In hospitality, uniforms do much more than identify your staff. They quietly shape how guests feel about your brand. From the moment someone walks in to the last interaction before they leave, team appearance plays a role in whether a business feels professional, trustworthy, and welcoming.
That’s why hospitality brands — cafés, restaurants, hotels, gyms, and service teams — are paying more attention to custom team clothing. But choosing the right fabric or fit is only part of the equation. The print method you use has a direct impact on how long uniforms last, how comfortable they feel during long shifts, and how consistently your branding holds up over time.
At Designhill PrintShop, we’ve seen hospitality businesses create everything from custom t-shirts and aprons to embroidered polos, hoodies, caps, and buttons. One thing becomes clear very quickly: uniforms work best when the print choice reflects how teams actually work.
Why Print Choice Matters in Hospitality
Hospitality uniforms go through a lot. They’re worn for long hours, washed frequently, and exposed to heat, spills, movement, and pressure. A logo that looks perfect on a screen can start cracking or fading if the print method isn’t suited to real working conditions.
Guests may not consciously study uniform details, but they do notice when things look clean, consistent, and well cared for. Faded prints or peeling logos can subtly affect how a brand is perceived.
Research from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration shows that visual cues — including staff appearance — strongly influence first impressions and perceived service quality
That’s why print selection isn’t just a design decision. It affects brand image, replacement costs, and day-to-day staff experience.
Start With How Your Team Works
Before choosing a print method, it helps to look at how your team actually operates.
A café barista constantly moving behind the counter has very different needs from a hotel concierge at the front desk. Kitchen staff deal with heat and frequent washing. Event teams need visibility. Support teams need comfort across long shifts.
When planning custom clothes for hospitality, a few questions make all the difference:
How often will the uniform be worn and washed?
Is the role customer-facing or behind the scenes?
Does the uniform need to look casual or polished?
Will you need to reorder the same design regularly?
Answering these upfront helps ensure the print method supports the job — not just the design.
Screen Printing: A Reliable Choice for Everyday Hospitality Wear
Screen printing remains one of the most widely used print methods in hospitality, and for good reason. It produces bold designs that hold up well to frequent washing and daily wear.
Restaurants, cafés, food trucks, and event teams often choose screen printing for custom t-shirts, aprons, polos, and hoodies. The prints stay visible and consistent over time, which makes it a practical choice for bulk team clothing.
It works especially well for simple, high-contrast designs that need to be recognised quickly in fast-paced service environments.
Works best for:
Custom t-shirts, aprons, polos, team hoodies, and large hospitality orders
Embroidery: A Polished Look for Front-Facing Roles
When appearance and presentation are key, embroidery offers a more refined finish. Instead of ink, the logo is stitched directly into the fabric, creating a premium, long-lasting look.
Hotels, resorts, fine-dining restaurants, and service-focused businesses often prefer embroidery for polo shirts, dress shirts, jackets, caps, and premium aprons. It communicates attention to detail — something guests naturally associate with quality service.
While embroidery can cost more upfront, it tends to last longer and retain its appearance, making it a smart investment for highly visible roles.
Works best for:
Front desk teams, managers, concierge staff, premium hospitality uniforms
Sublimation Printing: Comfort-First for Active Teams
Some hospitality roles involve constant movement. Fitness studios, wellness centres, outdoor cafés, and high-energy service teams need uniforms that feel light and breathable.
Sublimation printing allows designs to become part of the fabric itself rather than sitting on top. This means no cracking or peeling, and a much softer feel — especially on polyester garments.
It’s a strong option for performance-focused clothing where comfort matters just as much as branding.
Works best for:
Gyms, wellness teams, outdoor hospitality staff, active service roles
Heat Transfer & Vinyl: Best for Short-Term or Small Runs
Heat transfer and vinyl printing are often chosen for their flexibility. They work well for adding names, roles, or personalised details, especially in smaller quantities.
However, because hospitality uniforms are washed often, these methods may not hold up as well over time. They’re better suited for short-term needs rather than everyday team clothing.
Works best for:
Events, pop-ups, temporary staff, small custom runs
Popular Hospitality Products to Customize on PrintShop
Some products consistently work well across hospitality businesses, and PrintShop makes them easy to design online:
Custom T-Shirts – Comfortable, versatile, and ideal for screen printing
Aprons – Practical for kitchens or embroidered for guest-facing roles
Hoodies & Sweatshirts – Useful for support teams and cooler environments
Polos & Shirts – A polished choice for hotels and service businesses
Hats & Caps – Small items that add visibility and promotional value
Designhill PrintShop helps keep branding consistent across teams and locations.
What Guests (and Teams) Really Notice
Guests may not remember every detail of a uniform, but they remember how a place made them feel. Clean, coordinated team clothing supports a sense of professionalism and care.
For staff, well-designed uniforms make long shifts more comfortable and help teams feel confident doing their jobs. That’s where the right print choice quietly makes a big difference.
Final Thoughts: Print Smarter, Build a Stronger Brand
Choosing the right print for hospitality team clothing goes beyond logos and colours. It’s about matching design decisions to real working conditions and long-term brand goals.
When custom t-shirts, aprons, hoodies, caps, and buttons are printed using the right method, uniforms become part of the experience — not just an operational expense.
With Designhill PrintShop, hospitality businesses can design and order team clothing that looks professional, feels comfortable, and stands up to everyday use.