A: We're a U.S.-based shop in Round Rock, Texas that still makes our own patches in-house — one of the few left that does. We run best-in-class Barudan and SWF embroidery equipment, post-bed sewing machines for clean patch attachment, and precision laser etching for leather work. We're craft-focused, quality-first, and honest about what works for your project.
A: No — that's not what we do. We're a custom decoration shop focused on quality production runs, not walk-in or same-day services. If you need a single shirt in an hour, we're not the right fit. If you want a well-made, thoughtfully produced batch of caps or apparel for your brand, team, or event, that's our lane.
A: Brands, contractors, roofers, oil and gas, breweries, gyms, outdoor companies, non-profits, schools, agencies, resellers, and corporate clients. We work with everyone from first-time orderers to established brands running regular production.
A: Round Rock, Texas. All our embroidery, patch-making, and finishing work happens in-house. No overseas outsourcing on embroidered, leather, digitally printed patches — we cut, stitch, and finish them right here.
A: We have a lot of sewing machines and very talented staff to run them. We take cut and sew projects on a case by case business as it’s not our primary focus. Our main purpose of all the sewing machines is support to the cap and bag manufacturing process. We have at least one machine for each process, whether it’s bags, caps, beanies, or something totally off the wall.
A: Embroidered patches, leather patches, woven patches, silicone patches, pvc patches, sublimated patches, wood patches, and many more!
A: We operate on an EOS based business operating system. If you’re not familiar, basically we have defined process for each core aspect of our business. This ensures a repeatable process, top notch quality, and clear communication. Our internal operating system runs on a framework called deconetwork which manages everything from the quote, mockups, order, shipping, and reorders. The visual mock up that we send you ensures there are no surprises at the finish line.
A: Barudan and SWF embroidery machines (widely considered best-in-class), post-bed sewing machines for patch attachment, laser systems for precision etching, and screen print and DTF equipment for apparel decoration.
A: Our MOQ is 12 pieces for both caps and shirts. That said, our best volume pricing kicks in at 24+ pieces, so if you can stretch your order a little, you'll see meaningful savings per unit.
A: Send us your art (or a description), quantity, garment or cap style you're considering, and your target delivery date. We'll come back with a quote, decoration recommendations, and any art notes within one business day.
A: Nope. Ideally we'd love vector art (.ai, .eps, .pdf, or high-resolution .svg), but if all you have is a napkin sketch or a logo off your website, send it over. Our team can clean up, vectorize, or recreate your art. Art cleanup fees may apply depending on complexity.
A: Vector files are king: .ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg. For raster, we need 300 DPI at actual print size. PNGs with transparent backgrounds are helpful. JPEGs off social media are usually too low-res to print well.
A: Standard turnaround is 3 weeks from art approval. Need it sooner? Ask us — we can often accommodate tighter timelines depending on capacity, decoration method, and garment availability. We'll always give you a firm production date before we start
A: Sometimes, yes — it depends on capacity, the decoration method, and how tight the timeline is. We don't do print-on-demand or same-day shirts, but if you need something faster than our standard 3 weeks, ask and we'll tell you what's possible. Rush fees may apply
A: Absolutely. We offer pre-production samples (PPS) on most orders for an additional fee. We also provide digital mockups free of charge with every quote so you can see the design on the product before we start
A: Setup fees depend on the decoration method. Embroidery digitizing is $35 for most polos and caps (more complex designs may be higher). Screen print has a per-color screen fee. Laser and DTF typically have a $20 setup charge. These are one-time charges per design, so reorders of the same art skip them as long as at least 12 are ordered
A: Yes, and reorders are faster and cheaper since we've already handled digitizing, screens, or file prep. Just reference your previous order number or design and let us know the new quantity
A: Yes. We can send blanks so you can check fit, fabric, and color before committing to a large order. Blank samples are billed at cost plus shipping, and many customers apply that cost to their final order
A: Our best per-unit pricing starts at 24 pieces. You'll see another meaningful drop at 48, 72, 144, and beyond. If you're close to a price break, we'll let you know — often adding a few pieces saves you money overall
A: We send a secure payment link for credit card or PayPal. ACH is also available. Payment is collected before production begins.
A: $35 for most polos and caps. More complex or oversized designs may be slightly higher — we'll tell you up front. It's a one-time fee, so reorders of the same design skip it.
A: No. Your quote covers garments, decoration, and standard production. Setup fees (if any), rush charges, shipping, and sales tax are itemized separately and approved before we start. No surprises at invoice time
A: Yes — reach out with your org details and what you're looking to order. Discounts depend on volume, reorder cadence, and project type
A: 12 caps minimum, 24+ for best pricing. This applies across embroidered, leather patch, woven patch, PVC/silicone, and mixed-media caps
A: We work with all the major blanks: Richardson, Flexfit/Yupoong, New Era, Melin, Imperial, Otto, and more. Trucker, 5-panel, snapback, dad hat, fitted, performance, rope caps — if it exists in the market, we can likely source it. Tell us the vibe and we'll recommend options at different price points
A: Quite a few: direct embroidery, embroidered patches, woven patches, genuine leather patches (laser etched), faux/vegan leather patches, sublimated and DTF patches, silicone/PVC patches, appliqué, and mixed-media combinations. We build our patches in-house in Round Rock, Texas
A: Yes — one of the few shops in the U.S. still making embroidered patches domestically. We cut, embroider, and finish patches in our Round Rock, TX facility on Barudan and SWF machines. Up to 15 thread colors on embroidered patches. Leather, sublimated, DTF (direct to film) are made here at our shop too. The only ones we buy from overseas are silicone/pvc as well as woven. There are few if any of those suppliers left domestically.
A: Quick guide: leather patch for heritage/outdoor/craft brands (timeless, ages beautifully); embroidered patch for texture and dimension; woven patch for fine detail or small text; silicone/PVC for bold 1–3 color designs and a modern feel; sublimated/DTF for photo-realistic or gradient art. Send us your design and we'll recommend the best match.
A: It depends on the patch type and cap. Most patches are heat pressed with carefully programmed equipment. Some designs or cap materials require sewing, which we do on our post-bed sewing machines for a clean, professional finish.
A: We recommend genuine veg-tan leather in most cases. It develops a gorgeous patina over time and has a heritage feel no synthetic can match. Faux/vegan leather is a great choice if you need specific colors, want a lower price point, or have vegan brand values.
A: Woven patches can hold detail down to about 1.5mm (~0.060") font. Embroidered and leather patches need a bit more room — generally 5–6mm minimum for legibility. We'll flag any concerns during art review
A: Absolutely, and honestly some of our best-looking work is mixed media — think a leather patch front, embroidered side hit, and woven back strap label. Combining methods adds depth and makes a cap feel premium.
A: We run Barudan and SWF embroidery machines, which are widely considered best-in-class for commercial embroidery. Our setup allows us to hold tight tolerances and produce clean, professional stitch-outs at scale. Anatol for screen printing, Stahls and MEM for heat presses, lasers are custom built.
A: 12 pieces, with better pricing at 24+.
A: Up to 15 colors in a single embroidered design. Most logos use 3–6. Thread color count affects setup time but generally doesn't change per-piece pricing
A: Digitizing is the process of converting your artwork into a stitch file the embroidery machine can read. It's $35 for most polos and caps — a one-time fee per design, and it's yours to keep. Reorders skip this step.
A: We recommend a minimum of about 5mm (0.2") tall for crisp, legible embroidered text. Smaller is sometimes possible with the right font but gets risky fast
A: Left chest: up to about 4" wide. Full front/back on shirts: up to 12" wide. Cap front: up to about 2.25" tall x 4.5" wide, depending on cap style. Sleeve hits: typically 3–3.5" wide.
A: Most fabrics yes — cotton, polyester blends, fleece, twill, canvas. Delicate or performance fabrics (thin mesh, ultra-stretch, waterproof shells) sometimes need special stabilizers or may not be great candidates. We'll tell you upfront if your garment isn't ideal
A: High-quality embroidery holds up for years through normal laundering. We use quality threads and proper underlay/backing to prevent puckering and distortion. It is important to consider the shirt that the embroidery is going on however, as embroidery thread is polyester, so shrinking is not likely, but if you embroider on a cotton shirt then the cotton shirt can shrink which will impact embroidery.
A: 12 shirts, with better pricing at 24+. Screen print becomes dramatically more cost-effective as volume increases, so larger runs are where this method really shines. Note: we don't offer same-day t-shirts or print-on-demand
A: Technically up to 8, but most designs use 1–4. Each color requires its own screen, so cost goes up as color count increases. For photo-realistic or multi-gradient art, DTF or sublimation is often a better fit
A: Screen printing lays ink directly on the garment — it feels great, lasts a long time, and is best for high-volume runs with limited colors. DTF (direct-to-film) prints full-color designs onto a film that's heat-pressed onto the garment. DTF is better for small runs, complex art, and full-color images. Screen print is better for 50+ pieces with simple color counts
A: Yes — water-based, puff, metallic, glow-in-the-dark, and soft-hand plastisol. Each has its own look, feel, and price point. Water-based inks give a vintage, soft-hand finish; plastisol is more vibrant and opaque. Our standard quote is with plastisol
A: Standard max is about 14" x 16" for front or back prints. Oversized prints up to ~16" x 20" are possible with special setups
A: Each color in your design requires a separate screen that has to be burned, coated, and registered. Screens are a one-time setup cost per color per design, and they're stored for reorders — no re-burn fee on repeat runs. Think of it like a window screen on your house. A screen is simply a mesh. So if a logo has 2 colors, we first burn the image of color 1 into the first mesh, then we burn the image of color 2 into the second mesh, and install on two different locations on the machine. Then we align the mesh to the exact same position and push ink through them one screen at a time, layering upon the 1st screen with each subsequent.
A: Most cotton, poly, and blend garments, yes. Waterproof shells, heavily textured fabrics, and some performance fabrics require alternative methods. We'll flag it at quote
A: DTF (direct-to-film) prints full-color designs onto a transfer film that's heat-pressed onto the garment. It's perfect for low-MOQ orders, photo-realistic art, gradients, and complex multi-color designs where screen print would be cost-prohibitive
A: Sublimation dyes the fabric itself with your design — the ink literally becomes part of the fabric. It only works on polyester or poly-heavy blends (and white/light colors), but the result is unbeatable for breathability and durability. Great for performance apparel
A: Sublimation if you're doing performance wear in poly and want an integrated, no-feel finish. DTF if you're doing cotton, dark garments, or need more flexibility across fabric types. Sublimation won't work on cotton. DTF works on almost everything
A: Genuine leather and faux leather (for patches), wood, bamboo, acrylic, anodized metals, slate, glass, and select fabrics. Each material produces a different look — from subtle tonal burns to bold, high-contrast etches
A: Most often it's leather patches for caps and jackets. Beyond that: branded drinkware, awards, signage, promo items, and custom gift items. If you've got a material in mind, ask us — we've probably tested it
A: Yes. We can dial the laser from a subtle tonal mark (classic, heritage look) to a deep, high-contrast burn (bold and rugged). Send a reference image and we'll match the depth you want
A: Typically no setup fee for laser — your vector art goes straight to the machine. Complex multi-step art may require a small art prep fee
A: Depends on the item. For leather patch caps, it follows our standard 12-cap MOQ. For drinkware and promo items, MOQ varies by product — some as low as 24, others 50+
A: We review it for production readiness, build a digital mockup, and send it over for your approval. Once you sign off on the mockup and production details, we order/pull garments and start production.
A: Yes. We offer design services for logos, patches, and full brand identity work. Rates depend on scope — from a simple patch layout to full brand development. Ask for a design quote separately.
A: Yes. All approved art, digitized files, and screens are archived so reorders are fast and consistent with your original run
A: You do. Any digitized stitch files, vectorized logos, or design work we produce for you belongs to you. We'll provide source files on request
A: Yes, we ship anywhere in the continental U.S. and most international destinations. Shipping is billed at actual cost via UPS, FedEx, or USPS depending on package size and destination.
A: Yes. Split shipments to different addresses are common for franchises, events, and team orders. We charge a small per-location handling fee plus shipping for each destination.
A: For established customers with ongoing orders, yes. We can stock your items, pick and pack individual orders, and ship direct to your customers or employees. Ask about our fulfillment program.
A: Custom-decorated products aren't returnable since they're made specifically for you. However, if there's a production defect or an error on our end, we'll make it right — replacement, reprint, or refund depending on the situation.
A: If we make a mistake, we fix it. Full stop. We inspect every order before it ships and stand behind our work
A: Round Rock, Texas. All our patches, embroidery, and finishing work happens at our in-house shop
A: Both. We support small local businesses, startups, breweries, gyms, non-profits, and schools — and we also produce for larger brands and corporate clients. No order is too small or too big within our MOQ and capacity.
A: We offer USA-made and organic cotton options, recycled polyester, and veg-tanned leather. If sustainability is a priority, tell us and we'll build a product lineup that fits your values.
A: Yes. We offer reseller pricing and white-label production for agencies, promo distributors, and brand consultants. Reach out for reseller terms
Reach out at sevenclay.com — we'd love to help you build something great
