Saturday, August 26, 2017

Your Embroidered Logo: Higher Resolution File?

What does it mean when your embroiderer asks for a higher resolution artwork file so they can set up your logo for your custom embroidered polo shirts? Your embroiderer is requesting a file with more detail so they can provide you with an accurate embroidery set-up.

If you have your artwork in a few file types and you don't know which type will work best for your set-up then you can either ask your embroiderer what file type they prefer OR, send what you have so your embroiderer can pick the best file.

What if you "grabbed" an image from the internet? It will have a low resolution and you'll need to get a higher quality image from a clip art site or another source.

What if you use an artwork program to save out your low res file into a higher resolution format? Unfortunately that won't work because changing the file extension won't add information to the file.

What if you can't supply a higher resolution file?  As long as your file isn't too pixelated it can be "vectorized" or redrawn as sizable line art and saved out in different high resolution file formats. Having your design vectorized will increase your cost slightly but as long as you keep a copy of your vectorized logo you'll have high quality artwork for your future printing needs.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Your Embroidered Logo: Match Colors?

Do the thread colors in an embroidered design always match the artwork? Not necessarily.

Thread colors are usually matched to the artwork but there are exceptions. Sometimes an embroidered design looks best when it's a representation of the artwork rather than a duplication of it. If the printed image contains fine detail that detail may need to be simplified so the design works for embroidery. For example, consider a realistic image of a fish. The fish may have many areas of different colors that must be simplified to work for embroidery. In the process, slightly different thread colors may be needed to create an embroidered design that best represents the printed artwork and looks best on your custom embroidered polo shirts!

Monday, August 14, 2017

Your Embroidered Logo: Add Border?

Want your embroidered logo text outlined with a thin white border so it will "pop" against a black shirt? Having a border may look good in print but how will it look when its embroidered?

Often there isn't enough room to add a satin (traditional stitch type) border without overlapping another element in the design. Satin stitches have a minimum width that is wider than many printed borders so that can make adding a border difficult.

Sometimes a running stitch (stitch with a hand sewn look) is used. Using running stitches will create a thinner border but running stitches can look messy if they are slightly misplaced which can happen easily during the embroidery process. Also, running stitches can draw attention to themselves because of their broken look (they consist of many short "lines" or stitches) that differs from a solid printed line.

Instead of adding a border often the best option is to change the text color to a lighter thread color that contrasts well against a dark shirt. Then your logo will look clean, your text will standout and your custom embroidered polo shirts will look great!

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Your Embroidered Logo: Cheap Shirts But...

You want to order custom embroidered polo shirts with your logo. You have a strict budget so you choose the cheapest embroiderer and place an order. Your order arrives quickly but the embroidery looks terrible! The colors are wrong, your logo is too big and the fonts have been changed. Plus, the shirts look cheap!

After being laundered a few times the shirts have shrunk and the threads in your logo are starting to pull out. You saved a few bucks but now you're wondering if these shirts were worth it.  Their poor quality reflects badly on your company image. What should you have done differently? Invest in a better quality shirt embroidered by a quality-conscious embroiderer.

Buying the cheapest embroidered shirts isn't necessarily the most economical option. Purchasing a quality shirt that fits well, maintains its appearance and is embroidered with a quality logo will help give your business a good image that reflects the quality of the products and services you provide.