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Screen printing or embroidery - which is right for you?
So you have finally decided on the garment that
is appropriate for your organization, event or school. That was
hard enough with all the choices available. Now you need to determine
which decorating method, screen printing or embroidery, is best.
The criteria listed below may help guide you in your decision.
Budget - Knowing what you have to spend will
be the first consideration when it comes to selecting the appropriate
decorating method. Screen printing is a more economical method
if you are on a tight budget. Embroidery costs, especially the
digitizing, or set up fees, are considerably more than screen
printing.
Garment Weight - If the garment you have
chosen is light weight, for example a tee shirt or light weight
polo, screen printing would be the best method of decorating.
For embroidery, the garment needs to be heavy or thick enough
to adequately support the stitching. Otherwise the garment will
tend to pucker or curl after repeated washings.
Purpose of the Garment - What are you using
the garment for? It stands to reason if the item is for a giveaway
at an event or an everyday work shirt you furnish for employees,
you probably don't want to invest a lot into the logos on the
shirt. Thus screen printing would be the best choice. If, however,
you are wanting a more professional, polished image for your corporate
staff or lead employees then embroidery would be best.
In general, screen printing on an item is the most
popular choice for value priced items (tee shirts, certain ball
caps, lightweight polos) used for events, schools/athletics, and
laborers. It is a more economical way to embellish an item. Embroidery
is preferred when a more upscale, professional image is desired.
Merchandise that is most commonly embroidered includes most polos,
ball caps, jackets, and sweatshirts.
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