The best-kept secret and true workhorse of the custom garment business is embroidery. While most customers enjoy the fancy colors and patterns of ink-based printing methods, custom embroidery has a few advantages over any ink-printing method. Even though it may be more expensive than some ink printing, embroidery has a score of advantages that make it an extremely advantageous medium for your luxury clothing brand, work uniforms, or small custom order.
Efficient & Low-Maintenence
Our commercial embroidery machines can embroider up to 1000-1200 stitches per minute, or SPM, making them highly efficient, though stitching that fast can impact the look and durability of your design. An average logo contains between 4000 and 7000 stitches, and even at a slower speed for improved stitch quality, you can complete a garment in around 10 minutes. Because embroidery doesn’t need pretreating or drying, you have a ready-to-wear garment right off the machine. In fact, other than prepping each item with fabric backing and trimming threads, there is little to no maintenance on orders at all.
Sturdy & Versatile
Have you ever owned an embroidered shirt? If so, then you know what we mean when we say that custom embroidery has staying power like you wouldn’t believe! In fact, embroidery is so strong that your garment will probably look worn and shabby before the embroidery fades or unravels at all! Choose embroidery for anything that is going to get a lot of wash and wear; it’s perfect for chef’s coats, work shirts, a variety of hats, and assorted outerwear like sweatshirts and fleece.
Which brings us to perhaps embroidery’s biggest selling point: there are absolutely no restrictions at all on the types of fabric or garment you can embroider on! Unlike ink-based printing, which needs to be absorbent, embroidery works on any fabric. Because you have to put backing against the fabric to prevent puckering, even the most slippery nylon or polyester fabric looks amazing.
All The Colors!
Not only are you able to choose from a wide range of colors for your custom-embroidered garments, but there is also no limit to how many colors you can use in your design! Unlike the ink-printing methods, which either limit the amount or range of colors (or both), embroidery is like a free for all. You can use silk thread to give your design some sheen, cotton thread for durability, or even metallic thread for a little pizazz. There’s no extra cost for white thread, unlike the white ink needed for DTG, DTF, and screen printing. Simply let your imagination run wild; if you want it, we can try it.
A Professional & High-End Look & Feel
Embroidery is the go-to for any business that wants a true professional look and feel to their custom garments. This feature is also nice for sports teams, community agencies and events, and even charity organizations. Even if you want to embroider hats and ink-print the rest of your garments, we can do that!
A Few Caveats
Despite all the bonuses that embroidery brings to the custom printing stage, there are a couple of limitations. The first is that embroidery can be more expensive than ink printing. However, if you have a multi-colored design and desire the durability embroidery offers, then the cost is well worth it.
Second, embroidery is really only good for small-to-medium-sized designs that aren’t very intricate. You can’t embroider, say, an 8-inch mandala on the front of a t-shirt. Letters work great. So do chest logos, flowers, sports decals, and flags. But don’t get discouraged if you’re not sure about your design; get in touch and we can discuss it!
Final Thoughts
At Lost Boy Industries, we are here to meet whatever your custom printing needs are. We hope that you will consider embroidery among your other printing options, both because it looks awesome and it has a durability that can’t be beaten. Give us a call or come by the shop during business hours to talk about ideas, designs, products, and more.
