So, you’ve decided the time has come to get custom apparel made up for your company, your team, your charity event, or just for fun. The hard part’s done now, right? Sadly, no. The work—and the fun!—are just beginning. From here, there are a wealth of decisions to be made that range from colors and placement to size and materials. No matter what you need custom apparel for, each decision you make can have a big impact on your overall image and the message you convey. Now, before we dig into color theory or talk about size, let’s start with something a bit more basic: choosing the best method to have your design created. Thanks to advances in technology, there are a wealth of different ways to add an image to apparel, and each comes with pros and cons.
Lasting, Customizable Options
If you’re thinking of adding a custom image or design to an article of clothing, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is how to get that image onto the apparel—assuming you don’t want to pay for the design to be inked or woven into the threads. And, for a lasting and quality image, you’ll choose a quality process; puffy paints and a steady hand aren’t going to cut it. One option is to have your design printed on iron-on contact paper. The downside is that a few times through the washing machine will have those iron-on patches fading and peeling off. They’re good for short-term use, but don’t hold up against long-term wear.
If you’d prefer to avoid D.I.Y. shirts, a custom apparel service can help you design and create your final product. Screen printing allows for a wide range of colors and precision in a design and is made to stand up to frequent use. Or, for even more longevity, custom embroidered clothing could be the way to go. Since embroidered designs are literally sewn into the garment, this technique offers even better durability than screen printing. And, with modern embroidery machines, you can get almost the same level of precision as screen printing.
Durability
Part of the decision for how to create your design should be based on the intended usage. If you’re looking to create team shirts for your peewee kickball team, you’ll want an option that will breathe well and not chafe as your team plays hard. In that instance, a screen printed shirt would probably be better than embroidery. On the other hand, if you need something to hold up to heavier use—say, work shirts for the staff of your auto shop—custom embroidered shirts will better stand up to the wear.
Formality
Another consideration is how formal or informal you need the finished product to be. If you’re looking for a way to help volunteers stand out for your charity walk/run, formality isn’t really a huge need, so you could easily design a custom screen print shirt for everyone. However, if you’re sending a group to represent your business or group at a conference, a bit more formality may be called for. In that instance, matching embroidered polos will create a more professional image and show off your brand.
Use
Who are the custom branded items for? If you’re planning on giving those branded apparel items to your team as a way to market and represent your organization, it will likely make sense to go more professional and choose embroidery. If you’ll be giving away your custom shirts or hats, however, the balance between cost and durability may mean you choose to go with screen printing.
Type of Apparel
Shirts can easily be both screen printed and embroidered. If you want to extend your custom branded apparel beyond a shirt, the decision can affect your options for logo creation. Most other clothing items (sweatshirts, pants, and so on) can be screen printed or embroidered fairly easily. However, hats and headbands are a bit trickier. Knit materials like beanies don’t necessarily take well to screen printing, so custom embroidery will give you a better quality result.
That’s not all that goes into the decision between screen printed and custom embroidered clothing. Get guidance from the pros; contact the team at Impress Ink to learn more about our options and get help finding the right custom branded apparel option for you. Call us today at 407-982-5646!
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