How to Prepare Your Logo for Embroidery Digitizing
A logo that looks great on screen won't always stitch well. Here's what to check before you send it for digitizing, and what to tell your digitizer.
Read article3D Puff Embroidery Digitizing
3D puff digitizing for raised, clean edges.
3D puff only looks good when the file is built for foam. We digitize puff designs with the column widths, density and end caps that cut the foam cleanly and cover it completely, so you don't get foam poking through at the edges.
Stitch-out preview included · Free revisions until approved
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Built for the foamClean cuts, full coverage
How 3D puff works
Why a normal file won't do.
With 3D puff, a layer of foam is placed on the garment partway through the run. The machine stitches satin columns over it, and the needle perforations cut the foam so the excess can be torn away. What's left is raised lettering or a logo with rounded edges.
A file made for flat embroidery doesn't do any of that properly. The stitches are too sparse to cut and cover the foam, the ends of each column are left open, and the underlay flattens the foam before the top stitches go down.
What we change
How a puff file is built.
- Denser satin columns so the needle perforates the foam cleanly and covers it completely.
- End caps on each column to seal the foam at the ends instead of leaving it exposed.
- Minimal underlay under puff areas so the foam isn't crushed before it's covered.
- A stop for the foam after the flat elements, so you stitch flat parts first and puff second.
- Column widths kept within the range puff handles well, splitting very wide shapes.
Design guidance
What works best in 3D puff.
Puff rewards bold, simple shapes. If your logo is detailed, we'll suggest which parts to raise and which to keep flat.
Bold lettering
Thick, block or rounded letters are the classic puff design. Very small or thin letters lose their shape once raised.
Simple shapes
Solid icons and marks with clear outlines puff well. Fine detail, gradients and hairlines don't.
Puff plus flat
Raise the main word or icon and stitch smaller text, outlines and taglines flat around it. This keeps the design readable.
Caps first
Puff is most common on structured cap fronts, where the stiff backing supports the foam. It also works on jackets and heavier fabrics.
Ordering finished puff patches instead of a file? See our 3D puff patches.
Pricing
Quoted from your artwork.
3D puff files take more setup than flat embroidery, so we quote each one after seeing the design. The price follows our placement-based digitizing pricing, with any extra work for puff confirmed before we start. Every file includes the formats you need, a thread color chart, a stitch-out preview and free revisions.
Questions
3D puff digitizing FAQs.
Can any logo be made into 3D puff?
Not every part of it. Bold letters and solid shapes puff well; small text and fine lines are better kept flat. We'll recommend a puff-and-flat combination when the logo needs it.
Do I need a separate file for puff?
Yes. A puff file is built differently from a flat embroidery file, so if you want both versions of a logo, we digitize them separately.
What foam should I use?
Use the foam thickness you normally run, and tell us what it is. Most shops use embroidery puff foam of around 2–3 mm, and we set the file up for the foam you plan to use.
Which formats do you deliver?
DST, PES, EXP, JEF, XXX, VP3 and others on request, at no extra cost.
From the blog
Helpful reading before you order.
Short, practical guides from our team.
How Much Does Embroidery Digitizing Cost?
Why digitizing is priced by stitch count and placement, what makes a quote go up, and how to avoid paying twice for the same logo.
Read article
DST vs PES vs EXP: Embroidery File Formats Explained
Which format your machine reads, what each one stores, and why a JPG or PDF can't simply be converted into a stitch file.
Read articleWant your logo raised in 3D puff?
Send your artwork and where it's going, and receive a free, no-pressure quote within one business day.