PPB May 2017

How are embroidery and

screen printing most

commonly priced?

Typically, both

processes are quantity sensitive,

meaning themore garments you

are decorating, the lower the cost

per piece. In addition, embroidery

is typically priced by the number of

stitches needed to create the logo

or message, while screen printing

is generally priced by the number

of colors used.The cost per piece

increases as the number of stitches

or colors in a logo increase. For

small quantities of three- or four-

color designs, screen printing is

not as cost effective as some of the

other processes.

What type of art should

a distributor provide for

each decorating process?

As a

rule, high-quality art will result

in a higher-quality finished

product. This is especially true

in screen printing. A distributor

will want to provide a vector file

for embroidery and cut-vinyl

decorating. For screen printing,

either a vector file or a raster

file will work. Vector artwork is

created using a series of points

or nodes and outlines or paths,

to create shapes that can then be

filled or outlined with color. It can

be enlarged without affecting the

sharpness of the image. Raster

artwork is tonal artwork created

by a series of small dots or pixels.

Because it loses sharpness when

enlarged, it’s important to know

the largest size needed to produce

a product before creating the file.

Will a distributor find

more success by using

a contract decorator or a

garment wholesaler who offers

decoration?

There is no clear-

cut answer to this question as

it is more a matter of personal

preference. Purchasing finished/

decorated garments from an

apparel wholesaler can provide

ease of process, lower shipping

costs and eliminate the risk of

damaged products that result in

short shipments. However, many

distributors believe strongly in the

partnerships forged with contract

decorators who can provide

consistent quality, price and turn

time across all product brands.

Why is screen printing more

expensive on dark garments?

Printing on dark garments

requires a base coat. For example,

if you want to paint a light color

on a dark wall in your home, you

will most likely need to apply

a primer coat so that your new

color is more vibrant. The screen

printing process follows the same

general idea.

What is the most

cost-effective way to print

a full-color imprint on dark

garments at low quantities?

The

request for low-quantity orders

with complex art is unquestionably

on the rise. Fortunately, there are

several decorating processes that

make fulfilling these requests

possible.The twomost common

“go-to” options are direct-to-

garment digital printing and

digital transfers. Direct-to-garment

printing is a process where an

image or logo is printed directly

on the garment, similar to how a

piece of paper is fed through an

inkjet printer. Digital transfers, also

called heat transfers, are printed

on special paper that is then

pressed onto the garment using

heat and pressure. Both can be

done in lowminimums with little

to no set-up charge.

What is the best form of

decoration for lightweight

polyester performance polos

given their increased popularity

and market presence?

Lightweight performance fabrics

are increasingly changing

the face of decorating. A few

years ago, it would have been

very uncommon to use screen

printing or heat transfers on

a high-end polo. Embroidery

was the most common form

of decoration with the greatest

perceived value. Brands such

as Under Armour have changed

this mentality. Performance

fabrics, including outerwear, are

now quite commonly decorated

using screen printing and heat

transfers. While embroidery is still

more common on these types of

garments, a print or transfer can

create a clean, vibrant look that

will not result in puckering issues

that are, to a degree, unavoidable

when using embroidery.

What decoration methods

work best for different types

of fabrics?

When evaluating

the appropriate use of different

garment decorations for

various fabrics, distributors

should take several things into

consideration to determine the

best method. First and foremost,

consider the logo itself. Does

it have a great amount of small

detail? How many colors does

it contain? The next evaluation

should be of the garment itself.

What type of garment is it? What

is the fabric? Is the fabric

textured? What is the weight

of the fabric? Finally, consider

the order quantity. Once these

answers have been determined,

the best decoration method can

be matched to the garment. For

With its

phenomenal

value per

exposure,

longevity among

end users and

strong profit

margins,

promotional

apparel is the

go-to product for

many programs,

events, corporate

outings and

incentive

programs.

MAY 2017

INNOVATE