What Is Embroidery Digitizing & How It Works

• By Sal Lucchese

What Is Embroidery Digitizing & How It Works

(Plus Pricing Breakdown for Digitizing Services)

Embroidery digitizing is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — parts of the embroidery business. Whether you’re a new shop owner, a home embroiderer stepping into commercial work, or an established decorator trying to streamline your workflow, understanding digitizing is essential for producing clean, professional results.

This guide explains what digitizing is, how it works, why it matters, and how pricing is determined in the industry.

1. What Is Embroidery Digitizing?

Embroidery digitizing is the process of converting artwork (logos, text, graphics) into machine-readable stitch commands.
It tells the embroidery machine:

  • Where to place stitches

  • What type of stitches to use

  • How dense the stitching should be

  • What order to sew the design

  • When to trim, change colors, or add underlay

Digitizing is not automatic art conversion — it requires skill, understanding of fabrics, push/pull compensation, sequencing, and machine behavior.

A well-digitized design = clean embroidery.
A poorly-digitized design = thread breaks, distortion, puckering, and wasted garments.

2. How Embroidery Digitizing Works (Step-by-Step)

Step 1 — Artwork Assessment

A digitizer reviews the artwork for:

  • Complexity

  • Small details that may not sew well

  • Line thickness

  • Color count

  • Fabric type the design will be sewn on

Step 2 — Setting Up the File

The digitizer determines:

  • Size of the design

  • Stitch type selection

  • Underlay choice

  • Density

  • Compensation

  • Hooping orientation

Step 3 — Pathing & Sequencing

This is the “roadmap” of the file:

  • Minimizes trims

  • Reduces jumps

  • Ensures efficient color order

  • Prevents distortion

  • Avoids unnecessary movement of the hoop

Good pathing saves time and reduces machine wear.

Step 4 — Stitch Type Selection

A digitizer uses stitches such as:

  • Satin stitches (text, borders, small shapes)

  • Fill stitches (large areas, backgrounds)

  • Run stitches (details, travel paths)

Each stitch type behaves differently on different fabrics.

Step 5 — Underlay & Density

Underlay stabilizes the top stitches.
Density determines coverage.

Choosing these correctly depends on:

  • Fabric stretch

  • Texture

  • Thickness

  • Desired look of the final embroidery

Step 6 — Test Sew & Edits

A quality digitizer tests sew the design and adjusts:

  • Pull/push issues

  • Gaps or thick density areas

  • Small element distortion

  • Thread breaks

The final file (DST, OFM, PES, EXP, etc.) is then delivered to the customer.

3. Why Good Digitizing Matters

Proper digitizing:

✔ Reduces thread breaks
✔ Speeds up production
✔ Ensures consistent results
✔ Prevents puckering and distortion
✔ Cuts your cost per job
✔ Makes your shop look more professional

Digitizing is the foundation of every embroidery shop — if the file is bad, nothing else will fix it.

4. Pricing for Embroidery Digitizing

Digitizing pricing varies, but industry-standard ranges are:

Text-Only / Lettering

$10 – $20
Simple block lettering, no complex shapes.

Left Chest / Hat Logo (3–4 inches)

$40 – $65
Your TEX Inc pricing: $45–$55

Jacket Back (10–12 inches)

$100 – $150+
Your TEX Inc pricing: $100–$135

High-Detail / Complex Artwork

$75 – $200+ depending on:

  • Stitch count

  • Small details

  • Number of color changes

  • 3D puff requirements

Per-Stitch Pricing (Some Digitizers Use This)

$1 per 1,000 stitches (average) — not commonly used today except overseas digitizers.

What Influences Digitizing Cost?

  • Artwork complexity

  • Amount of cleanup needed

  • Fabric type (pique, fleece, caps require more attention)

  • Required turn-around time

  • Multi-format export

  • 3D puff or special effects

Why Cheap Digitizing Hurts Your Business

“$5 digitizing” often leads to:

  • Higher thread costs

  • More rejects

  • Machine downtime

  • Slower production

A $45 quality file is cheaper in the long run than a $12 low-quality file.

5. Why Shops Should Add Digitizing Services

Digitizing increases revenue and opens up new business channels:

✔ Faster Turnaround

No waiting on outside digitizers.

✔ Higher Profit per Job

Digitizing fees become your income, not an outsourced expense.

✔ Better Quality Control

You control stitch type, density, and quality.

✔ Brand Consistency

Customers trust you when every job looks clean and identical.

✔ Competitive Edge

Offer same-day or 24-hour digitizing.

6. Should You Digitize In-House or Outsource?

Outsource When:

  • You need high-volume turnaround

  • You don’t want to learn software

  • You want predictable pricing

Digitize In-House When:

  • You want control and faster results

  • You do a lot of repeat customers

  • You want to add a high-profit skill

Many shops do a hybrid: outsource difficult designs, digitize easy ones internally.

7. TEX Inc Digitizing 


At TEX Inc, we’ve been digitizing embroidery for over 30 years.
We specialize in:

  • Corporate logos

  • Cap digitizing (clean centers, no flagging)

  • 3D puff

  • Applique

  • High-detail logos

Fast turnaround + commercial-level quality.

TEX INC Digitizing

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