Corporate Embroidery and How to Use Your Logo Strategically on Garments

When it comes to corporate embroidery, there can be an overwhelming number of options when choosing how and where to strategically use your logo on your uniform. Are you placing it in a spot that will get good visibility from potential customers? Do the colours stand out enough against the garment fabric? Should you heat press or embroider? These are all likely the types of questions you’ll need to ask yourself if you’re tasked with the responsibility of organising the workplace uniforms.

Still feeling a little unsure on how to strategically use your logo on corporate garments and uniforms? Read on for our guide on corporate embroidery.

Do I need a logo on my uniform at all?

When it comes to corporate uniforms, many businesses often bypass the branding aspect. However, there are so many benefits when it comes to branded uniforms that it almost seems like a missed opportunity if your uniform isn’t branded.

Having a branded uniform can provide some of the following benefits:

• A sense of pride and belonging for your employees – Wearing a uniform that looks good gives employees a sense of pride when they wear it. Like a sports club, uniform bonds everyone together and encourages everyone in the business to support each other. Having a uniform that everyone in the business wears also takes away any form of hierarchy as everyone is wearing the same thing.
• Walking billboards for your company – Dressing your team in a corporate, branded uniform turns your employees into walking advertisements for your company. If you have a uniform that is professional-looking, neat and gives off a strong brand message, there is a good chance potential customers will remember it. Having this branded uniform will ensure your business is getting exposure – from your employee’s morning commute right up to their lunchtime coffee run. Essentially, your staff can reach thousands of people every single time they step out of the office.
• They make a statement about your business – If you’ve got a business logo that really stands out against a certain colour, use this to your advantage. Making your logo pop on your business uniform helps make a statement about your business and portrays a brand message to customers. Is your business professional and eye-catching, or sloppy and bland?

How should I use my logo strategically on our uniforms?

If design isn’t your strongest suit, there’s no shame in calling in the professionals to help you with using your brand in a strategic way on your uniforms and ensure your logo stands out. Nadija Marinovic from Luma Printing says “the first and most important factor is the simplicity of the design. Both the logo and the garment should be simple but catchy and it is important that the logo is bold, well designed and fits the style and type of the garment.”

Depending on what type of garment you’re having printed and what your business branding is hoping to achieve will help you to determine where on your garment you’ll have the logo printed. The left side of the chest is the best spot for brand recognition. One study conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group found that more users remember brands when their logos are placed on the left rather than on the right. As we read left to right, our eyes automatically look left, which makes total sense if you think about it!

There are some circumstances where you may have your logo in other places, such as across the back to aid with recognition, such as event staff who need to stand out from the crowd. “We always take into consideration what type of company and business it is as well as customer input,” says Nadija. “Our initial recommendation is to place the logo where it will be most visible and that is usually on the front or back of the garment. The logo size also needs to be well balanced on the garment and shouldn’t be too big or small, as that can project the wrong image out to your customers.”

When should I embroider vs heat transfer?

Once you’ve decided what your logo will look like and where it will be placed, you can talk to an embroidery company about the best option for getting your logo onto your garment. Based on what type of garment you have; embroidery may be recommended over screen printing or heat transfer. “Embroidery is a process of stitching thread onto fabric to create a logo, whereas screen printing is the process of applying ink,” Nadija says. Both are valuable methods when it comes to adding your logo to your uniform. Before making your choice, there are some things you may need to weigh up such as cost, suitability, and durability of the design. One thing to keep in mind is screen printing generally doesn’t last as long as embroidery and can crack and fade over time. However, Nadija advises that “printing is a great option for larger logos where more detail is required and can usually be more cost-effective when done in larger numbers.”

For smaller corporate logos, embroidery may be the way to go, as it features a clean, professional look and looks great on business shirts and polos. With quality stitching, embroidery is an option that is likely to last for a long time and is less likely to show signs of fading or other damage.

Having the perfect uniform for your business is one that encapsulates your brand and the people behind it. Your employees essentially turn into walking billboards when wearing your uniform so it’s important to have one which will reflect positively and leave an impact on potential customers when they see it. When it comes to adding your logo to the uniform, speaking to a professional can help you decide whether embroidery or screen printing will work better for the vision you have in mind.

If you’re after the perfect garment for your work uniform, all Biz Corporates offer up a blank canvas, ready for your design to be added. To find your new uniform, head into your closest Biz Corporates stockist today.