By far the most established methods of decorating our clothing are screen printing and embroidery; both have been with us for thousands of years. Embroidery decorates by sewing a variety of colored threads through the fabric, the logo becomes part of the material. In screen printing the design is forced into the material to be printed. Both options are equally durable. So how can you decide which method of decoration suits you best? Despite the almost limitless numbers of possible designs it all comes down to three basic considerations:
Aesthetics, what will the design look like?
Embroidery tends to indicate a degree of finesse, especially if you are looking at corporate logos on the chest pocket of a shirt. In addition if you are looking at contrasting colors embroidery thread has an extra shine to it, so the colors really stand out. A screen printed design can be more versatile than embroidery and the designs more colorful. However, the design will appear to be “stuck on” to the material and so to some may not look as professional.
What are you looking for in the logo?
Embroidery tends to be used in corporate settings, so many uniforms and shirts have the company logo and name clearly highlighted on the left chest of shirts, or on jackets and sweatshirts as well as caps, hats and bags. In contrast screen printing has most utility on t-shirts and sweatshirts and the image itself tends to be larger than on embroidered clothing. The main reason is because the material surface itself is larger and smoother, meaning the inks can be more easily applied. In addition a large embroidered design on a t-shirt will not last long because the material is not strong enough to hold all the stitches in place.
Cost
At Image Designers Inc. we have some of the most competitive rates in Glen Allen VA. However, two final points warrant attention. Firstly, embroidery is generally priced in terms of the number of stiches, in very general terms, the more stitches the more the design will cost. In screen printing cost is determined by the number of shirts and colors in the logo and whether you are looking for a rear and front design.
In conclusion all of these points must be factored into your requirements and the right trade-offs made so that you have the right design format on the right material.