How Is Embroidery Priced by Stitch Count?
Many customers are surprised that two logos of the same size get different embroidery quotes — the reason lies in how embroidery is priced, not the design’s surface area.
Why stitch count, not surface area
An embroidery machine forms a design by passing the needle back and forth in small individual stitches — a more detailed logo (small text, complex outlines, multiple color layers) needs more stitches to complete, even if its overall area matches a simple logo. That’s why embroidery cost is based on stitch count, not square centimeters.
What affects stitch count
- Design complexity — fine detail and small text need more stitches than a simple, bold shape.
- Number of thread colors — every color change requires the machine to stop and switch bobbins, adding stitches and time.
- Stitch density — a solid fill area takes far more stitches than a thin outline.
How to reduce embroidery cost
If a logo has detail that’s too fine (text smaller than a few millimeters, very thin lines), simplify it before embroidering — this lowers cost and avoids detail getting lost on fabric. Keep the original proportions when scaling a logo down, so stitches don’t bunch up too densely in small areas.