To Patch or Not to Patch

April 1, 2008

When a customer requests patches, first determine whether you should handle the order yourself or outsource it. This decision is based primarily on quantity. If it's a small order — from two to four dozen, depending on the size of the patch — consider doing the work yourself. If it's a large order — more than 50 pieces — it may be more cost-effective to contract the work to a company that specializes in patches. Because such companies focus on emblems, they can usually do the work less expensively than an average embroidery shop could. You would simply mark up the contractor's price and charge for product delivery and customer service.

On smaller jobs, decide with the customer whether emblems are the best solution for his needs. By asking the client a few questions, you may find that he thinks embroidery on emblems costs less, or that he'll be able to transfer the emblems to other types of garments.

However, most of these customers will be surprised to realize that direct embroidery may cost less than emblems. Instead of making a patch, embroidering on it and then stitching it onto the garment, you simply embroider the garment. Two steps are eliminated. It is a win-win situation.

The customer gets, in his perception, a higher-end product for less money, and the embroiderer saves a few steps out of the decorating process. — S.B.

Ink-Matching Tips
Screen printers have two options when it comes to ink color-matching systems: pigment concentrates (PC) or finished inks. Using pigment concentrates, printers can measure concentrated pigments according to the ink manufacturer's formulation guide and mix them with a plastisol carrier base. A finished ink system already has the correct base-to-pigment ratio, so the inks come ready to print.
December 01, 2008

Lofty Goals
Flawless embroidery starts with a smooth sewing surface. But when a customer's order calls for sewing on textured or lofty fabrics, your path to successful embroidery suddenly gets a little bumpy.
December 01, 2008

8 Tips for Embroidering with Metallics
Think of metallic embroidery thread as the equivalent of the foil effect popular on screen printed T-shirts sold at retail today. It adds a similar trendy look whether used in concert with other apparel decoration applications or alone.
June 09, 2008

Digitizing Designs for Terrycloth
Don't forget these important tips when creating a digital embroidery design file to sew out on towels and other deep-pile fabrics.
Monogramming bath towels and bathrobes can be a lucrative niche for embroiderers. Upscale department stores and linen shops are eager to set up arrangements with embroiderers who can monogram towels as wedding gifts.
May 22, 2008

New Threads Provide Paint for the Embroidery Palette
The latest embroidery threads include unique materials designed to create special eye-catching effects, improve production efficiency and open new markets.
It's easy to marvel at the technical sophistication of today's computerized embroidery machines and overlook the more mundane role of thread in the embroidery process.
April 29, 2008