Custom Polos. Simplified.
Our 3-step process takes the complexity out of ordering custom embroidered polos for your team. We also offer a sublimation all over print polo line with a single piece minimum for sport teams and event crews.
Start Your Order
"The most streamlined B2B ordering experience we've ever encountered."
Precision at Scale.
From initial selection to final stitch, Fortera Apparel manages every detail of your brand's physical presence.
Choose Your Polo
Browse by fabric, style, or industry. See transparent pricing upfront. Embroidery minimum 20 pieces, sublimation minimum 1 piece.
Upload Your Logo
Upload during checkout or email later. We digitize for FREE (normally $50 value). Digital mockup before production starts.
We Handle the Rest
Embroidery at our Vietnam facility, sublimation printing at our Texas facility. Quality check every order. Total timeline 21 days from order to delivery worldwide.
The Fortera Standards.
Every order includes our signature white-glove service, ensuring your team looks impeccable from day one.
Free Logo Digitizing
We convert your artwork into high-precision stitch data at no cost.
100% Remake Guarantee
If the delivered polos do not match the approved mockup, we remake the order at no cost.
Ships worldwide
Full tracking included. Transparent rates at checkout based on weight and destination.
Logo Cloud Storage
Your digitized logo is saved securely in our vault. One-click reorders for new hires or department updates.
Two Ways to Make Your Polo
Fortera Apparel offers two production methods for custom polo shirts: embroidery for classic team uniforms and sublimation (all over print) for bold full-color designs. Each method serves a different need, and the minimum order on each reflects how that production process actually works.
Embroidery is our flagship process for corporate teams, hotels, country clubs, and restaurants. Sublimation is built for sport teams, esports squads, event staff, and brand activations where bold visuals matter. The next sections explain how each method works and why the minimum order is set the way it is.
Embroidery vs Sublimation: How Each Method Works
Plain English explanations of what happens on our production floor and why each method has the minimum order it does.
How Embroidery Production Works (MOQ 20)
When you place a custom embroidered polo order, the first step is logo digitization. Your artwork (AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, or PDF) gets converted into a stitch file that tells the embroidery machine exactly where each needle drops, what color thread runs, and how dense the stitching should be. This is a one-time setup cost we cover for free, but the file itself takes our digitizing team real time to produce, regardless of whether you order 1 polo or 200.
Next comes machine setup. Our team programs the embroidery machine, threads the right color combinations, and calibrates the tension and hoop alignment. We also lay out the polo fabric pattern for cutting and prepare the inspection station. Whether the run is 1 polo or 20 polos, this setup takes nearly the same number of hours.
Once setup is done, the actual stitching begins. This is the part that scales with quantity: stitching 20 polos takes roughly 20 times the time as stitching 1, but it is a small fraction of total production time compared to the upfront setup. Every polo is then individually inspected for color match, alignment, stitch density, and finishing before it ships.
This is why our embroidery minimum is 20 pieces per design. It is not a sales tactic. It is the point where the per-piece price becomes fair, the setup investment makes sense for both sides, and we can deliver the same precision whether you order 20 or 200.
How Sublimation Production Works (MOQ 1)
Sublimation, also called all over print, is a different process entirely. Your design is printed onto a sheet of sublimation transfer paper at our Texas facility, then heat-pressed onto a polyester polo at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Under that heat, the ink converts from solid directly to gas and bonds permanently with the polyester fibers. The dye becomes part of the fabric itself, not a layer sitting on top.
Because the design lives on transfer paper, there is no machine reprogramming between polos. Each polo prints individually using the same setup, and the per-piece labor cost stays roughly constant regardless of order size. The colors are unlimited (any Pantone or HEX), the coverage is full shirt (front, back, sleeves, collar), and the fabric is a 92% polyester / 8% spandex performance blend with moisture-wicking and stretch.
Production scales linearly with quantity. There is no fixed setup overhead that needs to be spread across 20 pieces to make the math work, which is why we offer a single piece minimum on every sublimation order.
This is why our sublimation polo line ships from a single piece. Order 1 polo as a sample or 1,000 for a tournament, the per-piece price stays the same. The math just works differently.
Which Method Is Right for Your Team?
A side-by-side look at both methods. Pick the one that matches how your team will actually wear the polo.
Embroidered Polo Shirts
Minimum order: 20 pieces per design
- Best for: Corporate teams, hotels, country clubs, restaurants, established uniforms
- Logo coverage: Chest, sleeve, or collar (precision stitch)
- Color limit: Up to 4 thread colors per design
- Fabric: 55% Cotton / 40% Polyester / 5% Spandex
- Fabric feel: Cotton softness with polyester structure
- Production time: 21 days from approved mockup
- Wash durability: Reinforced stitch, holds up for years
Sublimated All Over Print Polos
Minimum order: 1 piece
- Best for: Sport teams, esports, event staff, brand activations, samples
- Logo coverage: Full shirt (front, back, sleeves, collar)
- Color limit: Unlimited Pantone or HEX
- Fabric: 92% Polyester / 8% Spandex
- Fabric feel: Lightweight, moisture-wicking, stretch
- Production time: 21 days from approved mockup
- Wash durability: Dye fused into fibers, will not crack or peel
Most of our customers order embroidery. The 20-piece minimum is the right size for a team that wears their uniform regularly: a hotel front desk, a service department, a country club staff, a restaurant crew. It is the order size where the per-piece price becomes fair, the production quality stays consistent, and your team has spares for new hires and replacements.
For one-off events, sport tournaments, or a single sample, sublimation gives you the flexibility to order exactly what you need. Different production process, different math, same 21-day delivery worldwide.
Production Timeline
A transparent window into our manufacturing floor. Total 21 days from order to delivery.
Day 1-2
Digital mockup of your logo on the polo, delivered to your inbox for review.
Day 2-3
You approve the proof or request revisions at no charge. Production starts only after approval.
Day 3-17
Embroidery at our Vietnam facility, sublimation printing at our Texas facility. Individual quality inspection on every polo.
Day 17-21
Shipped to your door with full tracking worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)?
Why is the minimum order 20 pieces for embroidered polos?
Why is the sublimation polo line single-piece minimum but embroidery is 20?
What logo formats do you accept?
Can I see what my logo will look like before production?
How long does production take?
Ready to Elevate Your Team?
Browse our embroidered polo collection for classic team uniforms, or check our sublimation polo line for bold full-color designs from a single piece.