For many of us, when we think of a polo shirt it’s one which is emblazoned with a logo. The logo polo shirt is simple and understated, and it’s for this reason that many brands choose to get custom embroidered or printed polo shirts for their business. The custom polo a ubiquitous sight on most high streets, usually seen with just one block colour all over, with a logo on the left breast.

The other place you’re likely to find the logo polo shirt is in sportswear. Smart, but still with an easygoing air, the shirt has been embraced in sports for the same reason as it’s been adopted by brands. Boasting the combination of smartness with a loose, airy fit, it’s seen the shirt popularised in tennis by Fred Perry, where there was (and still is at Wimbledon, at least) an emphasis on keeping up a genteel appearance even as you compete at the top tier of elite sport.

But how to make sure that your own logo polo shirt is up to scratch? The simple things are often the hardest to pull off, and with plenty of other brands proffering their own examples, it’s vital to make sure that you get yours right. Here we offer four tips on how to make sure your polos are as good as they can be.

4 insider tips on how to create awesome logo polo shirts

1. You can use embroidery or screen printing

For polo shirts, it’s possible to screen print or embroider your design – but we’d generally recommend using embroidery for best results. If you’re really keen to screen print, we’d recommend using higher quality polo shirts to ensure you get best results (like those by Stanley Stella, for example.) In both cases, the minimum order is 20 units.

2. Keep it simple

Whether you’re using screen printing or embroidery, you’ll get best results by keeping your design simple. For embroidery, in particular, text and simple line graphics work best, and we advise to use a design no smaller than 50mm. In the case of logo polo shirts, it means that if you have a complex or super-detailed logo for your brand, then it would be advisable to adapt it. Bring out the key aspects for a clean and simple approach – that way, the finished product won’t have any issues with the embroidery.

3. Think creatively about embroidery

If you decide to use embroidery for your shirt, then it’s worth thinking about ways to toy with the medium. Compared to screen printing, there’s a tactile side to embroidery that can be interesting to play around with. For example, by using thread that’s the same or similar colour as your garment, it can create a subtle effect that will catch people’s eye once they notice it.

4. Consider using special threads

Another great thing about embroidery is the special, attention-grabbing threads which you can use for your design. These can come in a range of options such as neon or metallic. Of course, this depends on your brand identity and the style you’re looking to suggest, but it’s worth considering for a small splash of something different on your designs.

Want to create your own polo 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.