Decorating Methods
Several factors come into
play when deciding whether to screen print or embroider
a garment. First among these is what you’re trying to
accomplish. The construction company doesn’t need the
expense of putting their workers in embroidered
T-shirts, although the sales and office personnel could
certainly utilize either polo or tailored, woven shirts
embroidered with the company logo.
Garments with extremely
rough surfaces, including some piques and all polar
fleece, won’t clearly render a screen print design and
should definitely be embroidered. While relatively
inexpensive team jackets are often printed, the vast
majority of outerwear is more often decorated with an
embroidered design.
Screen Printing
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Originally an
ancient art form, screen-printing came into its
own as a promotional decorating method in the
1960s and has grown tremendously in popularity
over the ensuing years. Modern technology has made
it possible to reproduce almost any design—from
simple one color designs up to six, seven or eight
colors, or even process color images on
apparel. |
A mesh screen is chemically
coated, exposed under high-intensity lights, treated to
reveal the desired image, dried and put on either a
manual or automatic press. One screen is required for
each color in each position—i.e., red and black ink on
the front and back of a shirt would require four
screens. Your account executive, working with our
in-house art department, can show you how to get
multiple shades of a color out of just one
screen.
The appropriate color ink
is then forced through the exposed portion of the screen
onto the garment, followed by any additional colors
called for in the design. Garments are then removed from
the press and run through a curing dryer to set the ink
and make the design permanent. If a second position
needs to be printed, the garments are returned to the
press and the additional design is applied.
Because of the additional
handling required, multiple positions are more costly
than additional colors in the same position. When budget
is a major consideration, limit the positions
decorated.
One other consideration
worth noting: some garments—notably T-shirts, sweats and
lower priced golf shirts—are priced from the mills
according to color range: white, heathers and colors. In
addition, dark colored shirts may require an additional
underbase color, which acts much like priming a wall to
assure the desired ink color will not be affected by the
garment color. Once again, your account executive will
guide you through the process.
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Embroidery
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The evolution of
embroidery from a hand-craft to a computerized
process has made this value-added decorating
method affordable for just about everyone. |
The embroidery process
begins with digitizing, the act of “translating” a
graphic design into stitches. There are three basic
types of embroidery stitches. Satin or column stitches
are the most commonly used. There is a limit both to the
minimum and maximum width of these types of stitches.
Extremely thin lines or letters can’t utilize the
side-to-side sewing movement required of these stitches.
Overly wide lines or blocks of color also limit the use
of satin stitches because the thread begins to “hang
down” like a roman shade.
Wider lines and blocks of
color utilize a fill stitch, a pattern of smaller
stitches which cover the desired area. This gives you
the quality you want but does tend to increase the
stitch count required by the design.
Finally, extremely thin
lines are sewn using a running stitch, much like the
ones used to baste a hem. These are not quality stitches
and really should only be used to define one area from
another.
Embroidery sewing charges
are based on the number of stitches in a design since
stitches equal machine time. The number of colors in an
embroidery designs are not a cost factor.
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Promotional products
Promoting your corporate
image is a crucial part of any effective marketing
strategy. Active Imprints offers a wide range of
promotional products that may be tailored to fit the
specific needs of your corporate marketing, incentive or
gift program. Our promotional product lines consist of
more than 750,000 items that can be customized for your
program.
Our sourcing department
uses state of the art research technology to search for
unique products to fit your special promotion. This
sourcing capability is regarded as the most
technologically advanced and extensive sourcing system
in the industry. From high-end branded corporate gifts
to tradeshow giveaways and employee incentive items,
Active Imprints can source and customize virtually any
item imaginable.
Our professionals are eager
to research and help to create a comprehensive
promotional package to fit your needs. Combine custom
accessories with our corporate apparel items to make a
well-rounded marketing impact.
Promotional items can help enhance your
corporate image in a variety of applications
including:
- Trade shows, meetings
and conventions
- Corporate marketing
promotions and customer loyalty enhancement
- Sales, service, safety
and employee award/incentive programs
- Promotional giveaways
and premiums
- Corporate and executive
gifts
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Artwork
Creating designs for both
screen printing and embroidery is quite different than
for printing on paper. In screen printing the color of
the garment, called the substrate, affects the color of
the ink applied. The weave of the garment also affects
the final product.
As simple a task as taking
a logo from a business card to use on a T-shirt requires
a special skill to assure a quality result. Additional
colors compound the skills required and four-color
process, printing the likes of a photograph you’d see in
a magazine, presents a truly unique challenge to the
screen printing process.
Art being prepared for
future embroidery requires a whole different set of
skills. In addition to the design, the artist must also
understand the different types of stitches available and
how the fabric being sewn will affect the finished
look.
Active Imprints has brought
together the skills required to prepare creative,
quality artwork that will give the desired results for
the chosen process and the incredible range of garments
and promotional products offered.
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