Choosing the right printing method for your project.

On September 9, 2020   /   Printing  
Choosing the right printing method for your project.
How to choose the right printing method

Choosing the right printing method for your project.

By Pete Apo

There are many different types of printing methods so choosing the right printing method for your project is essential to getting a great final result. Understanding the differences, mainly in how they are priced and their individual limitations and benefits, will enable you to choose the right printing method. You will need to possess a few key details regarding your printing job: Quantity, Product or Material, Number of Colors in Design, and Basic Size or Print Location. In this article I will list the most common printing options and state the limitations and benefits of each one.

Screen Printing

Pricing- Screen printing price is based mainly on the quantity of prints and number of colors in each print. Each color added to the print location will incur an additional set-up and per-piece charge. The higher number of pieces or prints will cause the per-print price to be lower, determined by quantity price breaks like 12 (minimum), 24, 48, 60, 72, etc.

Color Limitations– We are typically able to print up to six colors for your design on screen printed items, however, certain materials and/or locations might put additional limitations to this number. Complex gradients using multiple colors might be difficult to achieve using a screen printing method, so it is recommended that you send us your artwork to get an accurate quote for your project.

Size or Resolution Limitations– Maximum screen printing size is 16 inches x 16 inches and the minimum size that will be printed successfully is about an 8-point text size.

Advantages– Screen printing is an excellent option for high quantities of items that have a low number of colors, and will yield a durable, long lasting and vibrant print.

To learn more about this process refer to this in depth article.

What Is Screen Printing

Embroidery

Pricing- Embroidery pricing is based on the total quantity of items to be embroidered and the number of stitches in the design. A typical left chest or hat size design will have 5,000 to 12,000 stitches whereas a full back jacket size design will easily push 45,000 stitches. This difference of stitch count will affect the price of both the initial digitization and per-piece cost.

Color Limitations– The pricing for embroidery is not effected by the number of colors, however, embroidery is made up of thousands of stitches and for this reason has certain limitations. Using embroidery to replicate complex gradients and multi-colored outlines is not recommended. Simple designs and color variations produce a more stunning embroidered product.

Size or Resolution Limitations– Maximum embroidery size is 18 inches x 13 inches and the minimum size that can be embroidered clearly is a 12 point text.

Advantages– Embroidery is a classic technique that tends to make the item you are stitching look more upscale. It is also very durable and usually outlasts the item that it is embroidered on.

To learn more about this process refer to this in depth article.

The basics of embrodiery and its production

Heat Transfer Vinyl

Pricing- For the most part Heat Transfer Vinyl does not receive quantity discounts for repeated prints. The nature of this method is such that the press is usually charged at the same price no matter how many repeated prints that are done.

Color Limitations– This method is generally only available for a one-color print or press. Though it is possible to get a two or possibly three color heat transfer vinyl press done, most shops will not recommend or perform this because of the amount of set-up and work that is needed for one print.

Size or Resolution Limitations– Maximum heat transfer vinyl size is 18 inches x 16 inches and the minimum size that can be pressed is a 12 point text.

Advantages– Since this method has very little setup compared to screen printing, it is generally used successfully when used on a large printed area with individual specifics or prints. It is particularly popular when decorating jerseys or team sport wear with individual player names and numbers.

To learn more about this process refer to this in depth article.

Peeling Heat Transfer Vinyl Print

Dye Sublimation Printing

Pricing- In general Dye-Sublimation Printing does not receive quantity discounts for repeated prints. In general it is a bit more pricey than the other forms of printing mentioned here.

Color Limitations– The great advantage of this printing method is the ability to print any color needed, including complex gradients or color variations. Even photograph quality prints are possible using this fast growing technique.

Size or Resolution Limitations– Maximum dye-sublimation print size is usually 18 inches x 16 inches, however, full shirt coverage is also available on demand. The minimum size that can be pressed is a 4 point text or equivalent to a regular print from an ink jet printer at a high resolution.

Advantages– This print methods hold some very important advantages that should be underscored. First, the ability to print at full color with a high resolution quickly beats most other types of printing methods. Next, the low minimum quantity is key, because with limited set-up fees this print type can be performed on a single piece or on multiple pieces. Finally, dye-sublimation results in significant durability and vibrant colors because it actually permanently dyes the fabric with a high quality color. It is supreme in its durability, wash ability and scratch resistance.

To learn more about this process refer to this in depth article.

sports jersey and team uniform printing

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Pete Apo Owner Impact Northwest Picture
Pete Apo

Owner of Impact Northwest

Pete Apo is the owner of Impact Northwest located outside Eugene, Oregon in Creswell.  He has over 17+ years experience in the garment and promotional item printing industry and is founder of the clothing and product line The Rusty Hawaiian. Impact Northwest is a provider of custom screen print, embroidery, dye sublimation and promotional items to Lane County and the surrounding communities.

Pete@Impact-NW.com

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What is Digitizing for Embroidery?

On September 9, 2020   /   Artwork  
What is Digitizing for Embroidery?
Image to digitized design

What is Digitizing for Embroidery?

By Pete Apo

Digital files these days are everywhere and most things are in digital form. So what is digitizing for embroidery mean? If you have ever gone to an embroidery shop chances are that the shop has spoke about “getting your logo digitized”. This is a specialized term in the embroidery industry.

Some people may think that digitizing has to do with saving your file in a digital format. Others conclude that digitizing must mean having artwork vectorized. This is far from the reality. Digitizing is a highly specialized trade. Without proper experience an embroidery project can easily look and perform badly. If you have ever experienced embroidery that waves or curls, is hard to read, or the design elements don’t line up, this is likely a result of faulty digitizing.

The word digitize implies that artwork is somehow automatically turned into stitches. This is far from true. Most digitizing is time consuming and requires specialized software and experience. Most logos need several types of different stitches incorporated to produce one great looking and performing design. Any professional embroidery shop will likely have on staff a highly experienced digitizer to create a quality embroidery file needed to run an embroidery machine.

So what is digitizing for embroidery? Well simply put it is the manual placement of stitches and machine commands for a computerized embroidery machine to follow. You need a digitized embroidery file to have any embroidery done.

multi head embroidery machine

Why is digitizing experience important?

Most digitizers have spent a significant amount of time learning from embroidery production. They have come to know how embroidery and stitches affect different garments. What type of stitches work and don’t work. How to create layered and complex stitch effects. As well as creating embroidery patterns with the least amount of stitches or embroidery machine stops. The best digitizers are people who have spent time running a production team or an embroidery machine themselves. Since there is no official schools to learn embroidery digitizing, this is the most effective way to learn how an embroidery machine runs and what stitch layouts the machine likes best.

The mind of a digitizer

Digitizers are special because they must be artistic but also stick to a very regimented list of do’s and do not’s for embroidery. Embroidery machines are computerized sewing machines often running at 800 to 1,200 stitches per minute, and production managers are looking for anyway they can to speed up production time. Digitizers must be aware of this and make designs with minimum color changes, stitch counts, thread trims and stops. They do this all while making a quality embroidered piece that will perform well. To do this effectively a digitizer must make a map or list of what parts of the artwork will sew first, second and so on. They will also need to know how big the final design will be and what type of material it will be going on. For instance the process that a machine must take to successfully sew on the front of a baseball cap vs. a left chest polo shirt is quite different.

quality digitizing equals quality embroidery

Below are the important things that are considered when digitizing artwork:

Underlay Stitches

Underlay stitches are the stitch pattern that is sewn first under the design and will help keep the garment from bunching or curling when worn or washed. Though these stitches are not seen in the final design, this stage is critically important to production of a great performing sew-out. Some inexperienced digitizers or shops looking to save a few seconds in production, will leave out this step, but the effects will be noticeable over time.

Pull Compensation

Pull compensation describes the additional length that is added to the stitches to compensate for the natural push and pull of garments when they are embroidered. The natural flow and movement of fabrics responding to the tightening of thread is one of the major learning curves when becoming a digitizer and creating clean embroidered products.

Stitch Types

Stitch types are the different ways the machine sews over a certain area and will determine the finished look of the embroidery. Knowing the area and using the correct stitch type to use is important and necessary. Using the wrong stitch type for an area and not knowing the embroidery machines limitations can result in entire areas missing stitches or results numerous thread breaks, slowing production time. These problems can result in unfinished, messy or frayed sew-outs that can unravel over time. The basic embroidery stitch types are Fill Stitches, Satin Stitches, Run Stitches and Manual Stitches. Each of these types of stitches are used for particular reasons and each of them are widely used in the industry.

the basic stich types for embroidery
Embroidery Size

Embroidery size is exactly what it says and is considered first before any stitch is ever digitized. Artwork that will be embroidered at a left chest size vs. for a full back size will have to be set up differently because the areas the stitches will have to cover and the overall allowed length for each stitch.

Different Fabric Types

The kind of fabric must also be considered when preparing an embroidery piece. For instance a piece of heavy vinyl cloth vs. a lightly knit cotton will respond to stitches much differently and can handle only a certain density of stitches correctly.

Number of Colors

The number of colors in the design are important as well because embroidery machines all have different capacity for the numbers of threads it can hold thus limiting the number of colors that a design can have. Typical commercial embroidery machines range from 6 – 15 needles on each head which determine how many separate spools or colors can be in any design.

Order of Embroidery

The order of the embroidery must be considered for digitizing. Like underlay, fill stitches, then a final satin stitch to make a finished embroidery sew-out look nice.

The Benefits of Quality Digitizing

Looks Great- The first indication that you have quality digitizing is that the finished embroidery looks great. Some credit will have to go to the production staff for choosing the correct backing and monitoring the embroidery process successfully. However, the majority of the results come from a quality digitized file.

Performs Great- When the correct stitch pattern, density and other factors are picked throughout the process of digitization. The results will be a finished embroidery product that will not curl, wave, twist or have pullout threads over time. It will lay flat and handle being washed repeatedly without negative effects.

Sized Perfectly- If your embroidery is sized correctly it will be easily readable but also not overwhelm the product space.  The correct size will be adequate to perform the task the design is meant to and bring an elevated look to the finished product.

The Results of Poor Digitizing

Unreadable- If the text of any design is not easily readable, the digitization has failed. Embroidery has limits to what can and can not be done successfully. Making lettering too small or using the wrong technique for small lettering is a common mistake for an inexperienced digitizer. Also lazy digitizers will often use a pre-programmed font to auto generate stitches which can sometimes be a problem to readability, especially for small text.

Curled, Wavy or Twisted- If your design experiences these common effects, the chances are that the wrong stitch density or underlay was used in the digitizing process. These factors could also be a result of the production worker using the wrong material backing, however, the majority of the time it has to do with choices made during digitization.

Oversized or Undersized Design- As stated earlier an undersized design is a common mistake and can make text unreadable, but also over sizing a design is a sign of inexperience. With a lack of digitization skills a digitizer will sometimes oversize a design or text so it will be readable. This happens most for Left Chest and Cap Front embroidery. A quality production shop will inform a customer well before the digitization is performed that size or placement might be an issue. You should never be surprised upon the pick-up of your items that certain elements of your logo are oversized or are not sized up proportionately.

Open Fill or Satin Stitches- When the fill or satin stitches of a design are open you can see through the stitches to the fabric underneath. This happens when using a low density of stitches for a certain area.

Bad embroidery result

Conclusion

Embroidery is a good print method when used appropriately and digitized correctly. Embroidery can increase the value of items and bring an upscale look to an item. It is also durable and long lasting. I hope this article has given you some basic understanding to this question: What is digitizing for embroidery. I hope that it will inform you better when making decisions about getting embroidery done. I also hope that it sheds some light on what it takes to produce quality embroidery items and prepare you on what questions should be asked when speaking to an embroidery shop.

Sources:

Wikipedia – Machine Embroidery

What Is Embroidery Digitizing?

Embroidery / Digitizing Glossary

How to Digitize Your Logo for Embroidery

END ARTICLE

Pete Apo Owner Impact Northwest Picture
Pete Apo

Owner of Impact Northwest

Pete Apo is the owner of Impact Northwest located outside Eugene, Oregon in Creswell.  He has over 17+ years experience in the garment and promotional item printing industry and is founder of the clothing and product line The Rusty Hawaiian. Impact Northwest is a provider of custom screen print, embroidery, dye sublimation and promotional items to Lane County and the surrounding communities.

Pete@Impact-NW.com

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What Is Custom Embroidery?

On September 8, 2020   /   Printing  
What Is Custom Embroidery?
The basics of embrodiery and its production

What Is Custom Embroidery?

By Pete Apo

What are the basics of custom embroidery and how does the process work? This article will cover the production process along with the pros and cons of embroidery for apparel and accessories.

Today, commercial embroidery is done with machines that contain computerized instructions and movements to produce precisely stitched designs. It is a very durable way to decorate fabric and if done properly can elevate the look of many apparel and accessory goods.

Custom Embroidery Production Machines

Custom embroidery production machines have several key variations as well as accessories that accommodate different stitch types and processes to decorate garments, fabric, and apparel. The two most important variations are the number of embroidery heads on a machine and the number of needles on each of those heads. The number of embroidery heads on a machine indicates the number of embroidered items that can be run at once, while the number of needles per head determines the number of different colors of thread that can be loaded and used for each design.

Commercial embroidery machines range from one to thirty heads and vary using six to fifteen needles per head. Most machines can be ordered based on a production shop’s production needs. Some add-on accessory items include chenille (hoop stitch style embroidery), embroidery patch cut-out systems, patch sewing, rhinestone setting, and laser positioning.

embroidery production machine

Production Machine Operation

It takes a skilled operator to run a multi-head embroidery machine. They must work quickly and always be moving to anticipate the next run of items. On large quantity runs an embroidery operator will already have prepared the next run of garments to be put onto the machine while a current run is being sewn. The operator must also be able to quickly fix any problems that stop the embroidery machine from the constant operation. With production, time is money. Here are a few common issues that slow down an embroidery production cycle:

  • Thread Breakage- Probably the most common and frustrating thing that can happen in an embroidery run is when the embroidered thread gets broken during stitching. Three main common things can contribute to this: 1) Digitizing error that results in stitches that are too close together or excessive stitch density. 2) Metal burrs on the needle or strike plate can develop and cut the thread. 3) The use of poor quality or old thread.
  • Thread Pullouts- This usually occurs when the machine starts again after a thread trim or color change, and the thread pulls out of the needle and has to be re-threaded.
  • Bobbin Replacement- The embroidery machine automatically stops when the bobbin runs out. Bobbin replacement is an essential part of embroidery production. The bobbin is the bottom thread that is sewn along with the top thread and can only be seen from the back of an embroidered patch. When running a large machine with several heads, an experienced production worker will replace all bobbins at once when the first one runs out, to alleviate other stops.
  • Bird Nesting or other tension-related problems- Bird nesting usually occurs when the bobbin or top thread tension gets too tight or too loose and creates a “birds nest” like a pile of extra thread. The extra thread needs to be cut away and the machine backed up to re-embroider that problem area. Problems with stitch quality due to thread tension slow down production.
Embroidery production floor and workers

Custom Embroidery Production Process

Embroidery for production is just like most types of production lines, in that the goal is always to produce more product, more quickly and for less money, all without compromising quality.

Here are the steps in the custom embroidery process:

Embroidery Digitizing

Once the customer has decided on the basics of the product, placement, colors, sizes, etc., and a project deposit is taken, the next step is embroidery digitizing. Using digitizing software (Wilcom or Pulse), an experienced digitizer will upload an image of the customer’s logo or design onto the program and size it. Next, he or she manually digitizes each section of the design and maps or programs each start point, thread trim, color change, and stitch type. The digitizer will also take into consideration the kind of fabric the design will be embroidered on.

Once the design is digitized, thread colorways are picked and a production printout is made for the production department to follow. An embroidery sample or test sew is ordered to make sure there are no problems with the design before production is started. Digitizing for embroidery takes years to master because there are so many factors that affect a quality embroidered garment. Often times lessons need to be learned by trial and error. Most professional shops will have an in-house digitizer who can manage and make changes to a design on-the-fly if needed.

Production Embroidery is Started

After the test sew is approved the production crew will prepare the product for custom embroidery. They will hoop each garment with backing (depending on the fabric and other factors) and load the hoops onto the machine to start. Hoops are an essential part of the embroidery process and they can either be a round, oval, square, or rectangle hoop with two parts: a bottom and top piece. The hoop can be tension-tightened depending on the thickness of the fabric.

The backing is also essential to a quality embroidered item. While there are several types of backing that are used it is most important to the performance and life of the embroidery that the correct backing be used for that type of garment. The right backing will help keep the embroidery from puckering or curling over time and gives a good foundation for each stitch.

Clean-Up and Quality Control

When the product is pulled from the machine and the hoop is removed, production proceeds to finish the product, inspect it and package it for delivery. In this step, they will remove the excess backing by tearing it away or cutting it off. They will trim any excess threads from the embroidery and sometimes use water or heat to finish the cleaning. Then the product is inspected for quality control and bagged or boxed as per customer specifications.

Pros of Custom Embroidery

Looks Great- A good looking embroidery design will make any shirt or product more appealing. A sales team with matching embroidered polo shirts have an edge of professionalism to their presentation.

Good Quality and Long Lasting- When done correctly embroidery can last as long as the item it is stitched on. If you make sure to use standard thread quality that does not succumb to fading or shrinking, embroidery will continue to last and still look great.

Versatile- Many products can be embroidered and other variations are constantly being innovated. There are many different thread types such as: fire resistant, metallic, multi-colored or rainbow, glow-in-the-dark, neon and just about any color you can think of.

Embroidery design with quality digitizing

Cons of Custom Embroidery

Digitizing Cost- The digitizing cost to start a file is only a one-time cost, but can be expensive depending on the embroidery shop you go to. It is not recommended to use a cheap digitizer that might cause your design to turn out poor. Since it is a one-time set-up cost it is good to do your research and find the right embroidery shop. Once you have a quality digitized logo you can use it profitably for years to come.

Cost By Stitch- Embroidery printing is one of the most expensive printing options available because of the embroidery machine cost and technical expertise involved. Whereas screen printing is charged based on quantity and the number of colors, embroidery is charged based on quantity and number of stitches. Embroidery becomes more costly as the logo size increases. The bigger the design, the more stitches are required to make it. That is why you see embroidery mostly limited to hat fronts and left chest logo size.

Complexity Limitations- Embroidery is created by sewing lots of stitches in a certain area and using colored thread for various effects. While it is possible to see amazing digitizing that creates extraordinary embroidered designs, this medium cannot be used to make photo-realistic prints. For photo-realistic prints, your best bet is Dye-Sublimation printing or Digital Garment Printing (DGP). Since it is difficult for the embroidery process to make complex color gradients, small complex shapes, and tiny readable lettering, it is better to utilize embroidery for printing simple designs or logos.

Placement and Fabric Limitations- Be mindful of certain natural limitations of your fabric or product if you wish to do embroidery. Embroidery needs to be able to be hooped, placed on a machine, and then have clearance to move freely during the process. Things like small openings over pockets or seams, as well as using thick material can be a problem for embroidery. An embroidery shop may be able to guide you ahead of time as you decide on which products to order.

Conclusion

Embroidery is an ancient art form that has come a long way with technological innovation. It can raise the quality and look of a product dramatically and create a lasting image that will impact the world. At the end of the day, however, it is only stitched thread on fabric, so complex and small designs can pose a problem for a clean embroidered look.

If you decide to do an embroidered project, speak with an experienced custom embroidery shop and get some samples of their past work so you can see their level of quality. Send your design to the shop and make sure that it can be embroidered in a way that you will be satisfied with. Sometimes because of the limitations of embroidery, some aspects of your design will be recommended to be made bigger or complex items removed or changed. Plan your project carefully and make sure embroidery is the right printing process for the goals of your business.

Sources:

Wikipedia – Embroidery

Embroidery Process – Step-by-step of the Embroidery Production Process

Design & Production Process

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Pete Apo Owner Impact Northwest Picture
Pete Apo

Owner of Impact Northwest

Pete Apo is the owner of Impact Northwest located outside Eugene, Oregon in Creswell.  He has over 17+ years of experience in the garment and promotional item printing industry and is the founder of the clothing and product line The Rusty Hawaiian. Impact Northwest is a provider of custom screen print, embroidery, dye sublimation, and promotional items to Lane County and the surrounding communities.

Pete@Impact-NW.com

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