Hand Embroidery Thread

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Posted in Sewing on 12/15/2004 06:44 am by admin

Hand Embroidery Thread

Screen Printing Vs Logo Embroidery

There are several methods of customizing your shirts including silk screen printing, hand painting, tie and dye, stenciling and reverse stenciling, heat transfers, airbrush and stamping, appliqués and patches and many more. Embroidery and screen printing are the two most popular methods of customizing your apparel, corporate uniforms and promotional materials. One may wonder what the difference is between the two in the manner, process and budget or which one of is better.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the process of decorating a fabric with designs that are hand or machine stitched with thread. With technology, the old handicraft of hand embroidery has been transposed with machine embroidery which is heavily used for product branding, uniform beautification, and even corporate advertising. Small entrepreneurs have emerged with their customization, logo embroidery that started out with the simple hobby of personal sewing and embroidery turned small business. With machine embroidery, the design is uploaded and digitized. This is the process that converts the artwork into stitches then saved in a file that can be read by the embroidery machine and sewn in the material chosen. There are files that are programmed already but if you have your own design then it has to be digitized first. It is very important that digitizing is done by experts to ensure that you get the exact design you envision. A wrong shade of the thread to be used would make a huge difference in how it will look. Take for example a company logo which has several colors. If not digitized accurately may produce a logo that is one shade lighter than your company logo and if it is going to be embroidered on your company uniform could create a huge discrepancy.

Embroidery is often used for company logos or designs for work corporate uniforms, business shirts, corporate polo shirts, golf shirts, lab coats, medical uniforms, jackets, promotional materials such as caps, towels, bags and much, much more.

Different companies have different pricing options. Pricing for the embroidery is usually based on the stitch count. Pricing based on stitch count is usually broken down into per thousand stitches and priced accordingly. The first step would be to upload your design or logo so that a quote will be given to you. Usually you have to pay for the logo set up fee which is better known as the logo digitizing. There are companies though that does not have a logo set-up fee and embroidery pricing would depend on the intricacy of designs and colors to be used on the logo. They also have expert digitizers who will make sure that the exact image you envision will be 100% transferred to your corporate uniforms or apparel.

Advantages of Embroidery:

Embroidery of company logo on corporate polo and business shirts makes it more professional, classic and formal rather than screen printing.
Even casual apparel that's custom-embroidered with your logo builds identity and becomes more professional looking.
Embroidery would greatly set you apart from competitors as it gets your business noticed and establishes your corporate image.
Even with repeated washing, embroidery lasts longer on clothing as it does not crack or peel off.

Disadvantages of Embroidery:

One common problem encountered is matching exactly the color of the logo design with the thread because the shade might not be available.
Small intricate details and texts are difficult to read and embroider.
More expensive than screen printing but can be remedied by simplifying your logo.

Screen Printing

Screen printing is the process of transferring a design to a material with the use of a woven mesh and stencil and by forcing the ink thru the mesh onto the printing surface. This is more versatile than traditional printing methods which sometimes need pressure or only works for even or smooth materials.

Screen printing can be used in a wide range of materials such as textiles, ceramics, wood, and paper, glass, plastic and even metal. Thus, one would see screen printing being used on balloons, signage and displays but more commonly used on imprintable t-shirts, promotional items such as mugs, bags, clocks, decals and many more.

The pricing for the screen printing is usually based on the numbers and amounts of colors used in the design. Each screen that is used will have its particular charge as well as a charge for ink per screen. Dark colored items would need a white underbase and thus would have an additional charge for that.

Advantages of Screen Printing:

Screen printing is less expensive than embroidery especially for wholesale and bulk orders.
Screen printing charge is not affected by the size of the design, just by the number of colors.
Screen printing can do bigger designs and is very versatile as it can be used on a variety of materials.
Screen printing can recreate very detailed logos and designs.
High end products can be created with shading and gradients.

Disadvantages of Screen Printing:

Does not last as long as embroidery. Screen printed logo could eventually crack or peel off, especially with repeated washing.
Fading may occur after repeated washings.
Some companies require a minimum order.

Each process has their own pros and cons, they have their own appeal, and each has their own uses. When choosing which method to use, first determine your budget and then the effect you want to get and then canvas the different companies that offer embroidery and screen printing service. Establish a good working relationship with the customer care support of the online store so making the necessary queries will be very easy and you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor the soonest no matter what customizing method you and your company used.