Embroidery

Embroidery is the process of sewing threads onto a garment to create a logo using computer controlled machines.

These machines sew extremely fast (up to 1000 stitches per minute!) and have multiple colours and heads to produce many garments in a single run. The machines are operated by highly trained staff to ensure that the quality of our embroidery is of a consistently high standard.

The computers on the machines read the designs created by the Artwork Department. Each design is painstakingly created using the latest embroidery CAD software from artwork supplied by the customer. The creation of the embroidery design from the artwork is called Digitising or 'Punching' ('Punching' originates from the way the stitches were literally punched into paper tape, by hand, as a way of transfering the designs to the machines. Thankfully we have come some way since then!) and is the process of 'tracing' the outlines of the artwork, building up layers of stitching, to produce the embroidered logo. As thread is quite unwieldy compared to the precision of paper-based printing, many concessions are made during the digitising process, therefore creating a faithful impression of the original artwork. This is a slow and highly skilled job, which is why embroidered designs have a higher value and quality compared to screenprinting and heatseal.

Embroidery is priced by the stitch, so the bigger the design the greater the amount of stitches. Left chest size logos are the ideal size for embroidery, large back logos can also be produced -and look excellent, but are usually prohibitively expensive.

Artwork

It IS true that bad artwork will produce a bad design. The better the artwork that a customer supplies the less time needs to be spent tidying it up before the design process begins. Poor artwork (or even no artwork!) can be redrawn to ease the design production workflow, but at a cost to the customer.

The artwork can be supplied on CD, floppy, or emailed in the following formats:

Jpeg (.jpg) -Most common format, best at high resolution (300dpi or higher)
Vector (.cdr, .ai, .eps, .wmf, .emf, .pdf) -Best artwork to supply
Bitmap (.bmp, .tif, .pcx) -Best at high resolution (300dpi or higher) creates larger files than Jpeg.
Web (.gif, .jpg) -Generally small and of too low resolution to use other than for quoting purposes.

Below are the types of artwork permitted: (1 is the best artwork.)

Photo/print ready artwork -usually a vector file (.cdr, .ai, .eps, .pdf)
High resolution file -usually a .jpeg or .bmp at 150dpi or more
A4 full colour print or separations
Letterhead or Comp slip
Low resolution web art -may require artwork charge
Fax copy -requires artwork charge
Customer Sketch -requires artwork charge
Scan of existing embroidery -requires artwork charge
No artwork -choose from our range of stock logos/lettering or have an original logo created! (at extra cost)

All the above can be used for quoting purposes.

The colours of the artwork will be matched to our extensive range of threads, please supply Pantone® references if you have them. If you are unhappy with the colour match, we can have threads dyed to match your Pantone® colours at extra cost.

Screenprinting requires Pantone® references to match the paints.

We have basic vinyl colours for heatseal -we can obtain Pantone® matched vinyl at extra cost.