The best in threaded tees
When it comes to personalised t-shirts, embroidery is less common than techniques like screen printing or direct to garment printing. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that many big and bold t-shirt designs are better suited to the lightweight touch of printing or decals.
However, t-shirt embroidery can be used to great effect when looking to elevate a simple logo or more subtle design. Adding a touch of class or an air of quality to your tee can sometimes be as simple as opting for stitching rather than printing.
If you like the idea of incorporating some embroidery in to your merch design but aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve gathered some of our favourite embroidered t-shirt examples here to help inspire you.
Katakana
Japanese denim brand Katakana look for subtle ways to reflect their heritage in each of their pieces, and the understated embroidery of the japanese kanji on this tee is a way to do this without taking away from the deliberate simplicity of the piece. The delicacy of the embroidery is suited to the precision of the characters.
Maison Margiela
A crisp white tee with black logo embroidery will always be a classic piece for any brand, and Margiela put their own subtle spin on this here by inverting their logo. The deliberately imperfect nature of their font is further enhanced by the texture and movement of the embroidery.
Uswitch
ICON helped Uswitch create these tees for their team, and they once again showcase the winning combination of a white tee with black embroidery. Creating a silhouette version of your company logo is one way to simplify it for use on merchandise, making it more versatile and more easily wearable.
Play COMME des GARÇONS
For some brands their embroidered tees have become one of the most iconic pieces they sell, and this is certainly the case for COMME des GARÇONS’ Play line. Their embroidered heart tees are by far their most popular item, and the vibrant red of the stitched design is recognisable anywhere and everywhere.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein is one of the brands best known for their logo itself, which is the cornerstone of so many of their designs. Embroidery is one way to maintain the quality that the Calvin Klein brand represents while still offering entry level products to their legions of loyal fans. This black tee flips the usual offering, bearing a white stitched logo that jumps off of the contrasting fabric.
Bianca Chandon
With their ‘Western’ tee Bianca Chandon illustrate how you can experiment with embroidery in a way that still feels subtle and dynamic. Using the most simple of stitching, the brand trace the lines of a western motif on the breast pocket of their tee, a nod to the more intricate stitching of a cowboy’s denim shirt.
Carhartt
Carhartt is a brand known for the quality and durability of their products, and opting for embroidery when it comes to their tees makes sure that even these simpler pieces are assured to last. Embroidery is the least likely technique to fade or degrade.
Want to create your own embroidered t-shirts? ICON Printing offer fast turnaround printing on a range of garments, counting a number of clients ranging from such as WeWork to Boiler Room and the Tate. Get a quote in 2 minutes online.