Techniques and applications
Workwear printing: logo, fabric and a complete team order
Choose garment and print together, then organise sizes, names and positions in one checked team order.
Choose the garment and print together.
Workwear printing involves more than putting a logo on a shirt. Garment, fabric, print size and daily use together determine a suitable specification. Record sizes and any individual names too. This makes an order for ten different colleagues easier to check than ten separate requests.
Start with your colleagues’ working day
A shirt for a one-off event faces different demands from clothing worn daily in a workshop. Describe movement, outdoor work, customer contact and use of clothing layers. This helps choose style, colour and placement.
Consider what remains visible. A back print on a shirt disappears under a jacket; a chest logo may be hidden by an apron. Review clothing as a set and choose what each layer needs to communicate. Recognition does not require the same large logo everywhere.
Disclose special protection or cleaning requirements beforehand. Personalisation must suit the article and its instructions. Everyday workwear and clothing with a protective function do not automatically require the same approach.
Supply a logo that remains scalable
Prefer the original vector logo, such as a suitable PDF, AI, EPS or SVG. The extension alone proves little: a PDF containing a small screenshot is still a small screenshot. Specify colours and any brand guidelines.
For photographs and pixel images, resolution at final print size matters. An image that looks good on a phone may blur as a large back print. Have the original assessed; changing the resolution number alone does not add image detail.
Say whether a white background is part of the design or should be transparent. Check small taglines and fine lines at actual size. A simplified logo may read better on a chest than a complete version with a slogan. See our artwork and file guidance.
Assess size on both the smallest and largest garment
A large back logo is not a defined measurement. Specify desired width in centimetres and position. Discuss whether every size receives the same print or some need a different size. This avoids a design barely fitting between seams on a small garment.
Account for pockets, zips and seams. A jacket also has a different construction from a flat T-shirt. For existing clothing, mark the intended position on a photograph. We then assess access and fabric behaviour.
For example, a service team might use a compact company logo on the front and a short description on the back. Keep the main message recognisable; a long service list in small letters adds little at normal viewing distance. This is one design direction, not a standard layout every team needs.
Why a print behaves differently on different fabrics
Cotton, polyester, blends and stretch fabrics respond differently to personalisation. Base colour, stretch and coatings also matter. Dyes in some polyester garments may migrate into the print. Suitable specification and assessment of the actual garment are therefore important.
A DTF transfer is printed onto film, then applied with heat to suitable fabric. It may suit colourful logos, but that does not make the process suitable for every material. You need not choose a print method beforehand: describe the result and use.
A large solid print area can feel different from an open line design. Consider comfort for colleagues wearing garments for hours. For a compact, textured brand detail, embroidery may be an alternative; a combination may suit some garments.
Technical background: STAHLS’ on dye migration in polyester. Material choice and settings are assessed for each garment.
Use one overview for the whole team order
Use one row per variant, listing style, colour, size, quantity, print positions and any name. Do not leave variable names only in a separate email. Link each name to the correct garment and check spelling before confirming the order.
- Fixed specification: which logo and colours apply to everyone?
- Variants: which styles, sizes and personal texts differ?
- Checking: do quantities add up to the intended total?
- Repeat orders: which logo version, position and size have been agreed?
Compare quotes for the same clothing and specification. Print size, number of positions, quantity, artwork and individual variants matter. A per-garment price alone is misleading if one proposal has a chest logo and another includes a large back print.
Keep the final list for new colleagues. Garment availability and changes in fabric or colour are checked again on repeat orders.
Agree washing guidance for garment and print
Follow both garment label and print instructions, using the stricter requirement. No single temperature or drying method suits every print. Disclose professional cleaning, frequent washing or unusual products in your enquiry.
Share the care instructions across the team. A carefully chosen specification helps little if everyone follows different assumptions. Ask for advice for your actual order when unsure.
From the first idea to a suitable specification
Under clothing printing you can specify styles, quantities, logo, placement and required receipt date. For several clothing layers, we consider the complete branded workwear set. Unsure about a chest logo? Read about what makes a suitable embroidery logo.
SDLG works from Breda and ships products throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. Discussions, drop-off and collection are by appointment. See our contact details and directions.
Production and delivery
Lead time: 1–5 working days, subject to stock availability. For larger projects, we agree the lead time individually. The schedule is confirmed after checking stock and the proposed work. Shipping transit time is separate. Delivery and shipping guidance.