An embroidery side hustle through print on demand means your logo is embroidered onto hats, crewnecks, and polo shirts without you owning an embroidery machine, buying thread, or managing production. The embroidery is handled by the fulfillment network after each order. For fitness businesses, embroidered hats are a premium product that commands $38-48 retail and generates $10-18 margin per unit. Here is how to add embroidered products to a fitness brand side hustle.
Print on demand for apparel side hustles typically means DTF (direct-to-film) or screen printing applied to shirts and hoodies. Embroidery is a different method: thread is stitched directly into the fabric to create a raised, textured logo that is more durable and has a premium feel.
For fitness businesses, embroidery is most appropriate for:
Embroidered hats are one of the highest-margin items in a fitness brand merch shop:
| Hat Style | VIP Base | Typical Retail | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Flat Bill Snapback (embroidered) | $29.86 | $42-48 | $12-18 |
| Classic Rope Hat (printed, premium look) | $29.86 | $40-46 | $10-16 |
| Youth Classic Baseball Hat (embroidered) | $25.86 | $36-42 | $10-16 |
| Cuffed Winter Hat (embroidered) | $25.86 | $36-42 | $10-16 |
Embroidered hat retail prices support $12-18 margins because buyers expect to pay $40-48 for a quality fitted cap with a brand logo. For a fitness business with 100 members where 50 buy a hat at $14 margin, that is $700/year from hats alone. See the custom running hats guide for hat style comparisons.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Beyond hats, embroidery-eligible apparel in the Bear Grips Pro Shops catalog:
For most fitness business embroidery side hustles, hats generate more revenue than polos because the volume is higher (members buy hats for themselves; polos are typically staff-only items).
Embroidered products are added to your Bear Grips Pro Shops storefront the same way as printed products:
Embroidered items are produced by the fulfillment network after orders are placed. No embroidery equipment, no thread, no production management required on your end. The same no-minimum, free-shipping, approximately one-week-delivery model applies to embroidered items as to all products.
No embroidery equipment needed. Upload your logo, set your price, earn on every hat your community orders.
Start FreeNo. Print on demand embroidery means the embroidery is done by the fulfillment network after each order. You upload your logo file, set the retail price, and share the shop link. No equipment, no thread, no production management.
Vector files (SVG, AI, EPS) are the best format for embroidery because the stitching pattern is generated from the vector paths. The simpler and cleaner the design, the better it translates to embroidery. Very fine details and thin lines that work in print may not translate cleanly to stitching. Simple, bold logos with clear edges work best.
For fitness businesses targeting a premium audience or staff uniforms, yes. The embroidered hat carries a higher perceived value and supports a higher retail price. Buyers who pay $38 for a printed hat will pay $44-48 for an embroidered one from the same brand. The margin on the embroidered hat is typically $2-4 higher per unit despite the higher base cost.
Bear Grips Pro Shops