# Embroidery vs Screen Print on Hoodies | Bulk Hoodie Co.

Embroidery or screen print on a hoodie? Battle Born Clothing compares cost per piece at 24, 48 and 144, art size limits, durability and blank choice.

Canonical: https://bulkhoodieco.com/guides/embroidery-vs-screen-print-on-fleece/

Embroidery for a left-chest logo that has to look like a uniform. Screen print for a big graphic at 48 pieces or more. That is the rule of thumb; here is the math and the exceptions from Battle Born Clothing's shop.

## Cost side by side

| Quantity | Left-chest embroidery | 1-color screen print (dark) | One-time fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | $6.00 | Quoted per job | $18.99 digitizing / $20 screen |
| 48 | $5.50 | $4.59 | $18.99 digitizing / $20 screen |
| 144 | $4.00 | Quoted per job | $18.99 digitizing / $20 screen |

At 48 pieces, a one-color print is about a dollar cheaper per piece than embroidery. Add a second ink color and that gap closes because each color is a screen and a per-piece charge. Embroidery has no color charge: a four-color logo stitches at the same rate as a one-color logo.

## Art size

- Embroidery: practical up to about 4 inches wide on the left chest. Larger embroidery is stitch-heavy and quoted per design.
- Screen print: up to about 12 by 10 inches on the chest and 13 by 14 inches on the back.

If your design is a wordmark or a small crest, either works. If it is a full graphic, it is a print.

## Durability and feel

Embroidery is the most durable decoration we do; Rapos polyester thread holds color through years of washing. Plastisol print is also durable but sits on the surface and can crack after a few hundred washes if ironed or dried hot. Water-based and discharge prints soak into cotton-rich fleece and feel like nothing is there.

## Which blank

| Blank | Embroidery | Screen print |
|---|---|---|
| Independent IND4000 / SS4500 | Excellent | Excellent (plastisol or water-based) |
| Port & Company PC78H / Gildan 18500 | Good | Good (plastisol) |
| Comfort Colors 1566 / Independent PRM4500 (dyed) | Excellent | Water-based or discharge recommended |
| Carhartt (authorized, quoted) | Standard | Not recommended |

## The common combination

Many orders use both: an embroidered left-chest logo and a printed back. Each location is priced on its own; the quantity tier is the whole order. Small full-color runs under 48 go to [DTF](/decoration/dtf-transfers/).

[Get a quote](/quote/)

## Questions
**Can you embroider a full back?** Yes, quoted per design. It is usually several times the cost of a printed back, so we suggest print unless the look specifically calls for stitching.

**Does screen print work on zip hoodies?** On the back, yes. We do not recommend printing across the zipper.

**Which is better for a 20-piece order?** Embroidery or DTF. Twenty pieces is below the point where screens pay for themselves.


---
Bulk Hoodie Co. is a brand of Battle Born Clothing, 3 Pebble Beach Dr, Yerington, NV 89447. Quote: https://bulkhoodieco.com/quote/