A Guide to Printing Your Logo on Various Items

Last updated on May 27th, 2024

What’s the best way to advertise your business passively? Printing your logo on various items. A logo people see online holds different significance than one printed on an object. When they see a logo on everyday used products, they recall the brand behind it. That is why logo printing on various items is an indirect way of advertising a business and attracting customers.  

However, logo printing is not an easy task. There are many aspects to it that both the brand owner and printer have to consider for the desired results.  

For instance, the correct choice of logo file types matters a lot in getting the right printing results. So, when sending your impressive logo design to the printer, ensure it is in the correct file type. The choice of the file format will also depend on the material on which you want the logo to be printed.  

Then, you should also decide on the imprint area to print your logo on. The imprint area may be larger, such as on the back of a T-shirt, or smaller, such as on a pen and a mug. The print should look impressive with all the logo details. Whether it’s a monogram logo or abstract logo, it should accommodate the print area correctly without being trimmed during the printing stage. 

You can put your logo on anything, but you need to create different sizes first to print it on different surfaces. Another aspect of logo printing is the color and texture of the material. For instance, a black-and-white version of your logo will be suitable to print on a colorful plastic bottle due to the contrasting effect, which will ensure clear visibility of the logo. 

Consider the right printing method  

Several printing methods are available for printing a logo on products.  Each method comes with its unique advantages, implying that you need to pick them wisely. 

But there are mainly four main types of logo printing methods popular with businesses. These printing methods are screen printing, hot stamping, embossing, digital printing, and spot UV logo printing. 

Screen printing: Screen printing involves pushing ink through a mesh screen to print a logo on clothes and packaging. If you need to print a logo on T-shirts using this method, make sure the background of the logo is transparent. Or else, the solid background whether it’s white or black will appear on the t-shirts, giving it a weird appearance. When you need your logo to be printed on a large quantity of products, prefer screen printing. 

Hot stamping: This method uses heat and pressure for printing a metallic and shiny logo on packaging materials. The materials used are holographic, matte, glossy, and other textures of any color. 

Embossing: This method is about creating a raised or 3D appearance of a logo printed on a material to make the logo visually appealing. 

Spot UV: This printing method gives the logo a shiny and raised appearance as it is coated with varnish. It gives the logo depth, texture, and contrast. It is largely used for presentation folders, brochures, high-end flyers, and other marketing materials. 

Digital printing: This printing method involves a digital printer to transfer your logo onto a product. When you want your logo to be customized and printed on a variety of products like beanies, tumblers, shirts, etc. without breaking your bank, digital printing is the best option. 

There are other logo printing methods. But whichever you opt for, check if your printer is equipped to work with that method. Ask the logo printer about the logo image file required for the printing method for flawless printing. 

Logo file types required for printing 

When sending your logo files to a printer, make sure it’s in a transparent version. Based on the printer’s requirements, you can send EPS files, PFD, or PNG files. We recommend you ask for a mockup before giving a heads-up to the logo printing on various objects. 

Printing a logo on various items 

When using your logo as a brand promotion tool, you will print it on different small to big items. They require a printer to choose the right printing method as one technique does not apply to all the other materials. Here are some key considerations when printing a logo on various items.  

Products and swag

Products such as keychains, pens, and stickers are great for brand promotion as people use them daily. Swag is an acronym for ‘’stuff we all get’’ and includes branded stuff such as mugs, note pads, beer cans, pens, stickers, etc. Water bottles, towels, food bowls, and even leashes also are small products to put your logo on for business promotion. So, you should be aware of the small printing area on swags.

While printing a logo on such small products, it would be good to start small. You should also pick the right products to show your logo better. 

If your logo design has a slogan as its part, then remove the slogan while printing the logo on swag. Products such as mugs have curved surfaces. Therefore first put your logo on a paper and then wrap it around a mug to get a view of how it will look when printed. 

Choose a direct screen printing method if your logo is a simple design. But you might opt for digital printing or litho printing if the logo is too detailed. 

Clothing items 

T-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, etc. are excellent promotional clothing items. You can showcase your logo on such clothes that people wear daily. They will carry your brandmark while wearing those clothes and roaming around. But when you print a logo on shirt, you have the option of screen printing, transfer printing, and embroidery.  

The embroidery printing technique uses a stitching machine to imprint a logo image. This technique involves uploading the logo image on the software and then the machine automatically stitches the logo on the clothes surface nicely. But ensure that the fabric for embroidery is thick such as jackets, caps, hats, and polo shirts. Keep the embroidered logo size between 1.5 to 2.5 inches only for better appearance.  

If you intend to print your logo on large quantities of t-shirts and other clothes, opt for screen printing. This technique allows for making custom-made screens for each design and also feels easy on your pocket. 

Also don’t forget to check for color contrasts and brightness for overall appearance. It would be good to choose the right logo printing clothes and adjust your logo on the left side or the t-shirts. A logo design of one or two inches printed on t-shirts looks elegant. If you want a larger version of it, choose the back side of the tee to get it printed. 

Packaging

A product packaging comes with various other details such as tags, logos, labels, and other information. As far as shape is concerned, it could be either in the shape of a box, bottle, or anything else.  

The first thing to ensure while printing a logo on packaging is that the logo should be simple, clean, and recognizable. Fine details of a logo design are harder to print successfully on a smaller printing surface of the package. It may look blurry, so keep the design simple and clutter-free.  

If the packaging design comprises several other elements such as a patterned background, it could visually dominate your logo. Therefore, print your logo at the center of the packaging to highlight its significance. But leave a good margin around it for quick visibility. 

Signs 

Logos also are printed on signs such as on billboards and sidewalk stands. These signs then become a great way to show and promote your brand. 

But ensure that you send your logo in EPS files to the printer.  Most signs are of big sizes, implying that the logo file size is also big or the logo will appear blurry. Try to print the logo in the center of the sign with plenty of space on both sides. 

Stationery

Stationery items also look good and speaks volumes about your brand when they appear with your logo. A wide range of stationery items including notebooks, posters, official documents, letterheads, and envelopes are available for printing your brand logo. Then there are presentation folders, pins, and keycards as well. 

Make sure that you leave a good amount of margin when printing your logo on stationery. The margin on both sides should ideally be 50% of the logo size.  

That means if you intend to print ½ inch logo on your business card, the card content should be at least ¼-inch away from the logo. Leave the same margin between the logo and the business card edge to make it visually appealing. 

When printing on smaller products such as a USB drive or on round button pins, reduce the margin even more for maximum space utilization. 

So, these basic tips on printing a logo on different items should be considered before you set out to put the design on a promotional product. But first, ensure that your brandmark features a simple and outstanding design. Only a uniquely designed logo can help its brand stand out in the competitive market. 

You can get your logo created using an online logo maker or launching a contest for the same. 

Wrapping Up 

Printing a logo on various items, such as t-shirts, pens, stationeries, bottles, etc. needs consideration. From the right logo files to the exact printing method, make sure you consider every aspect for better results. As a brand owner, you should talk to your printer for all the required details for a smooth process.