier
- How many colours can the crest have? Computer embroidery handles detailed crests; at Modish this is up to 15 colours.
- Will you show me the stitched crest before the whole batch is made? The sample is where you check spelling, colours and size.
- What is the backing? A good crest sits flat after washing; a poor one puckers the fabric.
- Is the thread colour-fast? Ask for the colour to be checked against your uniform fabric.
Our recommendation
For the crest and anything a parent will look at closely, choose embroidery. It lasts longer and does not fade, which is why it is what we recommend for uniforms. Keep printing for PE wear and promotional shirts, where the area is large and the design is simple.
