Which is better: Embroidery vs Printing
When it comes to the big question of embroidery vs printing, technically, you can do either on any type of garment. However, both processes have certain characteristics that lend themselves to particular applications through cost and suitability, cost or even both.
If you are looking for some personalised clothing for your organisation, there are a few things you’ll need to ascertain before going ahead. The most obvious is what type of garments you’re wanting – such as robust workwear, t-shirts or polo shirts for one-off events. This will normally also determine the required lifespan of the garment and the longevity of the actual image. Where will the logo, message or other imagery be placed? How large should it be? How many will you need, and in what sizes?
What’s the difference?
Embroidery involves reproducing an image by stitching threads directly into the actual fabric using automated machinery. This enables multiple garments to be personalised in up to 15 colours in one job.
For printing, the traditional screen method is still very popular and widely used, but gradually being replaced by a DTG (Direct-to-Garment) process by an increasing number of suppliers, including ourselves. As the name suggests, this prints the image directly on to the garment from a computer, enabling a lot more flexibility and creativity than the screen-printing process.
Which works better?
Embroidery simply looks more prestigious on a polo shirt or branded business which will be worn in front of their customers. It will also produce a longer-lasting image on items such as work trousers, overalls and lab coats which can encounter harsh conditions including very frequent washing. Embroidery is also recommended for caps.
For lightweight gardens such as t-shirts, printing is the best choice as it’s unobtrusive and won’t affect the feel or wearability of the garment, or ‘pucker’ the material. T-shirts often feature a larger image too, as mentioned previously.
What costs are involved?
The key setting up process for embroidery involves effectively digitising your logo or design to create a file to instruct the machines. This involves a set-up cost that increases with finished image size. The actual embroidery is cheaper for smaller images (such as pocket-sized logos), particularly for smaller quantities (less than 100 or so). Previously, the embroidery was also considered more economical for images with several colours, but DTG printing has changed all that. So cost-wise, for a business shirt, polo or lab coat with your logo on the breast – embroidery is ideal. Embroidering a large logo across the entire back of the garment can become very costly. Printing should be considered for this kind of application.
So, whatever you choose, either embroidery or printing why not speak to the experts at Logos 4 Clothes on 01400 230 180 or email info@logos4clothes.com.