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."
Two Ways to Make Your Polo
Fortera Apparel offers two production methods for custom polo shirts: embroidery (MOQ 20, cut and sewn from raw fabric rolls) and sublimation (MOQ 1, printed on ready-made polyester polos). The two minimums are not sales tactics. They reflect how each production process actually works on our factory floor.
Embroidery is our flagship process for corporate teams, hotels, country clubs, and restaurants that want a classic uniform standard. Sublimation is built for sport teams, esports squads, event staff, and brand activations that need bold full-color visuals or a single sample.
How Each Method Is Made
Plain English explanations of what happens on our production floor and why each method has the minimum order it does.
How Embroidered Polos Are Made (MOQ 20)
Every Fortera embroidered polo is cut and sewn from raw fabric rolls at our facility, not printed onto ready-made blank polos. When you place an embroidery order, the fabric roll comes off the shelf, gets laid across the cutting table, and our team marks up polo patterns (front panel, back panel, two sleeve panels, collar, cuffs, plackets) for every size in your order.
The cutting step takes nearly the same time whether you order 1 polo or 20. Our team lays out the fabric roll, aligns the pattern pieces to match grain direction and minimize waste, and cuts each panel by hand. Even with pattern optimization, the setup for cutting a single polo takes about 90% of the time as cutting 20.
Once panels are cut, the sewing step begins. Panels are stitched together on industrial sewing machines: shoulders, side seams, collar attachment, sleeve insertion, hem finishing, placket construction, and buttonhole formation. Each polo goes through 8 to 12 sewing stations before it is a finished garment. The sewing labor scales linearly with quantity, but the setup at each station (threading, tension adjustment, needle change) is fixed regardless of order size.
After sewing, the embroidery step runs. Your logo file gets loaded onto the embroidery machine, threads are calibrated to your Pantone colors, and each polo is hooped and stitched one by one. This is the final production step, not the reason for the minimum order.
This is why our embroidery minimum is 20 pieces per design. It is not because of the embroidery machine. It is because cut and sew production, from raw fabric to finished polo, has real fixed setup costs (pattern layout, cutting station calibration, sewing machine threading across 8-12 stations) that need to be spread across a fair batch size. Twenty pieces is where the per-polo economics work for both sides.
How Sublimation Polos Are Made (MOQ 1)
Sublimation is a different process entirely. The polos are already made - they come from our polyester polo blank inventory as finished 92% polyester / 8% spandex performance polos in standard sizes. We are not cutting and sewing them per order. That single fact is why the minimum is 1.
When your sublimation order comes in, we print your design onto a sheet of sublimation transfer paper, lay the paper on top of the ready-made polo, and run it through a heat press 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.
Each polo prints individually using the same setup. There is no fixed cost that needs to be spread across 20 pieces to make the math work. Order 1 polo as a sample or 1,000 for a tournament, the per-piece price stays roughly constant, because you are only paying for the print process and the polo cost, not for cut and sew setup.
This is why sublimation ships from a single piece. Different production process, different economics, different math.
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
- Production method: Cut and sew from raw fabric rolls
- 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
- Production method: Print on ready-made polyester polos
- 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 cut and sew production economics work, the per-piece price becomes fair, 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.
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.
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.