It’s our most asked question…. so it’s one we are going to run headfirst into for our first blog post.
So many people have attacked this for their blog. Ordinarily I would try and choose something different to discuss but I don’t think I can walk past it, it’s an important topic for our customer base and thus (always so proud when I get that word in) it’s an important one for us!
I will save you the time and hassle of reading through the rest of this blog though and tell you that we don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. There are however some key things to consider:
Embroidery
Many of our customers feel that Embroidery makes their clothing look higher end, more expensive and gives a more professional look. To a certain extent I agree, high quality embroidery looks great but we think it depends on a few key factors:
- The Logo – a common misconception is that logos with a lot of detail don’t make great embroidered logos. We think this is fake news. Some of the best logos we have produced have really high levels of detail, with many colour changes. It is this detail that often makes the embroidered logo the superior choice.
- The Logo size – for chest embroidery, we aim for logos to be sized at around 100mm wide. Logos with lots of font (Long business names etc) need to be squeezed, reducing the stitch density and often the quality. A simpler logo doesn’t always translate into a sharp looking embroidered logo.
- The garment – This factor is major. In simple turns, the heavier the material the easier it is to produce high quality embroidery. Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Polo shirts etc all offer good stability, so they hold the stich well. On the other hand, lightweight cotton T-shirts can pull around the edges giving that stretchy, wrinkled look.
The Logo, the logo size and the garment are all as equally as important when choosing to print your logo but with the introduction of DTF printing they are becoming far less of a factor. This printing method allows for applications on just about any material and colour combination making it incredibly versatile. There’s a couple of myths to dispel here.
- Longevity – You may have heard that printed garments don’t last as long as embroidered ones. Maybe that’s true, but it’s difficult to quantify. Many guides tell you that printed garments could last 50 – 100 wash cycles. Two things are certain though, it must be printed right and the products have to be cared for inline with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- The Price – I think its fair to say that there is a general assertion that printing is ‘cheaper’. Again, its really difficult to quantify from a cost perspective but if you want us on board with the notion that printing looks cheaper than embroidery, then we ain’t boarding that train.
There are a million and one other things to consider when choosing print or embroidery making it virtually impossible for us to consider a winner or a loser. There is one thing that is more important than any of this though.
Do YOU love it?
Does the branding excite YOU?
Who cares what anyone else thinks. Whichever way you decide the single most important thing is that you feel proud about your company, proud of your emblem, your logo, your slogan, your message, or your purpose.
Whatever industry you are operating in you need to feel confident enough to plug the hell out of it.
At Workwear Innovation we will guide you through the choices and the options available for your workwear by advising on the best garment and decoration combinations to make sure your branded clothing helps you to stand out.