Artwork that engraves well on leather
Leather engraving is forgiving. It holds detail embroidery cannot, and most logos engrave as-is. A few things do not work, and they are easy to spot before you send the file.
Send this
- Vector: AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. Text converted to outlines.
- If you only have a PNG: 300 dpi at the size it will be engraved, on a transparent or white background.
- One color. Black on white is ideal. We set what is engraved and what is left raw leather.
Minimums that matter
| Element | Minimum | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Line weight | 0.5 pt (about 0.007 in) | Thinner lines burn out or disappear on the grain |
| Gap between lines | 0.5 pt | Closer and they merge |
| Text height | 0.1 in (about 7 pt) for sans-serif; 0.12 in for serif | Counters in e, a and o close up below this |
| Fine detail in a 1.5 in logo | Keep it to 3 or 4 tones of detail | A photo-style gradient engraves but reads muddy at hat size |
Fills and outlines
Engraving darkens whatever is filled. A solid logo on tan leather engraves as a dark shape; the raw leather around it is the highlight. If your logo is a thin outline only, it will be faint at a distance. We often suggest inverting: engrave the background and leave the logo raw. Your proof shows both if you ask.
What we fix for free
- Converting a clean PNG to a vector when the logo is simple.
- Thickening hairline strokes to the minimum.
- Removing a background from a logo file.
- Inverting fills so the mark reads at hat size.
What we quote per job
- Redrawing a low-resolution or blurry logo from scratch.
- Complex custom patch outlines that follow the logo shape.
- Personalized patches with a different name on each hat.
Shape and size
Tell us the hat and we will size the patch. Default maximums are about 3 × 2 inches on a Richardson 112 and 3.25 × 2.5 inches on a 168. See leather colors and shapes.
The proof
Before we cut leather you get a digital proof with the patch at scale on the hat outline, the leather tone and the engraved areas marked. Approve it and the 28-day clock starts. If we engrave something that does not match the approved proof, we redo it free.
Questions
Can you engrave a photo?
A high-contrast photo engraves as tone, but at 2 inches wide it rarely reads well. A simplified logo almost always looks better.
Do you need my fonts?
No, if you convert text to outlines in the vector file. If you send text as text, tell us the font and we will match or substitute on the proof.
Can you remove a white box around my logo?
Yes, that is a free fix.