In today’s competitive market, brands will do anything to be at the top. Customising fabrics, mainly T-shirts, can be an intelligent way to upgrade your brand and leave a lasting impression on customers.
Currently, screen printing and embroidery are the two most common approaches for personalising t-shirts. Both techniques have advantages, but the right choice depends on several factors.
In this blog, you will learn in detail how custom printing t-shirts differ from embroidery so that you can make an intelligent decision about which technique will work best for you.
How Customisation is Done?
Custom Screen Printing:
This is the traditional technique of pushing ink onto fabric by the use of a mesh screen. This technique makes it possible to create bright and detailed designs, making them perfect for customisation projects. Let’s explore the world of screen printing:
- Durability: One of the key benefits of screen printing is durability. The inks used in screen printing can withstand many washes without fading, making them suitable for frequently used T-shirts.
- Cost-effective: The bigger the order, the better the value of screen printing. This is because, in a screen printing setup, you have to prepare the screens for each of the colours in your design. While it may be difficult and expensive to set up in the first place, with more custom printed T-shirts, your cost per unit goes down; hence, it is cost-effective if the orders are in bulk.
- The flexibility of Design: Screen printing curates complex designs and multiple colours without difficulty. Be it a simple to complex graphic or a simple logo, the screen printing process will accurately print your design onto the t-shirt. You would especially want to use this when creating a t-shirt for advertising or as a keepsake from an event where bold and eye-catching visuals are needed.
- Texture: Custom screen-printed designs in the UK have a slight, raised feel on the fabric. Depending on your design preferences, this can add a strategic touch to your t-shirts and might be seen as an advantage.
- Custom Embroidery:
In embroidery, thread is stitched onto the fabric in a design. It has a better-quality finish and is usually used for more formal or high-end personalisation jobs. Here is what you need to know about embroidery:
- Professional Appearance: Embroidery’s classic looks are popular because of the weight of the stitching and the sense of quality it brings to any clothing. That is why it is famous for corporate wear, uniforms, or high-end promotional items.
- Durability: It is another quite durable method, just like screen printing. The threads are strong and will not weaken from repeated washing. For this reason, it is suitable for items that will experience more wear and tear, such as work uniforms or branded jackets.
- Price: While embroidery is reasonably priced for smaller and medium-sized orders, it typically costs more than screen printing for large orders. Several factors affect the actual cost of embroidery, including the size of the design, the number of stitches, and the type of fabric used. As a result, the price per item can increase for larger runs, making embroidery less cost-effective compared to screen printing for high-quantity orders.
- Design Limitations: Custom embroidered clothing in the UK is generally better for simpler designs because of its nature. It’s easier to embroider small design elements or text, making it perfect for designs with fewer colours and less complexity.
How to Choose the Right Method for Your Brand?
Depending on these factors, decide whether customised printed clothing or custom embroidered clothing in the UK will best suit your brand needs:
1. Design Complexity:
- Screen Printing: Most likely to be used when your design needs multiple colours, a lot of detail, or complicated graphics. Generally speaking, screen printing offers more intricate artwork with a wide colour range.
- Embroidery: Custom embroidered clothing in the UK provides a clean, professional look for more simple, direct designs or logos. It is perfect for any design that doesn’t need a wide range of colours or in-depth details.
2. Order Size:
- Screen Printing: It is cheaper whenever more copies are to be printed. This is because the image setup has been divided into more t-shirts, and hence, the price per unit goes down. If you get a bulk amount of customised t-shirts, custom-printed garments may be cheaper.
- Embroidery: It consists of a few pieces, mainly for people who want quality pieces. The cost per head will be higher compared to screen printing; hence, embroidery is usually only perfect for small lots.
3. Fabric Type:
- Screen Printing is suitable for almost all fabrics. It works well with cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics, and the material used makes it a flexible choice for many garment types.
- Embroidery: This works great on heavier fabrics, such as polo shirts, jackets, and sweatshirts. Thinner fabrics or most stretchy fabrics just can’t hold up the embroidery, which may negatively affect the look and durability of a design.
4. Brand Image:
- Screen Printing: It’s flexible, whether you want something informal or bold, depending on the occasion. It is perfect for promotional events, sports teams, or even casual wear. This is just what brands need when they want to make a strong statement.
- Embroidery: The stitching speaks volumes of professionalism and quality. It is often found in corporate wear or high-end promotional items, where the look needs to be smooth and polished.
Branded Clothing and the Benefits to Your Brand
There is more to branded clothing than just great style. Here is how investing in custom-printed t-shirts and other forms of clothes can benefit your brand:
- Brand Visibility Improvement: Branded clothes are the brand’s moving billboard advertisements. Each time customers wear a T-shirt with your branding on, they promote or raise awareness about your business wherever they go, thus increasing visibility for more customers.
- Consistency: Branded outfits help your brand look consistent and put together, whether it’s for a large team or any promotional material. This will help maintain professionalism and upgrade your brand’s identity.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Personalised clothes are cheaper in comparison to the cost involved in most other traditional means of advertising. T-shirts, jackets, and other garments with your logo provide ongoing exposure at a much lower price for being a walking advertisement.
- Better morale among the workers: Branded clothes can help improve confidence. It gives a feeling of unity, where workers feel they belong to a team and can contribute to producing a good working environment.
Making an Informed Choice
To make the right choice for your brand, follow the steps given below :
1. Define Your Objectives:
Clearly define what you want to achieve with your custom wear. Would you like to increase visibility for your brand, promote an event, or use it as corporate wear? Your objectives will define the kind of customisation you want.
2. Analyse Your Design:
Guess how complex the design would be. Consider the colours involved and any size or quantity details. Based on your needs, you can choose between custom screen printing in the UK and embroidery.
3. Consider Your Budget:
Consider the setup costs for screen printing and the unit prices for all customisation options. Screen printing in large numbers may be cheaper, while custom embroidered clothing in the UK is preferred in small numbers or on items of high value.
4. Choose the Right Fabric:
Check that the fabric you have selected will work with the type of customisation. Custom printed garments can be used for almost anything, but embroidery requires particular fabrics to be the best.
5. Consult a Professional:
Consult a professional for custom clothes. They will help you better understand the procedure and assist you in finding what you want and the required results.
Conclusion
The benefits of custom screen printing in the UK and embroidery differ, so each option is best suited for different uses. Screen printing can be made brighter and more detailed, and in big orders, custom embroidered clothing in the UK works well for small sets or high-quality, professional-looking clothes.
Depending on your brand’s needs and goals, decide whether to go for custom printed T-shirts or embroidery. Knowing where both fit right, whether the complexity of the design, the order size, or the fabric being used, will help determine how best to represent your brand.
An investment in custom printed garments or embroidery proves very strategic for raising the bar for your brand’s visibility. Just consider the options wisely to come to the best fit that will help your brand’s image and needs.
