embroidery

3 Surprising Things You Don’t Know About…Embroidery

3 Surprising Things You Don’t Know About…Embroidery

Embroidery, as a process, goes back thousands of years. The earliest recorded embroidered garment dates back to 700 CE. Today, the embroidery process is completely digitized, though some of the foundations of embroidery are still key to the process as a whole.

Old Tools

-Hoop
The use of the embroider hoop dates back to the beginning of the process. They were originally made of wood, bone or ivory. Today, they are made of wood or plastic. Even machines with multiple stations still require one hoop per station. Hoops are necessary to keep the fabric taut while working.

Photo by Teunie

Photo by Teunie

-Fabric
Thread or yarn is used in the embroidery process. Modern commercial embroidery thread is most often made of cotton or rayon, and available in unlimited color combinations.
Photo by PKM

New Tools

-Computer design
“In 1980, Wilcom introduced the first computer graphics embroidery design system to run on a minicomputer. “
The ability to design a multi-colored image has come a long way, but it still the hardest art to set-up because it requires the highest minimum font sizes. Detail is limited because in embroidery you are using thread instead of ink, and are confined by the size of the thread.

-Computer machinery
Current embroidery machinery can run more than 55 heads at once with more than 25 colors at one time. Tajima and Barudan are two top embroidery machine manufacturers.

Photo from Tajima

Photo from Tajima

Method

-Process
The age-old process of pulling the fabric tight, setting it into a hoop and stitching into it, remains the same. However, the types of fabric and the speed of which determines the length of the process. The average logo contains approx. 8,000 stitches or less.

-Material
Embroidery is a sturdier, more substantial imprint process than screen-printing. You can embroider on most fabrics, from cotton to blends to full polyester or rayon. The favorite location for apparel, and the spot that receives the most impressions, is the front, left chest.

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Embroidery remains the second most popular imprint method for promotional apparel. The ability to customize embroider on a bucket hat or a polo shirt, a soft-side cooler or picnic blanket, allows the customer to be flexible in the promotional product choice, even when limited by design. Click for more information on other imprint methods. Contact us for more information about your logo and how we can embroider it on just about anything!

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Guide to Promotional Apparel Embroidery

So after perusing our Apparel categories or working with our sales team, you’ve found that perfect piece of apparel. Maybe you’ve chosen the softest hoodie on the market, or gone with a rugged, durable jacket. Either way you’ve committed and now you want to make it official by tying the knot, the embroidery knot that is. There will be no screen-printing  bedazzling, or debossing here. Your logo will be proudly stitched on your chosen location. But wait, what’s with all the crazy jargon? Digitizing? Tape Charge?

Relax, I know the embroidery process can sound tricky so I’ve put together this guide to make it simple. Let’s start with the first step after you’ve chosen you apparel. You’ll send us your logo and we’ll work with our art department to get it digitized. Digitization is a process that translates digital art files into stitches (magic I tell you!) and will help us determine a stitch count. Digitization’s cost is usually covered by your tape charge. Still curious about digitization? Check out this article by PowerStitch Design Studio “Embroidery Digitizing Explained for the Newbie

Once we have that stitch count, we can start getting a clearer picture of what the final product will look like. Simple, cleaner logos will have lower stitch counts while more complex logos will have higher stitch counts. Those with higher stitch counts may have some extra charges. From there we will have our art department put together a virtual sample  for you to get an idea of what the finished product will look like.

Next, our finishers (a Matrix-like term if there ever was one) will do a sew-out, a logo embroidered onto a scrap of fabric to test the quality of the logo, spacing, and any other concerns you may have. We can forward this onto you for final approval. After that your order will be run and arrive to it’s final destination where we know you’ll feel like each and every step was worth it, to get this perfectly embroidery piece of apparel into you and your customers waiting arms.

With those easy steps, you’re done! Celebrate to your hearts content! And if you have any other embroidery-related questions, get in touch with our sales team. If you’d like to learn more about promotional embroidery and the best practices used in ensuring your garmet’s embroidery is top of the line, I’d suggest reading PrintWear’s article “Prevent Pucker, Stitching tactics for even-handed embroidery“. The small attentions to detail that they mention are all vital to ensure that you receive the best embroidery possible.

So did I miss any other apparel meme jokes? I debated using “One Does Not Simply Embroider Promotional Apparel”, but, in fact, it is that simple. Let me know if you have a favorite embroidered promotional apparel piece in the comments below!

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