What is GOOD artwork?
Good artwork is color separated, vectorized artwork, 300 dpi or higher, black & white reproduction grade copy of type and logos. This copy is ready for reproduction without additional touch-up. Faxes, photocopies, business cards and imprinted items such as mugs or t-shirts are not usable artwork and will incur additional costs to be redrawn into vectorized or workable artwork.
What is the difference between Vector vs. Raster
The difference between the two categories of artwork is essential for anyone who creates, edits and imports artwork between programs. Vector graphics can be scaled to any size and printed at any resolution without losing detail or clarity. Vector graphics are made of mathematically definded lines and curves called vectors, or paths. Vector graphics are the best choice for representing bold graphics that must retain crisp lines when scaled to various sizes (logos, for example). Raster images, also commonly referred to as bitmap images, are made up of a grid of dots known as pixels. Bitmap images will lose detail if they are enlarged too much because raster files are resolution-dependent.
What set-up costs are associated with screen-printing and embroidery?
Garment screen printing requires that a screen be made for each color being printed. The screen charge encompasses the cost of the film, screen prep, emulsion, exposure, and set up/registration of the screens. Embroidery requires that a name, stock design, custom logo or any combination of these be "punched". This process is commonly referred to as digitizing, that is, converting artwork into vector commands making them readable by an embroidery machine’s computer. These commands determine needle penetrations, color changes, stitch characteristics, color sequence and start and stop points. Having a logo on a computer disk does not mean it is ready for the embroidery process.
What variables affect the final cost of our embroidered garments?
Many items come into play when estimating the total cost of an embroidered product. The cost of the blank garment, the size of the order, complexity of the design, number of stitches and stitch location will all be considered when a quotation is being made.
Why is there a “digitizing/set-up charge” for keyboard lettering?
Though keyboard lettering is less time consuming than custom digitizing, it still requires operator experience and input in order to achieve desirable results. The operator must spend time adjusting underlay, jumps and pull compensation.
Can a design be embroidered on a pocket?
Yes, if the design is small enough and close to the top of the pocket. Another method to accomplish this would be to remove the side stitching on the pocket and then re-sew it after embroidery. This method is more labor intensive and costly.
Is screen printing less expensive than embroidery?
Usually it is, but there are many factors which affect the final pricing. These items include the number of colors, the size of the design and the number of garments. In addition, embroidery requires much more time to process, trim, inspect and finish each item.
What is a pique golf shirt?
Pique is a knit construction that has a "waffle texture". This kind of garment is most often decorated using embroidery for optimal results.
What is the purpose of the material on the inside of our embroidered garments?
That material is commonly referred to as backing and it is applied beneath the fabric in order to increase stability and support the stitching. Without a good backing, embroidered garments would tend to "pucker" and not lay flat, especially after laundering.
