Embroidering on Difficult Fabrics: Leather, Denim, and Terry Cloth

Standard cotton and polyester garments are the bread and butter of most embroidery businesses, but leather, denim, and terry cloth each require different handling to get clean, durable results. Getting these fabrics right opens up higher-margin product categories — leather patches, denim jackets, and monogrammed towels all command premium pricing compared to standard t-shirt embroidery.

Embroidering on Leather

Leather doesn't behave like woven or knit fabric — it doesn't stretch, but needle holes are permanent, so mistakes can't be picked out cleanly.

• Needle choice: Use a leather point needle, which has a wedge-shaped tip designed to cut through leather cleanly rather than a standard sharp or ballpoint needle, which can tear it.
• Stabilizer: A lightweight tear-away or adhesive-backed stabilizer usually works best. Leather generally needs less stabilization than fabric since it doesn't stretch, but some support prevents the leather from shifting under the hoop.
• Density: Reduce stitch density compared to standard fabric settings. Leather perforated too densely can weaken and tear along the stitch line.
• Test first: Always test on a scrap of the exact leather you're using — thickness and finish vary significantly between suppliers, and settings that work on one leather can tear another.

Embroidering on Denim

Denim is thick and stable, which is good for registration, but the density of the weave and thickness of the fabric requires adjustment.

• Needle choice: A denim/heavy-duty needle handles the tighter weave better than a standard needle, reducing thread breaks and skipped stitches.
• Stabilizer: Medium to heavyweight tear-away stabilizer is usually sufficient since denim itself provides significant structure. Cut-away is rarely necessary except on stretch denim blends.
• Watch for show-through: Dark denim can show stabilizer color through loose weave after washing. Use a stabilizer color close to the denim shade when possible.

Embroidering on Terry Cloth (Towels)

Terry cloth's looped pile creates a unique challenge: the loops can push up through the embroidery and distort the design if not handled correctly.

• Use a topping: A water-soluble topping placed over the terry cloth before hooping prevents the loops from poking through the stitches. This is the single most important step for clean terry cloth embroidery.
• Stabilizer: Cut-away stabilizer is standard for towels since they're washed repeatedly and need permanent support.
• Increase density and add underlay: Terry cloth's texture requires denser stitching and solid underlay to keep the design from sinking into the pile.
• Trim the topping carefully: After stitching, gently tear away the water-soluble topping, or rinse it away per the manufacturer's instructions — don't pull aggressively, which can distort the stitches.

General Rule Across All Difficult Fabrics

Whenever moving to an unfamiliar fabric type, run a full test design on scrap material before committing to a customer order. The cost of a test run is minor compared to the cost of ruining a customer's garment — especially with leather, where mistakes can't be undone.

Stock up on the right stabilizers for whatever specialty fabrics you're taking on, and check out our hoops and accessories for hoop sizes that fit non-standard items like towels and jacket panels.