Frequently Asked Questions About Embroidery, Appliqués, Emblems and Patches

How do I design an appliqué?

How do I design an emblem?

Is there a minimum order quantity for embroidered appliqués or emblems?

What is required to have a design made for direct embroidery on apparel?

 Is there a minimum order required for direct embroidery on apparel?

 What is required to have a design made for silk screening on apparel?

 How do I know the correct print dimensions for silk screening?

 Is there a minimum order quantity for screen printing?

Can I get a proof sample of my design before an order is actually produced?

How do I design an appliqué?

When creating a custom appliqué, the overall size is generally kept within a size of 2". Selecting good contrasting colors always works well and offers the best visibility. The minimum letter height when embroidering letters, words or numbers is  3/16" high. If upper and lower case lettering is used, the minimum letter size is based on the lower case letters. Embroidered appliqués are typically 100% embroidered with the use of up to 7 different  thread colors at no additional cost. Depending on the intended usage,  the appliqués can be prepared with either a stick-on backing for non permanent promotional use or they can be prepared with an iron-on backing for a permanent application. Simply provide a sketch or picture by email in either a JPEG or .PDF file for a factory quotation. Let us know how many you are interested in and which type of backing you will require for a prompt quote. 

How do I design an emblem?

When creating a custom emblem, the first step is to establish a desired shape such as a circle, square, shield or custom cut configuration. Should your emblem design involve lettering or text, please keep in mind bold letters and bold design elements embroider better and are more visible. Color selection is considered key. Strong contrast is much better when selecting colors for greater visibility. The minimum letter height is  3/16" and should be maintained for best quality. Letters smaller than this will not be clear and legibility will be compromised. 

Effective use of space within the emblem design is important. Enlarging graphic elements or text is oftentimes a better way to utilize blank spaces. Careful thought should be given to the relative positioning of design components and text within an emblem to achieve optimum eye appeal. 

The background area can either be a twill fabric material to economize or the entire surface area can be 100% embroidered for a rich textured look. Up to  7  different thread colors can be incorporated into the emblem at no additional cost. Simple emblem shapes are traditionally finished with a ravel proof merrowed border. This border is applied to the edge of the emblem after it has been die cut. Allow  1/8"  along the outer edge for this overlock merrowed border. This border can be your choice of any color. More intricate emblem shapes are custom laser cut to meet the specific shape that has been created. In this case, a  1/16" edge should be allowed for  custom cutting. Edges are then sealed by heat when they are laser cut. Depending on your usage there are many different backings from which to choose in finishing the emblem design such as iron-on, thermo-plastic, velcro, stick-on or perhaps nothing at all for a simple sew-on application. 

Is there a minimum order quantity for embroidered appliqués or emblems?

 The minimum order quantity for a "stock" appliqué design is  50 pieces. We also offer a collection of  "available"  appliqué designs of which there is a minimum order quantity of  500  pieces.  For custom embroidered appliqués, there is a low minimum order quantity required of just 500 pieces.

Embroidered emblems have a minimum order quantity of  50  pieces.  For an over sized emblem, typically made for the back of a garment sized at  8" or greater, we offer a very low minimum quantity of  25  pieces.

What is required to have a design made for direct embroidery on apparel?

Great designs start with great artwork!  Once you have developed a logo design for direct embroidery on apparel,  you may submit it to us for a confirmed quotation. You can provide artwork by email in a simple JPEG format. Upon placing an order, your design will be digitized for the embroidery process. Digitizing requires a one-time fee based on the total stitch count for a specific design. Helpful hints when designing a logo are as follows:

Lettering should measure 3/16" in height or larger for best clarity. If upper and lower case letters are being used, the lower case letters need to measure  3/16" high.  We offer a maximum use of up to  9  different thread colors within a design when embroidering logos on apparel. 

A typical logo position on apparel for many designs is left chest.  Left chest sized logos oftentimes range in measurement size from  1 ½"  to  5" depending on the intricate nature of a design.  Keep in mind, the larger a design, the more stitches it will require to be embroidered.  The cost of the digitized tape and the embroidery charge is essentially based on the total stitch count of a design. Once proof approval is received and all garments are on hand, your order will be completed within 5 working days.

 Is there a minimum order required for direct embroidery on apparel?

We will gladly embroider as few as 1 item.  Naturally, the greater the number of items to be embroidered, the lower the embroidery charge as we offer volume discounts. You can group different garments together such as shirts, jackets, ball caps, and more to achieve a better volume discount within an order.

 What is required to have a design made for silk screening on apparel?

Artwork is the first step in the process. Once you have developed a design for screen printing, that design needs to have artwork created in a Vector format.  We accept  Vector  art in Adobe Illustrator  .AI  or  .EPS .  If you cannot supply the artwork in either of these required formats, we will need to create the artwork in a vector format. There is an additional charge for us to create vector art.

Depending on the number of colors to be printed, the artwork will need to be color separated in preparation for each screen to be made.  Each color in your design will need to have its own screen.

If you need us to re-create artwork from your existing logo in the appropriate format, we can do that for you. We charge $ 45.00 per hour for custom artwork.  In many cases, most art can be completed within an hour or less.

 How do I know the correct print dimensions for silk screening?

The largest  print dimensions are  14"  tall  or  wide.  The standard T-shirt  print size for a full front or a full back location is  12".  Print dimensions are namely dependent on the location desired on the garment. The print dimensions are oftentimes determined by the size of the garments that are to be printed. The print size can also be affected too by the detail within the design itself.  By simply asking, our customer service team can help you determine the best size for your design.

 Is there a minimum order quantity for screen printing?

The minimum order quantity is 12  pieces for silk screened garments.  This applies to each logo tbeing printed.

For less than 12  pieces to be printed, there is a $ 25.00 set-up charge.

Can I get a proof sample of my design before an order is actually produced?

A proof sample is generally suggested on custom made items before we start actual production. For custom appliqués and emblems, a digital file proof is provided in a JPEG format by email for your immediate approval.  When proofs are provided, they are indicative of the finished product. Once a proof is provided, your immediate reply is required within 24 hours to avoid production delays.  Any changes that may be requested to the proof may be subject to an edit charge and could result in production delays.

For contract embroidery whereby your logo design is to be directly embroidered on to an apparel item, we will submit to you by email a swatch proof which basically is your design embroidered on a piece of fabric material which we prepare for your approval.  This is done once the digitizing of the logo design has been completed.  The swatch proof is presented to you in the thread colors that you have instructed.  Your approval is required within  24  hours in order to avoid production delays. Providing time permits, you may also request that an actual garment be embroidered as a finished pre-production sample proof for final approval. There is a nominal charge based on the actual stitch count of the design to have a clothing item actually embroidered as a pre-production sample. Please consult with the factory for additional pre-production costs should an actual garment be needed as a sample for the approval process.

For screen printing, the finished artwork is essentially the proof that we would provide for approval prior to printing an order. Should an actual  printed logo be required for approval prior to production, it will be necessary for all screens required to print the logo be made.  Each color that is to be printed requires a screen.  There is a one-time charge for each screen.  The printed sample can either be done on a piece of fabric material for demonstration purposes, or you can opt to have an actual garment screen printed as a pre-production sample for approval.  The set-up charge to print a sample is  $ 25.00,  plus the additional cost of each screen.