Embroidered Scrubs Australia: The Complete Guide
Your scrubs tell patients and colleagues who you are before you say a word. A well-embroidered clinic logo, staff name, and role title on a quality scrub top does more than identify you — it signals professionalism, builds trust, and makes your team look cohesive and considered. This guide covers everything you need to know about getting scrubs embroidered in Australia: the process, costs, placement options, what file to supply, and what to look for in an embroidery provider.
What Is Scrub Embroidery — and Why Does It Matter?
Embroidery is the process of stitching a design — your clinic logo, staff name, job title, or department — directly into the fabric of a garment using thread. Unlike printed or heat-transferred designs, embroidery is permanent, wash-resistant, and looks sharp for the lifetime of the garment. It won't crack, peel, or fade after repeated laundering.
For healthcare teams, embroidery serves a specific professional purpose. When your entire team wears the same scrub colour with a consistent logo and name placement, it signals to patients that they're in a professional, coordinated environment. Research consistently shows that patients rate their confidence in healthcare workers higher when staff are wearing properly identified, coordinated uniforms — which is why major hospital networks invest significantly in branded uniform programs.
| What embroidery does | Why it matters in healthcare |
|---|---|
| Identifies staff instantly | Patients and visitors can see at a glance who is staff, what their role is, and which clinic or department they belong to |
| Builds patient trust | A coordinated, branded team looks more competent and trustworthy — particularly important in high-anxiety clinical settings like dental, vet, and aged care |
| Reinforces your brand | For private clinics, dental practices, beauty clinics, and vet groups, consistent branding across all staff uniforms is a core part of the patient and client experience |
| Lasts the life of the garment | Unlike printed designs that fade or crack, embroidered thread holds its colour and structure through hundreds of clinical-grade washes |
| Removes guesswork for new staff | A standardised embroidery program means every new team member receives correctly branded uniforms from day one, with no inconsistency in placement or sizing |
How the Embroidery Process Works at Infectious
At Infectious, embroidery is done in-house at our Sunshine Coast facility — we don't outsource to a third party. Here's how the process works from order to delivery:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose your scrubs and logo option. Browse our range, select your style and colour. On the product page or at checkout, choose the embroidery option — text only, existing logo from our database, or upload your own artwork. |
| 2 | Logo digitisation (new logos only). If your logo isn't already in our database, our team converts your artwork file into an embroidery-readable format. This is a one-time process — once your logo is digitised, it stays on file for all future orders. No setup fee at Infectious for standard logos. |
| 3 | Digital proof for approval. Before we stitch your order, we send a digital proof showing placement, size, and thread colours for your sign-off. For new logos we'll also produce a sewout (a physical test stitch) on request. |
| 4 | Embroidery production. Once you've approved the proof, your garments go into production. Standard turnaround is 5–7 business days after artwork approval for most orders. |
| 5 | Quality check and dispatch. Completed garments are inspected before packing. Your order ships from our Kunda Park warehouse via standard or express post — or can be collected in person from our Sunshine Coast showroom. |
For repeat orders, the process is faster — your logo is already on file, artwork approval is skipped, and production begins immediately on order confirmation.
Embroidery Placement Options for Scrubs
Placement matters — both aesthetically and practically. Here are the standard positions and when to use each:
| Position | Best used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest | Clinic or hospital logo — the standard primary placement | Max ~80mm wide for chest logos. Most visible position when facing patients. |
| Right chest | Staff name and role title (e.g. "Sarah — Registered Nurse") | Balances the left chest logo visually. Standard when both logo and name are required. |
| Sleeve | Department name, secondary branding, or accreditation logos | Works well for multi-brand or large-organisation setups where more than one identifier is needed. |
| Back of neck | Small text logo or brand mark — subtle secondary placement | Popular for boutique clinics wanting a premium branded finish without a prominent chest logo. |
Size limits: Embroidery is best for designs up to 150mm × 150mm. Larger designs lose stitch definition and add garment weight. If your logo is highly detailed, our embroidery team may recommend simplifying fine elements for the best result at chest size.
What about lab coats? The same placement rules apply. Lab coats and winter vests look excellent with contrasting thread colours — white coats with navy or black thread are particularly sharp.
What Artwork File Do You Need to Supply?
The quality of your embroidered logo depends heavily on the artwork file you supply. Here's what to send and what to avoid:
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Which Scrubs Are Best for Embroidery?
Most scrub fabrics accept embroidery well. The key variables are fabric weight and weave tightness — heavier, tighter-woven fabrics generally hold embroidery better and give crisper stitch definition. Here's how the main ranges we stock compare:
| Brand / Range | Embroidery suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | Excellent ✔✔ | Heavier poly-cotton and performance fabrics hold embroidery exceptionally well. Most popular for hospital program orders. |
| Dickies | Excellent ✔✔ | EDS Signature poly-cotton blend is ideal — tight weave, good fabric body. Consistent colour palette makes thread matching straightforward. |
| Wink W123 | Good ✔ | Silky microfibre fabric is lighter and more fluid — embroidery works well with a backing layer. Best for simple name/text rather than complex logos. |
| Lab Coats | Excellent ✔✔ | Cotton-poly lab coat fabric is the ideal embroidery substrate. Contrasting thread (navy or black on white) looks particularly professional. |
| Winter Vests & Jackets | Good ✔ | Biz Collection fleece vests embroider well on the chest panel. Avoid embroidering over zips or seams. |
Not sure which scrub style is right for your team? Our showroom team at Kunda Park can advise on fabric suitability for your specific logo — call 1300 661 475 or visit customise-your-scrubs to discuss your requirements.
Setting Up a Clinic or Hospital Uniform Program
For clinics, hospitals, aged care providers, and healthcare groups with multiple staff members to uniform, a structured program makes the process significantly easier to manage. Infectious has supplied embroidered uniform programs to organisations including Sydney Adventist Hospital, St Vincent's, Laser Clinics Australia, and Silk Laser.
A typical clinic uniform program through Infectious works like this:
| ✔ Logo setup: We digitise your logo once and keep it on file permanently for all future orders. |
| ✔ Style and colour standardisation: We help you select a scrub style and colourway that suits your brand and setting, then lock it in as your standard for reorders. |
| ✔ Staff sizing management: We can hold a size record for your team so reorders for new staff are frictionless — just send us the name and size. |
| ✔ Corporate login: Business accounts can reorder through a dedicated login, streamlining the process for practice managers and HR teams. |
| ✔ Stock holds: For larger groups, we can discuss holding stock in your sizes so urgent orders don't face delays. |
To set up a program, visit our Business Orders page or call our team on 1300 661 475. We're available Monday to Friday 8am–4pm from our Kunda Park showroom.
Infectious Embroidery — Key Facts
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does scrub embroidery cost in Australia? Embroidery costs vary by provider and complexity. At Infectious, embroidery pricing is included with your order — contact us via the customise-your-scrubs page or call 1300 661 475 for a quote based on your specific logo and quantity. Competitors typically charge $10–$20 per garment plus a one-time digitisation fee of $45–$66 for new logos. At Infectious, there is no separate digitisation fee for standard logos. |
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How long does embroidery take? At Infectious, the standard turnaround is 5–7 business days after artwork approval. For new logos, add 1–2 days for digitisation and proof approval. Repeat orders where your logo is already on file are faster. If you need an urgent turnaround, contact us before ordering and we'll advise on availability. |
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Can I return embroidered scrubs? Embroidered garments are customised and are generally non-returnable unless faulty. We strongly recommend confirming sizing before placing an embroidered order. We're happy to advise on fit — call 1300 661 475 or visit our Kunda Park showroom to try on styles before committing to a group order. |
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Can you embroider a logo I supply myself? Yes. Upload your artwork file (JPG, PNG, PDF, AI, EPS, or TIFF) via the customise page or email it directly to our team. If your logo isn't already in our database, we'll digitise it and send you a proof for approval before production begins. We keep your digitised logo on file for all future orders. |
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Is there a minimum order quantity for embroidery? No — there is no minimum order quantity for embroidery at Infectious. Individual garments can be embroidered, and group orders of any size are welcome. For clinic programs involving ongoing reorders, we recommend setting up a business account — visit our Business Orders page for details. |
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Can I get a name and a logo embroidered on the same scrub top? Yes — the standard configuration for clinic teams is logo on the left chest, staff name and designation on the right chest. This gives a balanced, professional appearance. Up to three separate embroidery positions are available across most garments. |
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What healthcare settings does Infectious supply embroidered uniforms to? Infectious supplies embroidered uniform programs across hospitals, GP and specialist clinics, dental practices, veterinary clinics, aged care facilities, beauty and laser clinics, allied health practices, and community care organisations Australia-wide. We've supplied logos for major organisations including Sydney Adventist Hospital, St Vincent's, Laser Clinics Australia, and Silk Laser. |
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Can scrub caps and lab coats be embroidered? Yes — embroidery is available on scrub tops, lab coats, scrub caps/hats, and winter vests and jackets. Lab coats with contrasting thread embroidery are particularly popular for medical and dental practices. Contact us to discuss placement options for specific garments. |
Get Started with Embroidery at Infectious
Ready to set up embroidered uniforms for your clinic or team? Here's where to go next:
| → Customise Your Scrubs — upload your logo, browse our database, or request a quote |
| → Business Orders — set up a clinic program, corporate login, or group pricing |
| → Cherokee Scrubs — most popular for clinic embroidery programs |
| → Dickies Scrubs — consistent colour palette, excellent fabric body for embroidery |
| → Nursing Scrubs — browse the full range by role |
| → Winter Jackets & Vests — embroidery available on outer layers too |
| → Contact Our Team — call 1300 661 475 or visit us at 3/15 Page Street, Kunda Park QLD |
