The short answer
On fabric, print the code at least 5 cm (2 in) wide on a light patch, on a flat area of the chest or back, and test it after a wash. Use a dynamic code, because a shirt outlives any campaign and cannot be reprinted. Small, low-contrast or stretched codes are the main reason merch codes fail.
How to put a QR code on merchandise
Decide what the shirt should open
Good destinations are a store, a playlist, a signup page or a team site. Choose something that will still make sense in a year.
Create a dynamic code
Save the destination as a dynamic code with a plain name such as “Staff tee 2026”. You can repoint it later without reprinting any merchandise.
Design for the print method
Screen printing, vinyl and direct-to-garment hold detail differently. Ask the printer for the smallest dot they print cleanly and size the code so each module is at least that big. Embroidery needs a much larger code.
Give it contrast
Place the code on a solid light patch, even on a dark garment. Dark modules on light always scan better than light on dark.
Place on a flat zone and test
Use the center chest or the upper back, not sleeves, hems or areas that drape. Scan a washed sample from arm’s length with two phones.
Size, distance and placement
- Best code type
- Dynamic URL code; the shirt outlives any campaign
- Typical scan distance
- Someone behind or beside you: 0.5–1 m (2–3 ft)
- Minimum printed width
- Screen print or heat transfer: 5 cm (2 in) or more; 7–10 cm for a back print. Embroidery: larger still
- Contrast
- Dark modules on a solid light patch, including on dark garments
- Placement
- Center chest, upper back or tote panel. Avoid sleeves, seams, hems and areas that fold
- Mugs and bottles
- Keep the code on the flattest part; a wraparound curve distorts the edges
- Test
- Scan a washed and worn sample, not only the proof
Static or dynamic on merchandise?
Dynamic. A printed shirt, mug or tote cannot be edited, but the world it points to changes: a store moves, a band releases a new record, a team site gets a new address. A dynamic code lets the same garment keep working for years, and it counts scans so you learn which design is noticed. A static code is acceptable only for text that never changes, such as a fixed contact phone number.
Common mistakes
Tip: for events, print a different code on staff shirts and on public merchandise. The scan counts then tell you whether strangers or colleagues are scanning.
Frequently asked questions
How big should a QR code be on a T-shirt?
At least 5 cm (2 in) wide for a chest print, and 7–10 cm on a back print, on a solid light patch. Test a washed sample before the full run.
Can a QR code be embroidered?
It can, but thread is coarse, so the code must be much larger than a printed one and simple. Test a sample with several phones first.
Will a merchandise QR code stop working?
A dynamic code keeps working as long as its account does, and you can change the destination at any time. A static code only breaks if the page it points to disappears.
Can I see who scanned my merch?
You can see counts, countries and device types per code, not individual identities.