Live event embroidery by Merch Troop
Live event embroidery, stitched while your guests watch
Your guests pick a cap, beanie or crewneck, choose their initials, and watch our machine stitch it in front of them. A few minutes later they're wearing your logo with their name on it. We bring the machines and the crew, anywhere in the US.
Get a quote Call (562) 614-4800
Shop in Fullerton, CA · crews travel nationwide · reply within 24 hours
Why people line up for it
Printed swag gets dropped in a hotel trash can. A cap with your logo on the front and their initials on the side goes home and gets worn.
The machine is the show. The needle moves fast, the hoop slides back and forth, and a few minutes later there's a name in thread. People film it and come back with coworkers. Your logo goes home on something they picked out and watched being made.
How it works
Tell us about the event
Date, city, guest count, hours, and what you'd like stitched. We send a line-item quote within 24 hours.
Send your logo
We turn it into a stitch file, sew a test piece, and send you a photo to approve. You also pick the fonts, icons and thread colors guests can choose from.
We set up an hour before doors
Machines, thread, hoops, a sample board and the items. All we need is power and floor space.
Guests choose, we stitch
Each guest picks an item and a personalization. Our operator hoops it, the machine stitches it, we trim it and hand it over.
Want the full checklist? Read the live embroidery planning guide.
What we stitch
We source the items for you, or stitch on yours.
Caps and trucker hats
Logo on the front, initials on the side or back. Initials on a cap are the fastest thing we stitch, so caps keep a long line moving.
Beanies
Initials or a small icon on the cuff. Quick to stitch and perfect for fall and winter events.
Crewnecks and hoodies
A name on the left chest or sleeve. It looks like something from a good store, and people wear it to work.
Totes and jackets
Monograms on canvas totes, names on denim or workwear jackets. Great for VIP gifts.
See placements and sizes in what products work for live embroidery.
Real event
70 pieces stitched live in one evening for MM × MOTU
For the MM × MOTU collab party at Laya in Hollywood, we brought two embroidery machines and a two-person crew. Between 7:30 and 10 pm we stitched 35 caps with the collab logo and 35 crewnecks with each guest's own name and an icon. All 70 pieces were on the client's own blanks, and every one was stitched in front of the guest.
Pricing, in plain numbers
| Crew + 1 machine | $300/hr for two people. Each extra machine and operator is +$150/hr. |
|---|---|
| Embroidery per piece | $25, or $20 when you're doing 150 or more. |
| Logo setup | $60 once. Reorders are free. |
| Items | Priced by style. Or bring your own. |
| Travel | None in OC, LA, San Diego and the Inland Empire. One flat line everywhere else. |
Billed hours are your live hours plus one hour of setup, with a 6-hour minimum. Local events start at $3,000, drive-in cities like Las Vegas at $4,500 and fly-in events at $7,500. The pricing page has a full example for a 120-guest event.
Is embroidery right for your event?
Embroidery feels premium and lasts, but it's slower than printing. Headcount decides the format.
- Up to a few hundred guests, or a VIP crowd: live embroidery is the right call. Add machines to keep the line short.
- A big show floor with 1,000+ visitors: stitch your logo on caps before the event and add initials live, or pair embroidered caps with a live patch bar.
- Tees for everyone in a hurry: live screen printing or DTF is faster. Our sister crew at Merch Troop Live does that.
Not sure? Call (562) 614-4800 and tell us the headcount. We'll tell you straight.
Built for these events
Trade shows
Turn booth traffic into conversations. Badge scan for a stitched cap.
Conferences
Sponsor lounges and break-time stations that fill up between sessions.
Corporate events
Offsites, kickoffs and holiday parties. Crewnecks with names on them.
Brand activations
Launches, pop-ups and collabs where the machine is part of the content.
Questions we get a lot
How long does each piece take?
Initials on a cap take a few minutes. A small logo takes longer. Each machine finishes 10 to 15 pieces an hour, so we size the number of machines to your guest count and event hours.
How much does live embroidery cost?
A 2-person crew with one machine is $300 an hour, and each extra machine with operator adds $150 an hour. Embroidery is $25 per piece ($20 at 150+), plus the items and a one-time $60 to digitize your logo. Local events start at $3,000.
Can you stitch on items we already have?
Yes. Send us the brand and style and we'll tell you how it'll stitch. For MM × MOTU we embroidered 70 client-supplied caps and crewnecks live in one evening.
Where do you work?
Our shop is in Fullerton, California. There's no travel charge in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego or the Inland Empire. Everywhere else we fly or drive the crew in and show one flat travel line on the quote.
What do you need from the venue?
A standard 110-volt outlet per machine, about a 10×10 space for two machines, and a table run if the venue isn't providing ours. Setup takes about an hour.
How far ahead should we book?
Three to six weeks is ideal. We need your logo about two weeks before the event so we can digitize it and send you a photo of a test stitch. Tighter than that? Call and we'll tell you what's possible.
Free quote
Tell us about your event. We'll send a price within 24 hours.
Date, city, roughly how many guests, and what you'd like stitched. That's enough for a real number. Prefer to talk it through? Call (562) 614-4800.
- Clear line-item quote: crew, embroidery, items, travel
- Test stitch photo before the event
- 50% books the date, balance 7 days out
Live embroidery crews travel to