How Do I Order Branded Apparel for My Company?

Ordering branded company apparel comes down to artwork, decoration method, and how staff order.

What is the best way to order branded apparel for a large company?

For a large company or organization, the practical question is not what to buy but how people will order it. There are two common paths, and larger groups often use both. A bulk order works when everyone gets the same item and sizes can be collected once, such as a single run of company polos for an event. A company apparel store works better when staff need to order individually, when new hires need gear throughout the year, or when you want people choosing their own sizes rather than routing every request through one person in HR.

What is a company apparel store?

A company apparel store is an online store built for one organization, stocked with an approved lineup of garments carrying that company's logo. Employees visit the store, pick their own item and size, and order directly. The employer approves which products and decoration appear in the store, so branding stays consistent without anyone manually collecting sizes on a spreadsheet. This is the same model used for employee uniform programs, onboarding gear for new hires, and branded merchandise for staff and clients. Burghardt Sporting Goods sets up and manages these stores for businesses and organizations through its Team Sales staff.

What artwork do I need to provide?

Vector artwork produces the cleanest result. Vector files carry the extensions .ai, .eps, or .pdf, and they can be scaled to any size without losing sharpness, which matters when the same logo goes on a hat, a jacket back, and a left chest. If you only have a raster file such as a .jpg or .png, or if you have no usable logo file at all, Burghardt Sporting Goods has in-house graphic designers who can work with what you have and prepare production-ready art. Their art and design team handles this before anything goes to production.

Which decoration method should a business choose?

The method follows the garment and the quantity. Embroidery stitches thread into the fabric and is the standard for polos, hats, jackets, and bags, anywhere a logo should read as premium and last for years. Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh screen and becomes more cost-effective as quantity rises, which makes it the common choice for larger runs of t-shirts and event shirts. Heat press transfers vinyl and suits individual names or one-off items. Burghardt Sporting Goods handles screen printing, embroidery, and heat press in-house in New Berlin. For a fuller breakdown of how each method works and what drives its cost, see their guide to screen printing vs embroidery.

What counts as branded corporate swag?

Branded corporate swag is any item carrying a company logo that is given rather than sold, typically to employees, clients, or event attendees. In apparel it usually means polos, quarter-zips, hoodies, hats, and t-shirts, often alongside bags and drinkware. The distinction that matters for ordering is audience. Staff uniforms need consistent sizing and repeat availability, so they suit a company store. Event and client giveaways are usually a fixed quantity ordered once, which suits a bulk run.

How do reorders and new hires work?

This is the step most companies underestimate. A single bulk order solves today and leaves you improvising in six months when three people join and two items get ruined. If your headcount changes through the year, set up the ordering path with reorders in mind from the start, either by keeping the approved artwork and item list on file for repeat runs or by using a company store that stays open. Keeping the same decorator across reorders also keeps the logo consistent, since artwork, thread colors, and placement stay on record.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to order branded apparel for a large team or company?

Use a bulk order when everyone gets the same item on one deadline. Use a company apparel store when staff order individually, when new hires arrive year-round, or when you want people picking their own sizes instead of routing requests through one person.

How do I set up a custom online store for my company uniforms?

Contact the Team Sales staff at Burghardt Sporting Goods with your logo artwork and a rough idea of the garments you want available. They build the approved item lineup, apply your branding, and open the store so employees can order directly.

What file format should my logo be in?

Vector artwork is best, meaning a .ai, .eps, or .pdf file, because it scales cleanly to any garment or placement. If you do not have vector art, the in-house graphic designers at Burghardt Sporting Goods can prepare production-ready artwork for you.

Is embroidery or screen printing better for company apparel?

Embroidery suits polos, hats, jackets, and bags, where a stitched logo reads as premium and resists fading. Screen printing suits larger runs of t-shirts and event shirts, where per-piece cost drops as quantity rises.

Can I order company apparel in the Milwaukee area?

Yes. Burghardt Sporting Goods is at 15333 W National Avenue in New Berlin, Wisconsin, roughly 15 miles west of downtown Milwaukee, and handles screen printing, embroidery, and heat press in-house for businesses across southeastern Wisconsin.

Who do I contact to get started?

Reach the Team Sales staff at (262) 790-1170 or stop into the New Berlin store. Bring your logo file and a sense of the garments and quantities, and they will walk you through decoration options and the ordering setup. See all custom apparel services.

Decoration methods, in-house production, and artwork requirements reflect Burghardt Sporting Goods in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Vector file conventions (.ai, .eps, .pdf) are standard across the apparel decoration industry.