Decoration Specs · Embroidery

Built on Melco. Sewn Right.

Every embroidery location, max size and placement we run, plus the artwork, thread and personalization rules behind them.

See Locations

20Locations

31Stock thread colors

6 pcMinimum, no setup fee

7 to 10Days production

01 · Locations

Where It Goes

Max size is the ceiling a customer can order, set at least 0.25" inside the hoop's usable field. Default width is what the store builder loads first.

Front view shows the garment facing you, so the wearer's left chest (LC) sits on your right.

Adult front

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop	Notes
FF	Full front	10"	10" x 9"	13" x 11"
FFH	Full front, pullover hoodie	10"	10" x 8"	13" x 11"
LC / RC	Left or right chest	3.5"	4" x 4"	5.5"	Adult 2XL and up: center 4.5" from garment center. Polo: top aligns with the second button. Full zip: center moves 0.5" out to clear the zipper by 0.75".
CC	Center chest	3.5"	4" x 4"	5.5"
HP	Left hip / lower front	3"	4" x 4"	5.5"

Adult back

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop	Notes
FB	Full back	11"	13" x 11.25"	15" x 12"
NK	Nape of neck	3"	3" x 1.5"	5.5"
YK	Upper back yoke	9"	11" x 3"	13" x 8"
BH	Below the hood	11"	11" x 3"	13" x 8"	Embroidery uses the yoke size here, mostly for names.

Sleeves

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop
LS / RS	Left or right sleeve (bicep)	2.5"	2.75" x 2.75"	4.25"
LSD / RSD	Left or right down sleeve (long sleeve)	3"	3" x 11.5"	4.25" x 13" sleeve

Youth

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop
YFF	Youth full front	8"	8" x 7"	13" x 11"
YLC	Youth left chest	3"	3.5" x 3.5"	5.5"

Pants and shorts

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop	Notes
LG / RG	Left or right thigh, pants	3.5"	4" x 4"	5.5"	Embroidery placement changes from "3" to 4" below the pocket opening".

Bags and accessories

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop
BG	Bag or tote front	8"	10" x 9"	13" x 11"

Headwear

Code	Location	Default width	Max W x H	Hoop	Notes
CF	Cap front, structured	4"	4.5" x 2.25"	Cap frame	3D puff available in embroidery (min letter height 0.5").
CFU	Cap front, unstructured	3.5"	4" x 1.75"	Cap frame
CL / CR	Cap left or right side	2"	2.5" x 1.5"	Cap frame
CB	Cap back	2.5"	3" x 1"	5.5"
BN	Beanie cuff	3.5"	4" x 2"	Cap frame

Codes, names, default widths and placement come from the BeeGraphix master location list, shared by every decoration method. See all locations.

Youth sizes: LC, RC and HP max out at 3.5" x 3.5" and FF at 8" x 7". FF on pullover hoodies drops to 10" x 8" to clear the pouch pocket.

02 · Placement

Measure Once

Every placement is measured from the bottom of the collar, front or back, the same way for every decoration method. Laser alignment confirms the start point before sewing.

Adult front

Code	Location	Placement
FF	Full front	2.5" down from collar, centered
FFH	Full front, pullover hoodie	2.5" down from collar, above the pouch pocket
LC / RC	Left or right chest	3" down from collar (about 7" to 8" below the high point shoulder), center 4" from garment center
CC	Center chest	3.5" down from collar, centered
HP	Left hip / lower front	Bottom of design 2" to 3" above hem, center 4" from garment center

Adult back

Code	Location	Placement
FB	Full back	4" down from collar, centered (below the hood seam on hoodies)
NK	Nape of neck	1" down from back collar, centered
YK	Upper back yoke	2" to 3" down from back collar, centered
BH	Below the hood	7" down from collar, centered (1" below the hood seam)

Sleeves

Code	Location	Placement
LS / RS	Left or right sleeve (bicep)	Short sleeve: 1" above sleeve hem. Long sleeve: 6" down from top of shoulder seam. Centered on sleeve fold
LSD / RSD	Left or right down sleeve (long sleeve)	6" down from top of shoulder seam, centered on sleeve fold, reading bottom to top

Youth

Code	Location	Placement
YFF	Youth full front	2" down from collar, centered
YLC	Youth left chest	2.5" down from collar (5.5" to 6.5" below the high point shoulder), center 3" from garment center

Pants and shorts

Code	Location	Placement
LG / RG	Left or right thigh, pants	5" down from waistband, 1" from side seam

Bags and accessories

Code	Location	Placement
BG	Bag or tote front	Centered on the front panel

Headwear

Code	Location	Placement
CF	Cap front, structured	Bottom of design 0.5" above the visor seam, centered on front seam
CFU	Cap front, unstructured	Bottom of design 0.5" above the visor seam, centered
CL / CR	Cap left or right side	Bottom of design 0.5" above the visor line, centered on side panel, clear of eyelets
CB	Cap back	Bottom of design 0.25" above the strap opening, centered
BN	Beanie cuff	Centered on the front of the folded cuff

Polo rule: LC top aligns with the second button, never higher than the collar point. Full zip rule: LC and RC centers move 0.5" out so the design clears the zipper by at least 0.75".

03 · Artwork

Art That Sews

Every design is digitized for one size and one location. A new size or a new location is a new design, not a stretch of the old one.

Requirement	Standard
Preferred files	Vector: AI, EPS, PDF, SVG, CDR
Raster files	300 dpi at final size minimum; routes to art review
Existing stitch files	DST or OFM accepted; sew-out approval before production
Minimum text height	Lowercase 0.25", uppercase 0.3" for block and sans fonts; 0.35" for serif fonts
Minimum text height, caps	0.3" (curved surface loses detail)
Minimum line width	0.05" (1.3 mm). Satin columns max 7 mm (0.28"); wider areas switch to fill
Minimum gap between elements	0.04" (1 mm) or the gap fills in
Max thread colors	15 per design (16 needles, one held open)
Resize without re-digitizing	Within 10% of the digitized size
Cap designs	Digitized separately, sewn center out, even when the flat logo exists
Proof	Digital proof showing size, thread colors and stitch count

Recommended Font Styles

Bold weight with even stroke width sews cleanest. Near the minimum height, always use the bold weight.

Style	Use for	Examples	Minimum height
Block / sans serif	Names, company text, hats, small text	Arial Bold, Helvetica Bold, Montserrat	0.25" lowercase, 0.3" uppercase
Athletic block	Team names, numbers, 3D puff	Varsity, Collegiate, Stadium, Impact	0.3" flat, 0.5" puff
Bold script	Names and accents at larger sizes	Lobster, Pacifico	0.5"
Serif	Monograms, formal text	Rockwell, slab serifs	0.35"

Won't Reproduce in Thread

These go to art review for a simpler version, or to DTF or a patch instead.

Gradients, fades and photographs
Halftones, distressed textures and fine drop shadows
Thin outlines around small text
White text on light garments with no outline

Stitch Count Tiers

Price by stitch count, not by square inch. Typical ranges:

Location	Typical stitch count
LC / RC / CC	5,000 to 9,000
Cap front	6,000 to 10,000
Sleeve, neck, cap side	1,500 to 4,000
YK	6,000 to 12,000
FF	15,000 to 30,000
FB	25,000 to 60,000

Restrictions

Each one is a rule on the product: the location is hidden, capped smaller, or flagged for approval.

Garment or condition	Rule in Brandfora
Lightweight performance tees (under 4.5 oz)	LC, RC, sleeves and NK only. No FF, YK or FB (puckering).
Full zip hoodies and jackets	CC and FF hidden. LC, RC and FB allowed.
Pullover hoodies	FF max height 8" to clear the pouch pocket. FB starts below the hood seam.
Pockets at the location	Location hidden. We do not sew a pocket closed.
Zippers, buttons, snaps, seams	Design keeps 0.75" clear. Hoop needs about 1" of flat fabric past the design edge.
Puffer and down jackets	Hidden. Route to a patch quote.
Waterproof shells	Approval only, with a note that needle holes reduce water resistance. Patch preferred.
Knits and stretch fabrics	Allowed with cutaway backing. No tearaway.
Caps	Nothing across the back strap or over eyelets. Front plus sides can run in one hooping; back is a second hooping and a second charge.
Six panel structured caps	Text under 0.4" tall avoids the center seam.
Designs over 60,000 stitches	Approval only (production time).
Designs over 15 colors	Art review to reduce colors.

Backing by fabric: cutaway for knits and fleece, no-show mesh for light colored knits, tearaway for wovens, and tearaway with a cap backing for headwear.

04 · Thread

Madeira Polyneon

One master catalog, one row per thread number. Click any color to copy its number. Swatches are screen matches from our printed chart: use the Madeira card for production.

Standard Colors · All Stores

Label-Only Colors

Stocked for specific customers. Hidden from the picker until a store has a customer label mapped to one.

Customer Labels

A label is the customer's name for a master thread. Customers see the label; production and inventory see the thread number.

Customer	Label	Master thread
Monessen	Monessen Grey	Mid Grey 1918
PennWest	PennWest Blue	Dark Royal 1843
PennWest	PennWest Red	Cardinal Red 1637
PennWest	PennWest Gold	Athletic Gold 1980
PennWest California	PennWest California Red	Scarlet 1588
PennWest Clarion	PennWest Clarion Gold	Dark Old Gold 1672
PennWest Edinboro	PennWest Edinboro Red	National Red 1838
PennWest Global	PennWest Global Gold	Bronze Gold 1724
App. State U.	App. State Gold	Athletic Gold 1980
West Allegheny	West Allegheny Red	Deep Red 1747
Tennessee	Tennessee Orange	Tennessee Orange 1765

05 · Personalization

Names and Numbers

Personalization is an added location, sewn only in our three house fonts from Melco DesignShop.

Athletic blockAthletic Block

Team names, numbers, 3D puff

Min 0.3" flat, 0.5" puff

Block sansPlain Block

Everyday names, company text, small text

Min 0.25" lowercase, 0.3" uppercase

ScriptBrody

Names and accents at larger sizes

Min 0.5"

Rules

Layouts: one line, two lines, or name plus big number.
Name: max 14 characters per line.
Number: max 2 digits.
Thread color: any of the 31 standard colors.
Size: text never goes below its font's minimum height. If a name will not fit a location at that height, the store blocks it rather than shrinking it.

By Location

Location	Code	Layouts allowed	Max characters (Plain Block caps)
Left chest	LC	One line, two lines, name + number	14
Right chest	RC	One line, two lines, name + number	14
Left sleeve	LS	One line	10
Right sleeve	RS	One line	10
Below the hood	BH	One line, two lines, name + number	14
Nape of neck	NK	One line	12
Left thigh	LG	One line, two lines, name + number	14
Right thigh	RG	One line, two lines, name + number	14
Cap back	CB	One line	12

Max characters are estimates for Plain Block capitals at 0.3" in each location's max width. Brody at 0.5" fits about 40% fewer. Below the hood uses the yoke spec on hoodies, with the top of the text 1" below the hood seam.

06 · Order Policies

The Fine Print

Minimums, fees and turnaround for every embroidery order.

Minimum

6 pieces per design, no setup fee

Under minimum

Allowed with a $20 setup fee

Digitizing

No fee

Production time

7 to 10 business days

3D puff

Cap fronts only (CF), extra charge

Personalization

Offered as an added location; see Personalization

Patches

Not covered here; separate spec

3D Puff Rules

Cap fronts only, as an extra charge.

Structured caps only. Unstructured caps collapse the foam.
Block or sans serif lettering and bold shapes. No script, outlines or fine detail.
Minimum letter height 0.5" and minimum stroke width 0.1".
Max size 4.5" W x 2.25" H, same as CF.
Puff elements run in one color; flat elements can add other colors.

07 · Equipment

The Floor

Melco Summit and EMT16X share the same limits, so one spec covers every machine. The hoop and a safety margin set the real ceiling, not the machine.

Item	Limit	Notes
Summit, max flat sew field	16.1" W x 15.5" H (410 x 393 mm)	Melco Summit
EMT16X, max flat sew field	16.1" W x 15.5" H (410 x 393 mm)	Melco EMT16X
Wide angle cap frame (both)	14.1" W x 3.25" H (360 x 82 mm), 270 degrees ear to ear	Front and both sides in one hooping. Cap back is a separate hooping.
Conventional cap frame	5.9" W x 2.75" H (152 x 70 mm)	Front only
Needles	16 per head	Sets the thread color ceiling
Cap sew speed	300 to 1,200 SPM	Flats run up to 1,500 SPM

Mighty Hoop Sew Fields on Melco

Melco's published usable fields, which account for hoop wall height and presser foot clearance. Flex hoops need Melco OS Flex or higher.

Mighty Hoop	Usable sew field	Bracket	OS level
4.25" x 4.25"	3" x 3"	MT400	Lite
5.5" x 5.5"	4.3" x 4.3"	MT400	Lite
7.25" x 7.25"	6.3" x 6.3"	MT400	Lite
13" x 8"	11.8" x 6.7"	MT475	Lite
13" x 11"	11.8" x 9.8"	MT475	Lite
4.25" x 13" (sleeve)	3.5" x 12.25"	MT475	Flex
15" x 12"	14.8" x 11.5"	MT475	Flex

Mighty Hoop brackets: MT400 handles hoops up to 10" x 10", MT475 the larger ones. Wrong bracket and the hoop will not seat in the arms.

08 · Status & Sources

Where It Stands

Setup progress for the Brandfora build, and where the numbers come from.

Setup Checklist

Confirm exact Mighty Hoop inventory against the hoop column. The spec now uses 4.25", 5.5", 7.25", 13" x 8", 13" x 11" and 15" x 12".
Confirm we own the 4.25" x 13" sleeve hoop. If not, hide LSD / RSD.
Confirmed: EMT16X runs OS Flex+, Summit runs Summit Manager. Lite blocks the 15" x 12" and sleeve hoops.
Ask Melco to confirm Summit supports our Mighty Hoops. Their compatibility list names EMT16 and EMT16Plus but not Summit.
Thread brand: Madeira Polyneon. Stock color list added above.
Set price tiers against the stitch count ranges, plus the puff upcharge (Davis).
3D puff: yes, cap fronts only, extra charge.
Finish personalization rules: fonts set (Athletic Block, Plain Block, Brody); locations, characters and colors set.
Map these columns to Brandfora's decoration location fields once we see its admin form.

Sources

Placement distances, text minimums, stitch count ranges and restrictions are BeeGraphix standards based on common industry practice.

Last updated September 29, 2026.