Logo Placement on Shirt: How To Place a Logo on a Shirt

Think of your logo like a spotlight—it deserves center stage, not a seat in the back row. Whether you’re making merch for an event, dressing your team, or just want to turn heads at the coffee shop, where you place that logo on a t-shirt can make all the difference.

Printing your company logo on a t-shirt lets employees and customers broadcast their support for your business. It also turns anyone wearing one into a walking billboard—if you’re lucky, your eye-catching logo design could attract new customers.

Small details make a big difference in shirt design. Choosing the right placement for your brand logo increases visibility and shows the image in its best light. Learn about shirt design placement options for logos and different image styles.

Logo placement on a shirt: What you need to know

1. Printing methods
2. Production approaches
3. Image resolution requirements
4. Other key terms

Designing a custom shirt isn’t just about creating a great logo, it’s about understanding how to bring that logo to life on fabric. From selecting the right printing method to choosing the ideal placement and size, each decision plays a role in how your final product turns out. Design and logo placement don’t have to be difficult.

Let’s break it down:

Printing methods

To start off, choose a printing technique to apply your logo to a t-shirt. The best printing method depends on image complexity, fabric, the number of colors in your design, and your desired look and feel. Here are a few options to consider:

Screen printing

Screen printing is ideal for simple logos with one or two colors. This process is well-suited to bulk order production, but it may not be the best choice if you’re hoping to render intricate details.

Embroidery

Embroidered, raised logos create a noticeable textural contrast. Selecting this method can give your design an elevated feel. Embroidery is a good choice for small logos with one to two colors. Think the Polo Ralph Lauren logo. By contrast, a large embroidered design can make t-shirts feel stiff and uncomfortable.

Direct-to-garment

Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is a good choice for colorful designs and images with intricate details. This method works best on cotton t-shirts or other natural fiber garments. DTG creates high-resolution designs but can be less durable and less cost-effective than other methods for bulk orders. You can buy a DTG printer to create your designs or partner with a print-on-demand company for this process.

Production approaches

Find a production approach that works for your business needs. Large companies may prefer bulk ordering to reduce overall costs. For smaller companies with limited funds, working with a print-on-demand service to print garments as needed will eliminate the need for a large upfront investment. Research various companies you can partner with to confirm they offer your preferred printing technique at a reasonable cost.

Image resolution requirements

If you’re showcasing your brand logo on a shirt, you’ll want the details to look crisp and clean. Providing your printing partner with a high-resolution image file will yield the best results. Image resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi)—300 dpi is considered high resolution. The exact file requirements may vary depending on your printing service.

Other key terms

Understanding these key terms will make it easier to communicate with your printing partner, avoid common mistakes, and ensure your logo ends up exactly where—and how—you want it:

Anchor point

The anchor point is the visual center of your design. This might not be the exact midpoint of the image file, especially if your logo is asymmetrical. Printing services use anchor points to ensure accurate placement.

Print location vs. print placement

Location refers to the area where you’ll print your design on the shirt. Locations are general areas like chest, back, or collar. On the other hand, placement describes the exact positioning within that location. Ideal placement can vary based on image size.

Print size vs. print area

Print size refers to the size of your logo or image on the final print. It’s typically measured in inches and centimeters. By contrast, the print area describes the portion of fabric a design covers. It also takes into account details that may affect the design, like buttons, zippers, and seams.

Standard size vs. oversized

Printing companies set a default design size for each print location. If you don’t provide an exact measurement, they’ll print your images in this standard size. When clients request an image larger than the default, it’s referred to as an oversized design.

Maximum size

This describes the largest possible print size for a custom shirt. Image resolution, printer capacity, and print location are a few key factors that will affect your logo’s maximum size.

T-shirt logo placement options

• Left chest
• Center chest
• Full chest
• Collar or small upper back
• Upper back
• Full back
• Sleeves

Picking the perfect placement for your logo will help show off your design. Your logo placement can also send a subtle message about your brand identity. The left chest location, for example, is popular with legacy brands and has a slightly preppy connotation, while the back collar and sleeve locations are slightly less conventional.

Here are some of the most common placement options for t-shirts:

Left chest

Left chest logo placement for small logos and simple images can feel classic or preppy, depending on the design. Traditionally, the left upper chest is where you’d wear badges and name tags, so printing your logo on the left side is more common. Think Polo Ralph Lauren or Lacoste. While less common, there’s nothing wrong with printing your logos on the right side.

• Logo size: 2.5 inch by 2.5 inch to 5 inch by 5 inch

• Placement: It’s typical to place left chest logos three to four inches below the collar and to not extend past the armpit.

• What it’s best for: Left chest placements are ideal for simple graphics or logos.

Center chest

This location puts your design front and center. Center chest placements are highly visible, even if the wearer is also sporting an open jacket. Center chest prints are mid-sized and compatible with minimal or moderately detailed designs.

• Logo size: 6 inch by 6 inch to 10 inch by 10 inch

• Placement: Align the anchor point with the center of the garment. Depending on the size, designs may begin three to five inches below the collar line.

• What it’s best for: Center chest prints can accommodate logos with clean lines, moderate detail, or minimal text that needs to stand out without overwhelming the shirt.

🌟 Find the perfect t-shirt mockup generator for your business with this comprehensive guide.

Full chest

A full chest, or full front, location works for both medium and large designs. The flexible scale makes this placement extremely versatile. These designs start beneath the collar and can continue down the entire front of a t-shirt or sweatshirt.

• Logo size: 12 inch by 12 inch to 16 inch by 16 inch

• Placement: Align the anchor point with the center of the t-shirt. Position the top of the image three to four inches below the collar.

• What it’s best for: A full-front design placement is a great way to display large or bold text, detailed images, or ornate logos.

Collar or small upper back

Back collar prints are small and subtle. Brands often use this placement to add logos to t-shirts with a more elaborate design in another location. 

• Logo size: 1 inch by 1 inch to 3 inch by 3 inch

• Placement: Small upper back designs are center-aligned and placed around one inch below the bottom edge of the collar.

• What it’s best for: These small prints are ideal for minimalist logos like the Nike Swoosh or the Adidas trefoil, especially when you pair them with a larger design on another area of the shirt.

Upper back

Upper back prints occupy the top third of a t-shirt and fall over the shoulder blades. Picture the back of a sports jersey—the upper back is the space where you see the player’s name above their number.

• Logo size: 10 inch by 5 inch to 14 inch by 6 inch

• Placement: Upper back designs are center-aligned and start around four inches beneath the shirt collar.

• What it’s best for: The wide dimensions make this placement ideal for text-based logos.

🌟 Each logo file format has a specific purpose and intended medium, from clothing and business cards to digital website headers and video overlays. Learn the right file format for each use.

Full back

If you want to go big, go full back. This location offers the most surface area of any printing option. Full-back designs aren’t visible during face-to-face conversations but they can still make a big impact for anyone walking behind the wearer. Think of concert t-shirts that list all the dates of a tour as just one example of how much information you can fit in a full-back design.

• Logo size: 10 inch by 12 inch to 14 inch by 16 inch

• Placement: Full-back prints are center-aligned and start around three to four inches beneath the shirt collar.

• What it’s best for: These large designs are perfect for showing off detailed artistic imagery or larger blocks of text. Full-back designs are often used in combination with a smaller chest print.

Sleeves

You’ll most often see sleeve designs on the upper outer left shoulder near the deltoid muscle, but you might see them on the right as well. These prints are small and subtle but remain moderately visible.

• Logo size: 1 inch by 1 inch to 4 inch by 4 inch

• Placement: Sleeve print placement can vary. These images typically fall around two inches above the hem on short-sleeved t-shirts.

• What it’s best for: Minimalist logos and simple graphics can work well on shirt sleeves. Size restrictions make it difficult to display detailed designs in this location.