Embroidery Placement and Size Guide: Left Chest to Full Back
Embroidery placement guide with a size chart for left chest logos, caps, sleeves, full backs, towels and bags, plus where to place each design.
The Two Questions Every Order Starts With
A client sends a logo and says "put it on the shirt." Before you quote, digitize or hoop anything, you need two answers: how big and where exactly. Get them wrong and the job looks off even when the stitching is perfect: a left chest logo that is too wide wraps toward the armpit, and a full back that sits too low looks like it slid down the shirt.
There is no official standard for embroidery placement. What follows are the common industry ranges most shops work within: a starting point to adjust for the garment, the logo's shape and what your client wants.
Embroidery Size Chart by Placement
Sizes are the finished design, width by height. Most logos are wider than they are tall, so the height is often the smaller number and depends on the logo's proportions.
| Placement | Typical width | Typical height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) | 1.5 to 3.5 in (40 to 90 mm) | The most requested spot. 3.5 in wide is a safe default on adult tees |
| Right chest | 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) | 1 to 2.5 in (25 to 65 mm) | Often a name, department or second logo |
| Polo chest | 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) | 1.5 to 3 in (40 to 75 mm) | Same as tees; the placket affects placement, not size |
| Cap front (structured) | 4 to 5 in (100 to 125 mm) | 1.75 to 2.5 in (45 to 65 mm) | Height depends on crown profile |
| Cap side | 1.5 to 2.5 in (40 to 65 mm) | 1 to 1.75 in (25 to 45 mm) | Small text, flags, icons |
| Cap back (above strap) | 2 to 3 in (50 to 75 mm) | 0.75 to 1.25 in (20 to 30 mm) | Usually a short word or web address |
| Beanie cuff | 2.5 to 4.5 in (65 to 115 mm) | 1 to 2 in (25 to 50 mm) | Keep it inside the folded cuff |
| Sleeve | 2 to 3.5 in (50 to 90 mm) | 2 to 3.5 in (50 to 90 mm) | Upper arm or short sleeve |
| Hoodie front (center chest) | 8 to 10 in (200 to 255 mm) | 3 to 8 in (75 to 200 mm) | Must clear the kangaroo pocket |
| Yoke / upper back | 8 to 11 in (200 to 280 mm) | 1.5 to 3 in (40 to 75 mm) | Wide and short, often text |
| Full back | 10 to 12 in (250 to 305 mm) | 8 to 12 in (200 to 305 mm) | Home 8x12 hoops cap height at about 7.9 in; taller needs a commercial frame or splitting |
| Towel | 4 to 7 in (100 to 180 mm) | 2 to 4 in (50 to 100 mm) | Monograms and names |
| Bag / tote | 6 to 10 in (150 to 255 mm) | 4 to 8 in (100 to 200 mm) | Scale to the bag panel |
Left chest logo size
Most shops work with 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) wide, with 3.5 in as the safe default on adult tees and polos. Let the logo's shape set the height: a wide wordmark may be only 1.5 in tall, a round badge closer to 3.5 in. Keep the height under about 3.5 in, or the logo starts to look like a chest print rather than a left chest mark.
Where to Place Each Design
Size is half the job. The other half is position, and that is where most "it looks wrong" complaints come from. These distances are typical for adult garments, not rules.
Left chest embroidery placement
The common measurement on a medium: the top of the design about 7 to 8 in below the shoulder seam (measured from the high point, where the shoulder seam meets the collar), or 3 to 4 in below the collar at the front. The center of the design sits about 3 to 4 in from the center front of the garment. Go higher on small sizes.
| Measure from | To | Typical distance (adult medium) |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder seam, high point | Top of the design | about 7 to 8 in (180 to 205 mm) |
| Front collar (neckline) | Top of the design | about 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) |
| Center front (placket or middle of the shirt) | Center of the design | about 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) |
A quick visual check: the logo should sit between the collar and the armpit, never down at armpit level.
Right chest
Mirror the left chest. If both sides are embroidered, keep the tops at the same height so they read as a pair.
Polo
Polos take the same 3 to 4 in logo as a tee; the placket changes placement, not size. Many shops center the design between the placket and the side seam, with the top around the level of the second button. Keep the logo clear of the placket edge.
Caps
Center the design on the front seam. The bottom usually sits around 0.5 in (about 12 mm) above the brim. Low profile caps have a shorter front panel, so keep the height near the bottom of the range. Side designs are centered on the side panel; back designs sit just above the strap opening.
Sleeve
Center the design on the outside of the sleeve. On short sleeves, keep it clear of the hem; on long sleeves, an upper arm logo usually starts a few inches below the shoulder seam.
Full back and yoke
A full back design usually starts a few inches below the back collar seam, commonly in the 3 to 5 in range on adult tees, and is centered left to right. Watch the height: a home 8x12 hoop rotated gives about 11.8 x 7.9 in, so a 10 to 12 in tall back needs a commercial jacket-back frame or a split design. A yoke design (the wide band across the upper back) sits closer to the collar, often 1 to 3 in below it.
Hoodie front
Center chest designs sit below the neckline and above the kangaroo pocket. Measure that gap before you settle on a height: it often limits you more than the hoop does.
Towels, bags and beanies
Towel monograms are usually centered a couple of inches above the woven border. On totes, center the design and keep it clear of handles and seams. On beanies, the design must fit the folded cuff with some margin.
Adjusting for Kids, Women's and Big Sizes
The ranges above assume an adult unisex garment, roughly a medium or large. Adjust when the garment is different.
- Kids and youth. Smaller garment, smaller logo. A left chest of around 2.5 to 3 in wide is common, placed higher (a bit less distance from the shoulder) and a little closer to the center front. Full backs often drop to 8 or 9 in wide.
- Women's fitted cuts. Many shops go slightly smaller on the left chest (around 3 to 3.5 in wide), and a bit higher and closer to the center front so the design sits flat and does not land on the curve of the garment.
- XXL and above. The garment is wider, so a left chest at the top of the range (around 4 in) looks balanced. The logo usually moves down slightly too.
When one order mixes sizes, many shops keep one design size for the whole run and only adjust the position. If the range is very wide (youth small to adult 4XL), a second, smaller file for the kids' sizes is usually worth it. Either way, mark the position with a placement ruler or template rather than eyeballing it.
Check the Hoop Before You Promise a Size
A 12 in full back sounds simple until you remember the design has to fit in the sewing field of your hoop, which is smaller than the hoop's outer frame. Common home and semi-pro hoop sizes:
| Hoop | Sewing field (approx.) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | 100 x 100 mm | Left chest, small logos, cap side |
| 5x7 | 130 x 180 mm | Larger chest logos, towels, small bags |
| 6x10 | 160 x 260 mm | Hoodie fronts, yoke, totes |
| 8x12 | 200 x 300 mm | Full backs up to about 7.9 in tall (rotated) |
Caps use their own cap frames, and their sewing area depends on the machine and frame. Full backs taller than about 7.9 in need a commercial jacket-back frame or splitting. Our guide to embroidery hoop sizes by machine lists common hoops by brand.
Size Changes the Stitch Count (and the Price)
Doubling a design's width roughly quadruples its area, and with fill areas the stitch count grows in a similar way. A left chest and a full back of the same logo are completely different jobs.
- Quote the size you will actually sew. Confirm the size first, then estimate stitches. Our guide on how to estimate stitch count shows how, and the embroidery calculator turns stitches into a price.
- Do not stretch a file a lot. Changes beyond about 10 to 20 percent can leave stitches too sparse or too dense, because density and pull compensation were set for the original size. For a much bigger or smaller placement, redigitize at that size.
Preview the Placement Before You Stitch
You can check both size and position on screen before you touch a garment.
1. Check the real size in the viewer. Open the file in the free Embroidery Viewer. It shows the design's width and height in millimeters and inches, the stitch count, color stops and an estimated sew time. Turn on the hoop overlay (4x4, 5x7, 6x10 or 8x12) to see at a glance whether it fits, and switch the background to fabric, leather or fleece to judge how it will read on the material.
2. See it on a garment with the mockup. The garment mockup accepts the logo as an image (PNG, JPG, SVG) or as the embroidery file itself (DST, PES, JEF, EXP, VP3, XXX). Pick a placement preset such as left chest to judge proportion and position and get the client's approval, then confirm the exact measurements in the viewer.
3. Run through the rest of the file. Size and placement are only two items on the list. Our checklist for checking an embroidery file before stitching covers density, small lettering, trims and sew order.
Creating the design yourself? When you turn an image into an embroidery file or make text embroidery, set the final placement size up front instead of resizing later, and match the backing to the fabric with the stabilizer guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should a left chest logo be? Most shops work with 3 to 4 inches wide (75 to 100 mm), with 3.5 inches as a common default on adult shirts and polos. Go smaller for kids, and toward 4 inches on XXL.
How far down from the collar does a left chest logo go? On a medium, the top of the design usually sits about 7 to 8 inches below the shoulder seam at its high point, or 3 to 4 inches below the collar, centered about 3 to 4 inches from the center front. Go higher on small sizes.
How big should a hat embroidery be? On a structured cap front, around 4 to 5 inches wide and 1.75 to 2.5 inches tall is common, toward the lower end on low profile caps.
What is the size for full back embroidery? Usually 10 to 12 inches wide on adult garments. Your hoop sets the real limit: an 8x12 hoop rotated gives about 300 x 200 mm (11.8 x 7.9 in), so the design must stay under about 7.9 in tall. Taller backs need a commercial jacket-back frame or splitting.
The Short Version
- Common sizes: left chest 3 to 4 in, cap front 4 to 5 in wide, sleeve 2 to 3.5 in, hoodie front 8 to 10 in, full back 10 to 12 in. These are typical ranges, not rules.
- Common positions: left chest top about 7 to 8 in below the shoulder seam (3 to 4 in below the collar) and 3 to 4 in from the center front; cap logos about 0.5 in above the brim; full backs a few inches below the collar.
- Adjust for kids, women's cuts and big sizes, and always check the sewing field of your hoop.
- Preview first: measure in the free Embroidery Viewer with the hoop overlay, and show the client the placement in the garment mockup.
See It On a Product
Place your embroidery design on t-shirts, caps & more with our mockup tool.
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