Last Updated on September 30, 2026 by Ewen Finser
Custom embroidery seems pretty straightforward until a design that looked fine on screen arrives looking completely different. I learned that on a six-shirt order for my own company. The site flagged some small lettering, so I enlarged it until the warning disappeared and thought I had fixed the problem. When the shirts arrived, some of the letters still ran together.
That experience made me look at more than price when comparing embroidery companies. Who reviews the artwork is important, especially if your logo has small text or fine details. Turnaround matters too if the shirts are for an event or a specific date. A lower price does not help much if the embroidery looks sloppy or the order shows up too late.
At a Glance
Company | Minimum Order | Turnaround | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
BlueCotton | 6 pieces | 10-day standard on many items; rush options available | In-house |
RushOrderTees | Select no-minimum embroidery; some products require 6 | 9–12 business days; rush to 6 | Production model not clearly disclosed |
Stitch America | 12 pieces for setup-free included embroidery | Proof ~4 days; ships ~5 days after approval | In-house |
Queensboro | $60 order | Product-specific | 3 U.S. production facilities; full routing not clearly disclosed |
Custom Ink | Product-specific; embroidery has minimums | About 2 weeks; rush available | Full embroidery routing not clearly disclosed |
Merchology | Product-specific | New-logo orders typically ship in 10–12 business days, plus transit | U.S. production facilities |
What To Check Before Choosing an Embroidery Company
Before comparing prices, look at the details that can change what you pay, how the finished embroidery looks, and full turnaround time.
- Minimum order. Some companies have one set minimum, while others change it by garment or product. Check the item you want before getting too far into the order so you know your quantity qualifies.
- Turnaround and delivery. “Ships in five days” does not mean it will arrive in five days. Ask when the clock starts, whether artwork approval is included in that time, and whether the date you are given is a ship date or an in-hands date.
- Artwork review and proofs. Small type, thin lines, and detailed logos may need to be changed before they embroider cleanly. A digital proof can show placement and size, but it is not the same as seeing the design stitched. For a larger order, ask whether a stitch-out or physical sample is available.
- Garment selection. Look at the item separately from the embroidery. Brand, fabric, fit, size range, and availability all matter, especially if you are ordering for a group or expect to reorder later.
- What the price includes. One quote may include digitizing, artwork cleanup, a certain stitch count, and shipping while another charges for some of those separately. Compare the full price for the same garment, quantity, logo placement, and embroidery.
- Stitch count, stock, and reorders. A small chest logo may be covered in the base price while a larger or more detailed design costs extra. Also check whether all the sizes and colors you need are in stock and whether the company saves your embroidery file, thread colors, and placement for future orders.
BlueCotton
BlueCotton is a Kentucky-based custom apparel company that handles screen printing and embroidery for everything from small group orders to larger business and event runs. Both screen-printed and embroidered orders start at six pieces, and the company can handle runs into the thousands. Orders go through professional artwork review and a nine-step quality-control process that includes checks on artwork, color, placement, the garment itself, and the final package.
The artwork review is the part that stands out to me after my own embroidery order mishap. Even increasing the lettering still resulted in it coming back running together. BlueCotton has a professional review built into the process before production starts, so the design is not relying only on the online preview. It does not guarantee that every detailed logo will stitch perfectly, but it gives someone another chance to catch small lettering or other details that may not translate well to thread.
Standard turnaround is 10 business days on many products, with five-day Rush, three-day Super Rush, and one-day options available on eligible items. The timing varies by product, so check the specific garment you’re ordering. The apparel catalog covers polos, hats, outerwear, sweatshirts, business apparel, bags, and other categories, with familiar brands including Adidas, Carhartt, Gildan, Nike, and The North Face.
Samples require a little more attention for an embroidery order. BlueCotton has a printed sample program: printed samples are free on orders over 250 pieces, while smaller orders can get one for $100, with that amount credited toward the bulk order. Blank garment samples are also available for checking sizing and fabric, but the sample policy does not specifically include an embroidered stitch-out, so that is something to ask about before a large embroidery run.
BlueCotton also handles production in-house in Bowling Green, with customer service working in the same facility as the production staff. If the artwork review turns up a placement or design question, there are fewer layers between the person helping with the order and the production floor.
RushOrderTees
RushOrderTees is a custom apparel company offering both screen printing and embroidery. Its minimum structure depends on the product. The company has a dedicated no-minimum embroidery collection, while other embroidered items require at least six pieces.
Standard embroidered orders are listed at 9–12 business days, with Rush Delivery available in as little as six business days on qualifying orders. There is a broad mix of basic and higher-end apparel, with brands including Carhartt, Nike, The North Face, Adidas, and Under Armour.
Check the specific garment before ordering. One embroidered item may have no minimum while another requires six pieces, and the fastest delivery options may not apply across the entire catalog. That combination of small-order options and expedited delivery makes RushOrderTees worth comparing when quantity and timing are the biggest concerns.
Stitch America
Stitch America has specialized in custom embroidery since 1996, with apparel, hats, bags, workwear, and other embroidered products in its catalog. For orders of 12 pieces or more, Stitch America includes embroidery in one location, such as a logo on the left chest, with no setup fee. The included embroidery can use up to 12,500 stitches; larger or more detailed designs may cost extra.
For a new design, the initial proof generally takes about four business days. Once the proof is approved, the order ships within about five business days, with another one to five business days allowed for transit. Rush service is also available, and the embroidery itself is handled in-house.
Stitch America also offers a free logo evaluation with feedback generally provided within one business day, which can help if a logo has a lot of small details. Its apparel selection includes brands such as Adidas, Nike, Callaway, Eddie Bauer, and Carhartt. Stitch America is the company to look closely at if the logo has tiny lettering, a detailed crest, or a lot going on in a small space, because embroidery is their speciality.
Queensboro
Queensboro has been focused on custom embroidery for more than 40 years, with a catalog built heavily around business apparel such as polos, shirts, hats, outerwear, bags, and workwear. The minimum order is $60, so the number of pieces needed depends on what you choose.
Queensboro is also specific about some of its embroidery limits. Standard logos are capped at 11,000 stitches. The company may simplify details or resize and reposition text if the design needs to be adjusted to sew cleanly. There is no setup fee to convert a logo for embroidery. Up to two embroidery locations can be added to an item, with the first location included.
Its apparel selection includes recognizable names such as Adidas, Brooks Brothers, Carhartt, Nike, and The North Face. The company operates three U.S. production facilities, although its public information does not clearly establish the routing for every embroidery order.
Production time varies by product and order, so check the estimated date for the specific garment if the order is tied to an event. Queensboro also has a No Returns Necessary Guarantee and says it will replace or refund an item if there is a problem without requiring the customer to send it back.
Custom Ink
Custom Ink is a large custom apparel company offering screen printing, embroidery, and other decoration methods. Its embroidery selection includes polos, hats, jackets, vests, bags, workwear, and other business apparel, with brands such as Richardson, Port Authority, Nike, Cutter & Buck, and others.
Embroidery minimums depend on the garment, so check the quantity requirement on the specific product before ordering. Most embroidered apparel arrives in roughly two weeks, with rush options available for qualifying orders. Artwork is reviewed before production, while proof availability can depend on the order.
Artwork review can be fairly hands-on. Custom Ink says its artists may redraw or simplify a design, enlarge small details, split text onto multiple lines, or substitute a more embroidery-friendly font when the uploaded artwork will not sew cleanly.
One advantage is the ability to mix styles, brands, and colors while keeping the same embroidered artwork on qualifying orders. A company could put some employees in polos, others in jackets or vests, and still keep the logo consistent across the group. What is less clear is the production route for every embroidered order, so if keeping everything under one roof for a large or time-sensitive order, that is something to confirm before placing it.
Merchology
Merchology is geared heavily toward corporate merchandise and carries more than 100,000 customizable products from over 300 brands. Its catalog includes names such as Nike, Under Armour, Patagonia, Carhartt, Adidas, and American Apparel, so there is plenty of room to move from basic company apparel into more recognizable retail labels.
Merchology handles decoration through U.S. production facilities. There is no single companywide embroidery minimum, and requirements depend on the product.
For standard orders using a new logo, Merchology says orders typically ship within about 10–12 business days, with carrier transit added afterward. Product and program details can affect that schedule, so it is worth working backward from the date the merchandise needs to arrive.
The catalog also extends beyond apparel into hats, bags, premium gifts, drinkware, and other branded merchandise. Those extra capabilities are appealing if you are also ordering employee gifts, several product types, or running a larger company merchandise program versus small employee polo orders.
Make Sure You’re Comparing the Same Thing
Get at least two or three quotes for a substantial embroidery order and give every vendor the same information: garment style, quantities by size, logo file, embroidery location, required in-hands date, and whether a physical sample or stitch-out is needed.
Make the quotes as close to apples-to-apples as possible. Use the same garment or a genuinely comparable blank, the same quantity, the same number of embroidery locations, and the same delivery deadline. Also check whether digitizing, artwork cleanup, shipping, rush service, and extra stitches are included in the total. A lower shirt price does not tell you much if one quote includes several costs that another adds at checkout.
Then compare their answers:
- Does the timeline include transit?
- Who reviews the embroidery file?
- Can the company provide a stitch-out?
- What happens if the logo needs to be simplified?
- Will the garment probably still be available for reorders?
- If something goes wrong, who controls the order and can correct it?
Of the six companies here, BlueCotton is the one I’d start with for most group or business embroidery orders. The six-piece minimum works for a small run, but the same in-house operation can handle orders into the thousands. It also combines professional artwork review, multiple quality checks, clear rush options, and a broad apparel catalog in one place.
After my own order, I pay a lot more attention to the artwork review and the delivery date than I used to. If the shirts are for an event, both can make or break the order. I’d rather spend a little more than end up with a logo that does not look right or shirts that arrive after I need them.