Decoration Methods Explained
Our state-of-the-art equipment enables us to offer a range of decoration processes to apply your logo to your chosen garments.
There are several factors that you may wish to consider before choosing the type of application for your logo, such as fabric type, quantity of garments, the complexity of your logo. Here are a few pointers to help you choose the right application.
Embroidery
Embroidery - Direct to Garment
Embroidered logos or designs produce a high-quality striking appearance and offer a smart, professional image for your company, club or organisation. The embroidery process is carried out via a digital embroidery machine, so firstly your logo must be re-created (digitised) into a digital format for our embroidery machines to read. Your program is then loaded to our 15 colour Barudan embroidery machines. Garments are then framed up individually applying quality backings behind the garment to keep the fabric stable and your logo then applied using durable quality threads to guarantee the highest quality embroidery.
Pro’s
- Great for smaller designs such as club or company chest logo’s.
- Embroidery is a permanent and colour fast process offering a quality appearance.
- Perfect for heavier weight garments such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets.
- Vast array of thread colours available including fire retardant colours.
- Small “one off” set-up cost, no further set-up charges on repeat orders.
Con’s
- Larger designs can be expensive to produce.
Embroidered Badges
We also offer an embroidered badge service. Laser cut technology allows us to create almost any shape of badge required. Badges can be sewn on or heat applied to garments by applying a permanent adhesive backing, badges are then applied to garments with an industrial heat press.
Pro’s
- Embroidered badges lend themselves to designs with dense stitching or finer detail.
- Perfect application for products that are difficult to embroider such as pockets.
Con’s
- Minimum orders required.
Printing
Printing can be a great alternative to embroidery and lends itself to larger and more complex designs, names and numbers on the back of sports kit and sponsor prints.
We offer a range of different types of printing techniques and one may be more appropriate than another. It’s worth asking yourself the following questions before deciding on the type of print.
- How many items do you require? | How many colours are in your design? | Is my artwork in a “print ready” format? | What will the end product be used for?
Screen Printing
Screen printing is perfect for printing larger quantities of the same design. It offers vivid colour and a highly durable finish that maintains colour well. It lends itself to the flat surface of all types of garments such as T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Tote Bags etc.
Where a design has several colours, the logo colours first have to be separated and a mesh screen made for each colour. To re-create your logo, each colour is applied to the garment one at a time by forcing the corresponding colour ink through the mesh screen and on to the garment. Once the ink has been applied the garments then go though a drying process to cure and ensure its durability.
One of the reason’s this type of printing lends itself to larger print runs is that there are setup charges for each screen that has to be made. The larger the order these setup charges can pale in to insignificance.
Pro’s
- Screen printing is a very competitively priced form of printing if larger volumes are required.
- We can match very closely to specific Pantone colours if requested.
- Eco friendly water based inks are available.
- Offers a highly durable finish.
Con’s
- Due to screen setup charges it may not be cost effective for smaller runs.
- Print placements need to be seem and pocket free.
- Artwork needs to be in a “print ready” vector format, so colours can be sererated.
Vinyl Printing
This type of printing lends itself to personalising garments with names and numbers such as you see on sports kit, and simple one or two colour designs. Vinyl comes in many great striking colours and is also available in metallic, fluorescent, flock and reflective finishes which are great for workwear. It is a very durable fabric and can be washed up to 60° without colour deterioration, it is also very flexible so is perfect for stretchy sports fabrics such as Lycra®.
Your logo is uploaded into design software where it can be changed to the required dimensions. This information is then fed to a cutter which has been pre-loaded with the required colour vinyl and the design then cut in to the vinyl. Once the design has been cut any excess vinyl is then removed by a process known as “weeding”. If designs are quite detailed this can be a lengthy process which is why this type of printing lends itself to more basic designs and text.
Once the design has been prepared it is then applied to the garment at a very high temperature using an industrial heat press.
Pro’s
- Great for smaller runs of names, numbers and simple one or two colour designs.
- Vinyl is available in many great striking colours including a reflective finish.
- Perfect for stretchy sports fabrics.
- Vinyl is very durable and can be washed up to 60 degrees without colour loss.
- If artwork is applied in a “print read” vector format, there are no additional setup charges.
Con’s
- Not the best form of printing for more detailed designs.
- Do not advise tumble drying garments after this application has been applied.
- Not designed for larger print runs.
- Cannot be applied to Fleece or Woollen products.
Transfer Printing
Transfers come in varying forms and are used for different reasons.
Digital Transfers
These can be supplied in small or large quantities, and can be produced in any shape or size. Great for replicating multi coloured complex designs that are contained inside a badge shape, and graded colour designs can also be replicated. Larger chunkier designs can also be produced, but like vinyl printing, areas of the design that are not required have to be removed by a process called “weeding”, so designs cannot be too intricate.
Like vinyl printing, your logo is loaded into design software where cutting lines are applied around the logo area. This information is fed to a cutter which is pre-loaded with special white transfer paper. Your logo is then printed on to the transfer paper and cutting lines applied. Excess transfer paper is then removed and when ready digital transfers are then heat applied to garments at a high temperature with an industrial heat press.
Pro’s
- Cost effective for smaller orders.
- Graded colour is difficult to replicate with embroidery, digital transfers overcome this.
- Providing artwork is available in high res or vector format no additional setup costs.
- Perfect for lightweight and sports performance fabrics.
- Great for sponsor prints
Con’s
- Large size digital transfers can be expensive.
- Small detail outside of a badge area will need a key outline to provide a larger surface area for the transfer to bond to the fabric.
Screen Printed Transfers
Pro’s
- Perfect for high volume orders, for logo’s with limited colours.
- Can be produced in any shape or size and matched closely to pantone colours.
- Small detail can be reproduced without the need for a key outline.
- Perfect for lightweight and sports performance fabrics.
- Flame retardant and reflective transfers can be produced.
- Providing artwork is available in a vector format no additional setup charges.
Con’s
- Not cost effective for smaller orders.
Laser Transfer Printing
Photo images or designs are uploaded into digital design software where they are formatted to a unique shape and size then printed on to special transfer paper. An adhesive backing is then heat applied to the transfer paper. The transfers are then applied to garments at a very high temperature by using a commercial heat press.
Pro’s
- Cost effective for smaller runs of promotional type products.
- Photo images can be applied, quality of image will depend on resolution of photo
- Providing artwork supplied in the correct format no additional setup charges apply.
Con’s
- Large areas of surface print can feel quite papery.
- Print quality not as long lasting as other print methods, hence better for promotional products or products that are not washed so frequently.
