Custom Hats: Embroidery Guide
What is an embroidered hat?
Embroidered hats are headwear that feature logos, text, or custom artwork stitched directly into the fabric using embroidery threads. This method creates a long-lasting, high-quality design that doesn’t peel or fade like printed designs might.
How embroidered hats are made:
1. Logo Digitization
Your logo is converted into a special embroidery file format using digitizing software. This tells the machine:
-Where to stitch
-What direction the stitches go
-What type of stitches to use
2. Thread & Hat Selection
You choose the hat style (e.g. snapback, dad hat, beanie, trucker, etc.)
We choose the closest thread colors to match your branding or preference. If you have specific pantone or hex colors we can gladly match those as well.
3. Hooping the Hat
The hat is secured in a special frame called a hoop, which keeps the fabric tight and in position for precise stitching.
4. Machine Embroidery
The hat is loaded into one of our Tajima embroidery machines, and the digitized file is run:
The machine stitches the design onto the hat, using multiple needles with different thread colors.
Larger machines can run multiple hats at once for bulk orders.
5. Finishing Touches
Excess backing/stabilizer is removed
Loose threads are trimmed
Each hat is inspected for quality
Hats are cleaned and packed for delivery
Why Choose Embroidery?
It's the #1 most popular customization option!
Compared to printing, embroidery offers:
Durability – designs don’t fade, crack, or peel
Premium look & feel – raised texture adds depth
Professional appearance – ideal for uniforms and branding.
Next, let's go over logo size, shape, locations, thread types, and colors.
Embroidered Beanie
Embroidered Trucker Hat
Embroidered Rope Hats
Logo size: How big or small can my embroidered logo be?
The maximum height that embroidery can go on custom hats is 2.25" and a width of 5". Small details, like a TM or R, must be at least 0.25" to work. Sounds like a lot of measurements, huh? No need to worry, we will work out all of the size details for you and proof everything to make sure the sizing is exactly how you want it to look.
I'm going to drop a few visuals just so you can get an idea of what different sizes look like, and logos that we have altered slightly because of small text. We can alter it in a few different ways: either enlarge a detail that you want to keep, or remove it all together.
1. FLORA FARMS EXAMPLE
THINGS TO NOTICE:
1. Size: Almost at max height and width. The width stays almost between the two eyelets of the hat, which is what tends to be most pleasing to the eye.
2. We removed the restricted R at the end of the logo. We could have enlarged it, but the logo looks much smoother without that small detail.
2. THE WHEEL PIZZA CO. EXAMPLE
THINGS TO NOTICE:
1. 2.16" height is a height that many of our customers go with. Notice how it sits right in the center of the hat. Not too low, not too high.
2. Notice how we removed the "THE" from the original logo. This is because the "THE" would not have embroidered well as it is too small and not needed.
Logo Shape: What kind of shapes can be embroidered?
Almost any shape can be achieved with embroidery, but what you want to AVOID is SYMMETRICAL outlines of squares or circles (they must be filled in.) The examples below show a good range of the shapes that we CAN do.
How exact are thread colors?
Thread colors aren't complicated. We try to match your logo to the closest thread color. There is often requests to match parts of the logo to a part of the hat, like the mesh and stitching. I'll throw an example below. We also match threads to pantone, hex, and more to ensure that your branding is consistent and uniform.
Most logos have less than 7 colors in them, but if your logo has more or you want to add more colors it's an extra $0.15 per color on each hat.
Gradients can work to an extent, but have to be reduced or completely taken away. In the example below, we took away the gradient in the text and left it in the sun rays. Here's an example of how gradients look when embroidered (the sun rays) :
There are other options besides embroidery that can achieve a gradient perfectly, so if you want to go that route then let us know and we can tell you about the other options.
Where can my logo be placed on the hat?
These are the main locations that we do for custom embroidered hats. You can do a front center logo with additional locations +$2 each. If you want your logo embroidered on the bill or in another area, contact us.
What is Puff Embroidery?
Puff embroidery, or 3D embroidery, uses foam under the stitches to create a bold, raised effect—perfect for logos that need to stand out. It works best on structured hats like snapbacks and trucker caps and is ideal for thick, simple designs (like initials or bold shapes). While it's more expensive than flat embroidery due to extra materials and production time, it delivers a premium, high-impact look. Keep in mind: not all logos work for puff, so designs may need to be simplified or partially done in flat embroidery for the best results.
What are the thread colors that CapsToYou Uses?
At CapsToYou, we use Madeira embroidery threads, trusted by professionals worldwide for their performance and reliability. Madeira threads run smoothly on high-speed commercial embroidery machines, minimizing breaks and downtime while delivering crisp, clean stitching even on complex or high-density designs.
With an extensive range of over 400+ vibrant thread colors, Madeira offers excellent Pantone® matching capabilities, allowing us to accurately align your embroidery with your brand’s color standards. Whether it's a bold logo or subtle accent stitching, we can get incredibly close to your exact brand colors. Beyond aesthetics, Madeira threads are known for their exceptional stability...resisting fraying, fading, and shrinking through repeated wear and washing.
Take a look at our thread colors here. We offer them in downloadable PNGs so that you can print them or keep them in your files.