Print vs Embroidery Pros and Cons

Print vs Embroidery Pros and Cons.
In the case of custom clothes, the choice always comes down to two options:

Printing or embroidery?

You should make a decision based on your logo, your budget and also your needs. So let's dive into the subject and learn more about both techniques along with their pros and cons.

Printing:
There are several methods of printing clothes, including Direct To Garment (DTG), Vinyl, Color Transfer and Screen Printing. We will choose the printing method we will use for your order based on your artwork and the garment you have chosen. For monochrome designs, we can use vinyl printing, but for multi-color logos and photos, we can use color transfer. Screen printing can be used for larger quantity prints in 1-2 colors.

We will always choose the best method for you according to your artwork. Once you've ordered, our graphic design experts will determine the best method before setting up your artwork.

Advantages of printing:
1. Perfect for larger models.

If your artwork is large or you want your logo to be large on the front or back, then printing will be the right option for you. Printing is great for larger designs and is much more cost effective than embroidery.



2. Suitable for complicated designs and gradations.

Printed work gives a much sharper finish compared to embroidery, especially when it comes to intricate designs and gradient colors, which cannot be achieved with embroidery.



3. Lower costs.

The cost of printing tends to be cheaper than embroidery in general. For starters, logo setup is free for printing, unlike embroidery which comes with a logo setup fee for the first order. Also, for large illustrations, the price of printing will not increase, but in the case of embroidery, the cost may increase considerably for larger designs with a large number of stitches.

Disadvantages of printing:

1. Less durable.

The print tends to be less durable over a longer period of time, and the multi-color print will eventually start to fade. That said, we use some of the best materials and inks in the industry, ensuring that our prints retain their quality for longer.



2. Not suitable for fleece materials.

Printing does not work well on fleece materials and can only really be printed on garments with flat surfaces.

3. Less professional finish.

For garments such as polos and shirts, print can look less exclusive than the embroidery alternative. That's why embroidery is the choice for many corporations.

Embroidery
Embroidery is the process of sewing your design onto the garment using an industrial embroidery machine. Your logo is taken and redrawn into a stitched design, a process known as digitizing. This allows our embroidery machines to read your logo file and sew the design onto the garment.

Advantages of embroidery:
1. Extreme durability

Embroidered logos are much more durable than printed logos and will generally last even longer than the garment itself. This is better if you only replace clothes every few years. Also, if you replace clothes regularly, then printing might actually be more cost effective for you.

2. Professional finish.

Embroidered logos offer the ultimate professional image, which is why they are mostly used in the corporate world. Embroidery gives you a high quality finish which, on garments like Polos and Fleeces, can give a much more professional look.

3. Multiple colors for the same cost.

Industrial embroidery machines will generally have up to 20 different colors at a time, meaning that more colors can be used at no extra cost. Unlike screen printing, which for multiple colors can be expensive because each color requires a new screen setup.

Cons of embroidery:
1. More expensive.

As mentioned earlier, embroidery has a one-time logo setup fee compared to free print setup. For larger designs with a large number of stitches, embroidery becomes considerably more expensive.



2. It is not indicated for small drawings.

Embroidery doesn't work too well for intricate designs like small letters. Smaller elements can crowd.

3. It is not indicated for gradient drawings.

You cannot recreate gradient colors with embroidery. A gradient is when colors fade into other colors or go from light to dark. To achieve this kind of effect, the print is much more suitable.

4. Limited in design size.

For models larger than 15CM, we suggest you opt for print customization. Embroidery is expensive for large works and the print will look much sharper and feel much lighter.

5. Clothing fit:
T-shirts: The most popular choice for t-shirts is print. Embroidery is possible on T-shirts, but only on thicker materials. In all honesty, we prefer not to embroider thin t-shirts as they can easily become clumpy around the seams, especially after washing. That said, if you plan to embroider, we suggest keeping your designs at 10CM.



Polo Shirts: Polo shirts can be embroidered as well as printed, but embroidery looks much more professional when it comes to Polo shirts.

Hoodies: Like hoodies, these can be printed or embroidered, but we usually find hoodies to have large logos on the back, which means printing is the most popular choice for hoodie customization.

Caps and Hats: We offer a range of caps and hats that are suitable for printing or embroidery. Most of the time we suggest either of them depending on the style of your logo. You'll find that caps and hats have less surface area for customization, so some logos might look better embroidered and give a more professional finish.


Jackets: They are suitable for both printing and embroidery, but we personally prefer embroidery on jackets and jackets. Also, remember that some waterproof jackets are only suitable for printing as the seams can contain the waterproof material.


Shirts: We recommend embroidery for a very professional look. We have found that t-shirts are used more by our corporate clients who prefer an embroidered finish.

Hoodies: They can be printed or embroidered, but we personally think embroidered blouses look classier.

We will always advise you on the best customization according to your designs and clothes. We will always recommend that you continue with a design or garment that does not fit or would not look visually appealing. Any issue we notice, we will always discuss with you beforehand to make the best recommendations.