Manual stitch-path optimization
Stitch direction, sequencing and travel paths planned by hand to minimize trims and thread breaks on the machine.
Manual digitizing that converts your logo, lettering or artwork into machine-ready stitch files. Every file is hand-punched, test-sewn and QA-checked — so it runs cleanly on Tajima, Brother, Barudan, Melco, Janome, Ricoma and every major commercial machine.
What you get
Auto-traced files fail on production — thread breaks, puckering, density issues. Every stitch path, underlay and density decision in our files is made by an experienced puncher.
Stitch direction, sequencing and travel paths planned by hand to minimize trims and thread breaks on the machine.
Piqué polo, structured cap, terry towel or performance mesh — the underlay structure is chosen for the exact garment.
Flat, 3D puff or appliqué — density calculations match the technique so coverage is full without bulletproofing the fabric.
Files are run on real machines and you receive a sew-out preview for approval. What you see is what production gets.
Placement-specific files
Different placements need different stitch density, underlay and pathing. Tell us where the design goes — we digitize for that placement, not a generic catch-all file.
$10
Polos, workwear, uniforms. The bread-and-butter placement, priced flat.
$18
Large-format digitizing with fill strategies that stay soft and flexible.
Cap
Optimized for curved surfaces and 3D puff — centered, arced, run bottom-up.
+
Specialty small-text digitizing that stays legible at 4 mm letter height.
Multi-position designs for uniform packages — quoted as one job, delivered as one set.
Beyond flat embroidery
Flat embroidery — this page's technique — is the standard for most logos and lettering. Three other techniques need a genuinely different digitizing approach, each with its own dedicated guide below.
Not sure which technique fits? Send the artwork and the garment — we'll recommend the right approach, free.
Transparent pricing
$10per design, flat
Save up to 45%
$200+30–100 designs / month
$18per design, flat
| Machine | Formats we deliver |
|---|---|
| Tajima | .DST |
| Brother / Janome | .PES · .JEF · .DST |
| Melco | .EXP · .OFM · .DST |
| Pulse / Tajima DG | .PXF · .DST |
| Barudan | .FDR · .DST |
| ZSK | .DSB · .DST |
| Happy | .TAP · .DST |
| On request | .HUS · .VP3 · .XXX · .CST |
Need a format we haven't listed? Ask during your quote — most are included free.
How it works
JPG, PNG, PDF, AI — even a sketch or a photo of an existing garment.
An experienced puncher maps every stitch for your fabric and placement.
The file is sewn on a real machine to confirm production quality.
You receive a sew-out preview for approval before final delivery.
Final files in every format you need, same business day.
Unlimited adjustments until it stitches exactly how you want.
Frequently asked questions
Digitizing converts your artwork into a stitch file — a set of machine instructions defining every stitch's position, direction, density and sequence. A well-digitized file is the difference between a crisp logo and a puckered mess, no matter how good the machine is.
All of them: DST (Tajima), PES and JEF (Brother/Janome), EXP and OFM (Melco), PXF (Pulse/Tajima DG), FDR (Barudan), DSB (ZSK), TAP (Happy), plus HUS, VP3, XXX and CST on request. Every order includes the formats you need at no extra charge.
Anything readable — JPG, PNG, PDF, AI, EPS, or even a phone photo of an existing embroidered garment or a hand sketch. Low-quality art is fine; we redraw as part of digitizing.
3–5 hours for standard designs. Our night shift covers US and UK time zones, so files sent in the evening are ready before your morning shift. Rush requests carry no extra fee.
$10 flat for designs under 5 inches, $18 flat for over 5 inches. High-volume shops save up to 45% per design with monthly plans ($200/30, $300/50, $550/100 designs). Quotes and edits are always free.
Yes — every file is test-sewn on commercial machines before delivery, and we deliver in your machine's native format. If anything runs wrong on your equipment, we fix it free until it doesn't.
Yes. Beyond digitizing, we run full apparel decoration — embroidered hats, jackets, polos, bags and towels — plus custom patches and DTF transfers. Ask for a production quote with your digitizing order.
Unlimited free revisions, always. Resize for a new placement, change a color sequence, tweak density for a different fabric — no invoice, no time limit.
Customer reviews
From franchise embroidery counters to uniform suppliers — what customers say about our digitizing specifically.
★★★★★
Files run clean the first time — no thread breaks, no gaps. Our machines barely stop anymore.
★★★★★
We send artwork at 6 pm and the DST is waiting before our morning shift. It changed how we schedule jobs.
★★★★★
Free edits actually means free. Two revisions on a 3D puff cap file, same day, no invoice.
★★★★★
Curved cap digitizing is where most shops fall apart. Ours run first try, every time, on a Melco.
Free quote — no strings
Send the artwork and the garment it's going on. Quote back within the hour, stitch-ready files in 3–5.