Everything You Need to Know to Sell More Apparel Today

Ultimate Wearables Crash Course
Jimmy Lamb & Dana Zezzo
Welcome to this special interactive session. The presentation is meant to be
open-ended, free-flowing and flexible in subject content (meaning lots of
audience participation). Because of the nature of the seminar, it is nearly
impossible to create a structured handout that follows along step-by-step.
Therefore, we have created a supplemental guide that provides useful resource
material related to the subject matter. We hope you enjoy the class and please
feel free to jump in whenever you wish.
What Are You Selling?
What are you selling? Clothing, apparel, wearables, embroidery, screenprinting?
If that’s your answer, then you are on the wrong track with your business. There
is way too much emphasis in this industry on the garment itself. We are all
decorators of some sort, whether we do it in-house or contract it out. But at the
end of the day, how do we really differentiate ourselves from the competition?
After all, anyone can supply a garment with a logo, what makes you unique?
Product knowledge is definitely a must, but so is market knowledge because you
are fulfilling a need rather than just supplying a garment. Thus, sales success
will be tied closely to how well you can position and package the product that you
are offering for sell. Bottom-line, you must fully understand what you are really
selling and that means focusing in on what’s really important. To be better
understand what that means, take this quick “selling” test.
Quick Test Item #1
What do you see in this picture? An embroidered jacket?
Wrong!
This is a billboard for promoting someone’s
business.
Too many times we don’t place the appropriate emphasis on
what it is we are selling. An embroidered jacket is a luxury
option, whereas advertising is an essential part of growing a
business. In marketing terms, this is referred to as “putting a
spin on it”, in other words elevating an everyday item to superstar status. A
customer really needs a good reason to spend money with you, so you have to
come up with a compelling reason as to why they should. Simply stating that you
produce good embroidery at a great price is not usually an exciting sales
approach.
For example, you could walk into a tackle shop and say to the owner, “Hi I’m
Jimmy and I own a promotional products business. We would love to do
business with you and can easily put your business name on a variety of
products including caps, shirts, jackets, etc. We have great quality and
competitive pricing.blah, blah, blah.” How exciting is that? You just said the
same thing that every other wearables supplier is probably saying, but you didn’t
give the customer any real incentive to learn more.
A much more creative approach is this: “Hello Mr. Business Owner, how would
you like it if your customer’s paid you to advertise for you?” This approach is
much more likely to catch their attention. Then you go on to explain, that by
selling caps in his shop embroidered with fish and his business name, he will
have customers buying and wearing products that advertise his business.
Quick Test Item #2
What does this look like? By now I’m sure you are on
the right track. Definitely not an embroidered cap, but
rather a souvenir.
If you are offering a line of caps, shirts, jackets, etc with
tourist designs and location names, you are in the
business of selling souvenirs and even memories for
that matter. People take great pride in being able to say “been there, done that”
and that is the purpose of a souvenir product.
Look at Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood. They both have built a business
around selling souvenir products – you probably made the mistake of thinking
they were restaurants. They did too – in the beginning.
Quick Test Item #3
What do you see in this picture? Decorated school
products and uniforms? Wrong! We call this Spirit
Wear, which sound much more interesting than
imprinted school stuff.
Spirit Wear is big business, as students, parents,
family, friends and alumni freely spend money buying
apparel that showcases their school and/or team spirit.
But it will be your creativity in how you the concept that will determine how
successful your sales efforts will be. It’s a proven fact, that this is a thriving
marketplace, but the trick is how you get involved with it.
When dealing with schools, always remember that they have very few dollars
available for purchasing anything such as Spirit Wear. Thus, to sell the product,
you need to turn to the parent support groups such as the PTA, Athletic Boosters,
Band Boosters, etc and offer them a Fundraising Program that involves selling
spirit wear at sports functions and special events. You of course will be providing
the product, while they will be doing the selling.
Quick Test Item #4
What do you see in this picture? A monogrammed baby
blanket? If that is all that comes to mind, then you don’t
understand what it is that you really are selling and thus,
you are probably undercharging as a result.
This happens to be a keepsake, a memory, possibly even
an heirloom. In fact, in many cases, such a gift is
considered far too nice to be put in the crib with a newborn.
Instead it gets packed safely away, to be preserved for the
future, thus it really does end up as an heirloom that some
future generation will promote as having been their Grandmothers crib blanket.
This is an important concept for selling referred to as “packaging” which is an
important part of sales and marketing. If the ordinary is elevated to the
extraordinary, coupled with a touch of emotion and excitement, the perceived
value goes up along with your profit margins. Melanie Coakley of Signature
Designs understands this concept all to well and applies it to everything she does.
Says Coakley, “I had a customer come in one day, who wanted a poem that her
husband had written to her about their unborn baby girl, embroidered on a piece
of fabric which would be framed and hung in the nursery. It wasn’t a terribly
difficult job and if you priced it based on the idea of it being just some embroidery
on a piece of fabric, $15.00 probably would have been sufficient. But Melanie
recognized that for the customer, this poem had a deep emotional meaning,
almost to the point of being spiritual. Thus, the job wasn’t about embroidery, it
was about preserving an important, heart-rendering moment in her life, to be
remembered for all eternity. What would you have charged? Think it over for a
minute. Melanie priced the job at $150.00 and got it.
Okay, so you probably don’t get too many poems, but the idea of packaging your
products so that the value is enhanced applies to everything you do. And this in
turn can have a profound effect on whether you are gaining or losing jobs on a
regular basis.
Quick Test Item #5
This image is obviously the Maltese Cross which is so
popular with Firefighters. However, it’s much more than
that. The reason that Public Safety groups (firefighters,
police, EMS, etc) purchase products with designs such
as this is for identification purposes.
People in authority find it necessary to provide symbols
to civilians that they are in charge and need to be
listened to. For example, at a fire with a lot of
bystanders, firefighters with decorated with this symbol
are clearly identified, such that they are in a position to issue instructions to
others or to move about the scene freely. Here is an important tip for working
with Public Safety groups – thing reflective materials!
Quick Test Item #6
What is this? Proof that people will buy just about anything
if it’s packaged creatively. Think about it. The pet rock
was nothing more than a rock! It’s about the most boring,
bland, lifeless object you will ever find, yet a very creative
individual turned it into so much more. Treat every
opportunity as a chance to turn a rock into gold.
So, what is it that you are selling? You are selling products that use
appearance to deliver a message and/or enhance the value of the item
being offered for sale.
Take a look at what you have to offer, then think about what purpose it serves
the end-user. Use this information to repackage (in the marketing perspective)
what you sell so that it excites the customer rather than incites them. Be sure to
place plenty of emphasis on the worth of the product rather than the cost of the
components and stay away from simple formulas like 100% markup, as the
actual selling price is a function of the customer’s perception of value of the
product. And in many cases that is much higher than what some simple formula
yields.
Perception (and thereby worth) is defined by type of garment, type of decoration,
location, uniqueness and excitement among other things. Your job is to make
sure you deliver product concepts that meet these criteria.
Beth McGrath of EmbroidMe in Charleston, SC says it best “we don’t do ugly and
we don’t do boring.” What she means is that they work with the client to ensure
they walk away with a masterpiece, whether its apparel or promotional products,
because that is what creates satisfied customers and keeps them coming back
for more.
But also keep in mind, that it’s not just about WHAT you are selling, but also
WHO you are selling it to. It’s critical that you understand the customer better
than they understand themselves and then work those key points towards
delivering products that will more than satisfy their needs.
Anyone can deliver a polo shirt with a logo – what are you going to do to take it to
a higher level???????
Top Wearables For Imprinting
Placket or Polo Shirts
The Placket Shirt is without a doubt the most pervasive garment choice of the
Werables Industry. Plackets have withstood the test of time, with very little
change in the basic design since they took the world by storm in the early 70’s
when an apparel company sewed a small alligator on the left chest and started a
fashion craze.
Over the years, the Placket Shirt has sported a variety of faces, including Polo
Shirt, Golf Shirt, Staff Shirt and Tennis Shirt. Each style has specific differences,
but all are similar in construction. The Polo shirt features a soft collar, 2-3 button
placket, banded sleeves and a split tail. The Tennis shirt is the same as the polo
shirt, but differentiates itself by having a split tail, with the rear section being
longer than the front. (This was because Tennis Players had a strict dress code
which required the tail to be tucked in. When they went up for a serve, the back
of the tail tended to pull out. Thus, a longer length was created for the Tennis
version of the placket shirt family.)
Meanwhile, the Golf Shirt features a tailored collar, 3-5 button placket, hemmed
sleeves and is typically a jersey type of knit using blended fabrics. Finally, the
Staff Shirt has no specific design and is really just a generic catch-all term for a
placket shirt.
Despite these unique characteristics, all three styles have blended and evolved
so much that they are no longer treated as different entities. The terms Tennis
Shirt and Staff Shirt are pretty much extinct, with Golf Shirt and Polo Shirt being
the reigning rulers of the marketplace.
The most common fabrics are 100% cotton and 50/50 poly cotton blends. Poly
performance materials are making a rapid increase in popularity because of their
moisture wicking capabilities. Though polo’s are all knitted, there are various
types of knit in use including pique mesh, jersey, combed cotton, etc, etc.
Though placket shirts can be printed, embroidery is the most popular form of
decoration. In fact, placket shirts make up over 50% of all embroidered garments
produced in the world today.
Headwear
There are literally about 5000 different cap designs available to the Imprinted
Apparel industry, which means plenty of choice and lots of confusion. To put
things into perspective, the key is to first focus on the common variables and
components that define how a cap is constructed.
Cap Components
Panels - The number of panels that are sewn together to form the crown are a
major defining point for style. The 6 panel has a seam down the center front,
which though quite popular, can easily interfere with the decoration. The 5 panel
cap has an unbroken surface across the entire front.
Profile - Most caps are listed as either high profile or low profile. Low profile
tends to have a close fitting rounded top, whereas the high profile caps have a lot
of space between the top of the wearers head and the top of the cap. In fact,
high profile caps tend to have more of a boxy look.
Structure – Caps are usually referred to as structured or unstructured.
Structured means the fabric is firm and rigid. Unstructured means the fabric is
loose, soft and floppy.
Fit – Most caps are adjustable in size via a strap on the back. However, there
are a limited number of styles referred to as fitted, which have fixed sizes and
must be ordered by size.
Enclosure – This refers to the type of adjustment strap found on adjustable caps.
The options are: leather, Velcro, fabric, and plastic snap.
Once you are comfortable with the component variables, you can begin to group
like products together by style.
Cap Styles
Golf Caps – Typically high profile with 5 panels and a leather strap enclosure.
Normally a cotton poplin or twill material.
Baseball Caps – Typically low profile, structured, 6 panel caps with plastic snap
enclosure. Normally a brushed cotton, twill or wool material.
Low Profile Caps – Typically low profile, unstructured, 6 panel caps with Velcro
or fabric straps. Normally a soft cotton material, many times with a washed out
finish.
Truckers Caps – Typically high profile with 5 panels, and a plastic snap
enclosure. Normally a padded polyester front with mesh back.
Caps can be printed, but are most commonly embroidered, as all commercial
embroidery machines are fitted with hardware specifically designed for applying
logos to the curved panels of a cap. Headwear makes up 21% of all
embroidered products in the world today.
Fleece & Sweats
Fleece is one of the Imprinted Apparel Industry’s hottest fabrics. From souvenir
shirts to athletic uniforms to club apparel, fleece is part of our everyday life.
Generally, in the eyes of the consumer, fleece is seen as a high-value item. For
example, if you apply the same design on both a t-shirt and a sweatshirt, you will
have pretty much the same amount of time and energy invested in each.
However, you can sell the sweatshirt for considerably more money than the tshirt, though the wholesale difference in cost between the two is not
tremendously different. Bottom-line, understanding your customer’s perception
of value is a major factor in how you price your merchandise. It must first be
profitable, regardless of the item, but above the baseline profit margin, you can
add in additional markup based on the market’s perception of the value. Don’t
lock yourself into fixed formulas. Always be aware of what the perception of
worth is and take advantage of it. That’s what business is all about – buying low
and selling high!
Fleece fabric is normally a poly-cotton blend, but not necessarily at a 50/50
content level. There are various ratios which can affect comfort and wear-ability
to some degree. However, the more compelling factor is weight. Obviously, the
greater the weight, the thicker the fabric with a corresponding increase in cost the
higher the cost. But on the same token, heavier fabric also commands a higher
markup.
Because fleece has become so predominant, there are a wide range of garments
available in a variety of styles and fabric variations.
T-Shirts
T-shirts are a very popular garment for delivering large format logos and
messages. Typically composed of 100% cotton or 50/50 poly-cotton, the ever
popular tee is typically offered in short sleeve, long sleeve, tank and pocket
versions. There are also variations specific to gender. The downside of t-shirts
is their perceived value, which makes it difficult to generate decent markups,
especially on larger orders. In addition, though ideal for printing multi-color
designs, darker colors require more extreme decoration methods which can add
to the cost of the embellishment.
Just like with fleece, t-shirts are manufactured in different weights, with the better
quality materials having the greatest thickness.
Most Common Forms Decoration
Screenprinting
Screenprinting has been around for ages and is the quickest and cheapest
process for applying large detailed designs to a variety of garments.
The process is simple and complex at the same time. The first step is to
breakdown the artwork by color – referred to as “color separations.” Then a
separate screen composed of a very fine mesh material is created or for each
color separation. The screen will only allow ink to pass through in the areas
defined by that color of the design. Screens are created using a special
photographic process which is referred to as “burning” by most shops.
Once the screens are created they are mounted in frames and attached to a
screenprinting press, which can be either a manual or automatic version.
The typical manual press is setup in a carousel configuration, with multiple
stations that rotate around a center axis. A four color machine has four stations
capable of accepting screens.
Each station is mounted on a hinged arm
protruding from the center axis. This allows the screens to rotate and to be
raised up and down. A special type of ink, much like pudding in texture, is
applied to each screen.
A shirt is placed securely on a rigid fixed-in-place surface called a platen. The
first screen is rotated into place above the t-shirt, then brought down and locked
in place such that the screen is resting against the surface of the shirt. The
Operator then manually pulls a squeegee across the top surface of the screen
which forces the ink through the screen and onto the fabric. The screen frame is
then raised and the next one is rotated into place and the process repeats,
adding a new color each time until the design is complete. The shirt is then
removed and placed on a dryer to cure the ink completely.
The process moves along a relatively good speed, but is totally dependent on the
labor and skill of the operator. Design quality will be affected by the pressure
and speed of the squeegee being pulled across the screen.
An automatic press looks and works in a similar fashion, except the screens don’t
rotate around the center axis, the garments do. This makes for a much faster
printing process, as the operator simply loads and unloads shirts. In fact, to
speed the process even more, most shops will use two people - one to load and
one to unload - in order to keep the machine moving at maximum speed.
Printing speeds of up to 1000 shirts per hour are quite possible with an Automatic
press and machines of up to 16 colors are available.
Most Screenprinters charge by the color, an obvious distinction over embroidery,
as each additional color adds more time to the production process. In addition,
you will be charged art fees as quite a bit of time goes into the setup process,
plus screen fees for the cost of creating screens for the design. Be aware that
screen fees are not usually a one-time fee, as most shops “recycle or reclaim”
screens for other jobs. If you are printing the same job routinely, then your
Supplier will probably store your screens for future use.
Screenprinting works well for virtually any garment and design size has little
effect on the price. However, it has a lower perceived value than some other
processes, so price can be a major issue in the marketplace.
One weakness for screenprinting is color designs on dark shirts. This requires a
more complex production process and the quality of the final product will be
dependent on the skills of the shop doing the work.
Though screenprinting can be done on caps, you generally find that embroidery
is much more fitting for headwear and should steer your customers in that
direction.
The main drawback for screenprinting is that it’s not an ideal short run production
solution. All designs no matter now simple require a substantial amount of setup.
Thus, on a cost-per-shirt basis, small runs are not nearly as competitive in price
as large ones. Also, some things that would appear simple are not. For example,
adding personal names to shirts or jackets. A separate screen would have to be
generated for each name. In contrast, an Embroiderer can generate a name
without any more effort than typing it in through a computer keyboard. Bottomline, screenprinting is not a good fit for small orders.
Direct-To-Garment Printing
Relatively new on the scene, direct-to-garment printing (DTG) – also known as
digital garment printing – is a quick and easy method to print designs directly on
garments using an oversized ink jet printer designed specifically for this purpose.
Unlike screenprinting, no color separations and screen creation is required.
Theoretically, it’s just point, click and print – though nothing is really that easy.
The beauty of this process is that you can print relatively precise detail in a wide
range of colors on as few or as many items as you want. The downside is that it’s
slower and more costly than screenprinting.
For example, a full color print
10x12 in a resolution of 720dpi can easily take up to five minutes to print. (An
automatic press running producing 1000 shirts per hour could produce 83 shirts
in the same time frame.)
But the benefit of DTG is the ability to quickly setup and produce small runs. In
the time spent to prepare art, burn screens and setup a screenprinting press for
12 t-shirts, you could produce, package and ship the same order using DTG.
The process works like this. The artwork is reviewed and processed to ensure
the detail and resolution is appropriate for the job. The item to be printed is
mounted on the platen of the machine. The design is loaded and the printing
begins, fully automated. Upon completion, the shirt is removed and either placed
in a dryer or under a heat press to cure the ink.
Much like screenprinting, DTG struggles to produce multi-color designs on dark
fabrics and most users of the equipment avoid this process altogether. Also,
most machines do not support cap printing. In addition, many of the machines
limited to printing on 100% cotton do find out what your Supplier’s capabilities are
before making any assumptions.
Heat Applied Graphics
Heat Applied Graphics have long been a quick method to apply printed designs
to garments. Instead of creating the image directly via screenprinting or DTG, it’s
created on a special paper that allows the image to transfer onto the garment
when heat is applied.
A business specializing in this application needs little more in the way of
equipment than a heat press. Usually the designs are created by an external
supplier as needed by the Transfer Shop. This of course creates some extra
lead-time, but no more than that incurred by ordering garments to decorate.
For many years garments decorated with transfers were obvious as the quality
didn’t quite stack up to screenprinting. But over the years the gap has narrowed.
Probably the best application for transfers is in athletic numbering and lettering,
as it’s simple to produce jerseys and uniforms for sports teams. With
screenprinting you would have to create a separate set of screens for each
athlete’s uniform, but with transfers, you just order the numbers and letter and
then zap them on with a heat press.
Transfers have also moved beyond simple vinyl-looking designs, to tackle twill
products with pre-embroidered edges. Upon application, there is virtually no
difference in appearance than direct embroidery.
Digital Transfers
The term “transfer” has been used generically to refer to a lot of different
processes including heat applied graphics which are really emblems that are
“welded” to the garment using heat to activate an adhesive. A digital transfer
also requires heat, but in this case, the heat causes the inks used to print an
image to transfer off of a sheet of paper and into the fibers of the fabric being
decorated.
It begins with printing an image in reverse (mirrored) onto a sheet of commercial
“release” paper using a supported inkjet printer loaded with special inks. The
paper is then placed on the garment and pressed using a heat press machine.
The combination of heat and pressure causes the ink to transfer from the paper
onto the garment.
At the completion of the process, the transfer paper is removed and discarded,
leaving behind an image that is embedded into the fabric, instead of just on top of
the garment.
The application does not require additional curing or drying!
The process is simple, quick and very inexpensive. You only need to invest in an
inkjet printer, apparel ink and a heat press, plus suitable design software such as
Photoshop and CorelDraw. It’s worth nothing that you can’t just run down to
Office Max and buy any printer you see. The companies that manufacture the
inks designate specific printers that can be used with those inks. But that doesn’t
mean you have to purchase an expensive printer. In actuality, there are several
models under $200 that will work just fine. Thus, for a very low investment, you
can be printing t-shirts that are as good if not better in quality as those produced
by a DTG printer. The main limitation is that you can’t really do dark garments
with the digital transfer process.
Sublimation
Sublimation is a simple, but unique digital dye process used for printing graphic
images onto polymer surfaces. The physical steps are pretty much identical to
the digital transfer process, but it’s the chemistry that makes sublimation uniquely
different from any other form of digital printing.
Just like with digital transfers, you start the process by creating an image and
printing it onto transfer paper using (in this case) sublimation inks. The transfer
paper is placed on the substrate that is being decorated and heat is applied using
a heat press.
The combination of heat and pressure cause the sublimation ink to convert into a
gas which then permeates and attaches to any polymer based fibers it comes in
contact with. The result is a high resolution, permanent coloration that won’t fade
or crack, even after multiple washings.
Obviously the limitation of sublimation is that it only works on polymer-based
surfaces, which in the case of apparel means some form of polyester. But with
the surging demand for poly-performance apparel, sublimation is the ideal
process to have in-house. Some DTG inks and screen-print inks also work on
polyester fabrics, but rarely do they have the vivid detail and color that comes
from sublimation. And most of those inks are surface applications, whereas
sublimation actually dyes the fabrics.
Another advantage of sublimation is that it is a simple process for decorating
non-apparel as well, including items like plaques, awards, coasters, signage,
clipboards, mugs, mouse pads, photo panels, etc. In fact, the clarity and detail
provided by the sublimation process make it possible to produce true photorealistic images. Many professional photographers use it to create portraits and
other photo products.
The startup and imaging costs are very low for sublimation, putting it in reach of
any shop looking to expand its capabilities.
Embroidery
With embroidery, designs are stitched into the garment. Modern commercial
machines typically have 15 needles which allows for designs of up to 15 colors.
Normally, there is not a charge per color for embroidery like there is for
screenprinting. Machines are sized by number of heads. A single head machine
does one piece at a time. A twelve head machine does twelve pieces at the
same time (with the same logo). Shops with large machines will have lower
prices than shops with small machines, due to the increased production
efficiency.
Artwork must be digitized specifically for embroidery before it can be run on a
machine. This is not a “scan and sew” process and requires quite a bit of time to
accomplish. Because the design is created by placing thousands of individual
stitches that require holes to be made in the garment, the Digitizer essentially is
plotting stitch penetrations. Therefore, it’s normal to have a digitizing fee for each
design which may be based on the total number of stitches. In the case of plain
text, it can be generated from a keyboard quickly and easily and rarely involves a
setup fee.
Embroidery is more expensive to produce than screenprinting or digital printing,
but has an extremely elegant and three dimensional appearance (when done
properly). This higher perceived value leads to higher margins.
Embroidery is typically priced by the number of stitches in a design and prices
are usually quoted in “cost per thousand stitches.” More stitches means more
time to produce and of course a bigger price tag.
There are two key requirements for embroidering any given item:
1) You must be able to get a needle through it.
2) You must be able to get it into a hoop or frame.
Situations to avoid with embroidery:
1. Very small lettering and detail. Letters below ¼” in height are tough to sew
properly.
2. Large designs. High stitch counts are pricey due to the production time.
3. Flimsy garments. Embroidery quality is affected by garment quality.
4. Stiff rigid fabrics. They may not be hoop-able.
5. Layered items. A pocket for example, as the embroidery process may sew it
closed.
Sequin Embroidery
Sequins are starting to make an impact on the imprinted sportswear market.
Long relegated to sparkly theatrical garments, sequins (or spangles) are now
appearing on more mainstream products, from retail to souvenir. Of course, the
applications are still limited due to the nature of the “look”, but there are still
plenty of possibilities.
Sequins are attached using an embroidery machine with a sequin device. Each
sequin receives three or four small stitches to anchor it in place. (There are
suppliers who apply them as heat transfers, but they may not stand up to
repeated washings or hard use.) Machines can run at speeds comparable to
traditional embroidery and the sequins themselves are very inexpensive.
Unfortunately, it’s a minority of Embroidery Shops that have this equipment, so
sourcing the application may be difficult.
In general, sequin embroidery is rather simple to produce, but in reality it’s very
limited in how it can be used. Though sequins come in hundreds of colors, sizes
and shapes, they don’t work well for creating any sort of detail within a design.
Rather they work well for accents. And too many sequins can be tiring on the
eye and make it hard to read the final design.
But when the right opportunity comes along, sequins just might make the
difference in whether you get the job or it goes to a competitor.
3D Foam Embroidery
3D Foam embroidery is a relatively simple process that any embroiderer has the
capability of producing though it does require some special techniques during the
digitizing process. The application is created by introducing a piece of foam
material into the sewing process. The stitches penetrate and lock the foam into
the design such that specific elements of the logo are significantly raised up
above the rest of the design.
In general the price for 3D Foam embroidery (also referred to as “puffy” foam) is
higher as a lot more stitches are required to make the effect work. Plus, there is
some extra finishing time required at the end of the job that entails removing the
excess foam and cleaning up the edges around the area where it applied.
This technique can be used on just about any design and garment, provided the
Embroiderer makes the necessary adjustments during the digitizing process to
accommodate the physical piece of foam.
It should be noted that the popularity of 3D Foam embroidery is cyclic. When it’s
hot it’s hot, when it’s not it’s definitely not. In addition, it’s very easy to end up
with a “cheesy” look rather than an exciting innovation when using the process,
so be cautious in how, when and where it’s used. Don’t overdo it!
Appliqué
Appliqué is actually a form of embroidery. The concept is to replace a “block” of
stitches with a sewn-in piece or pieces of fabric. This allows the creation of a
large design with a lot less stitches and correspondingly lower price.
Appliqué also opens the doors to some unique creativity, as the inserted fabrics
can add a lot of pizzazz to the finished product.
The appliqué “look” is very popular with sports and school designs. The process
can be used to add “tackle twill” letters, numbers and designs to garments.
Caution - Appliqué is ideal for large designs on flat surfaces, but doesn’t work
well for small images and/or caps.
Chenille Embroidery
Though its technically called chenille embroidery, the process is not done with
traditional embroidery machines, rather it takes special equipment to sew chenille.
The application is best known for creating the “letters” on letterman jackets and
the product looks kind of like an old-style shag carpet. However, chenille has
burst-forth from the school market and is now appearing on corporate and
souvenir garments with increasing frequency.
Unlike traditional embroidery, chenille embroidery is rarely produced directly on a
garment. Rather it’s created as a separate patch which is then sewn onto the
garment. This means you can order a chenille product from one source and the
garments from a separate source, but you must make provisions to have the
patch applied to the garment.
Chenille designs are created using yarn rather than thread, thus they are suitable
for covering large areas, but don’t work well for small images with a lot of detail.
In that situation, it might be necessary to combine traditional embroidery with
chenille during the manufacturing process, which most Chenille Suppliers can do.
Uniqueness sells! This form of embellishment is a great way to catch the
attention of your customers because it’s different and not as predominant in the
marketplace as traditional methods such as embroidery and screenprinting.
Don’t get caught in the rut of schools and sports, promote the process to every
client.
Laser Etching
In Hollywood movies lasers are used to destroy things with awesome,
spectacular results. In real life, they are typically used for precise detailed
applications that require a lot of finesse, such as Lasik surgery for vision
correction. Lasers have also found their way into the world of imprinted
sportswear and can be used to create some amazing designs in a format not
replicated by any other apparel decoration methodology.
By using a precision beam of energy moving at a high speed, designs can be
uniquely burned into a wide variety of fabrics without causing any harm to the
garment. The process actually removes a fine layer, leaving a sort of tone-ontone image behind.
The actual process is extremely cheap, as the laser requires nothing more than
electricity to operate.
Plus, an etched design can usually be burned in a time span of 10 seconds to 30
seconds. Setup is just a matter of selecting and processing a jpeg file with the
Laser Design software to ensure it has the appropriate amount of detail for the
job.
The uniqueness factor allows for a significant margin, whereas the production
costs are quite reasonable. However, the equipment itself is quite expensive and
there are only a few operations running this process in the country, thus the
actual production price may be influenced by those factors.
There are certain fabrics that don’t work well for the process, such as felt and
reflective materials, so it’s best to consult with your supplier before you start
selling.
The most common type of apparel laser is a bridge laser, which has the laser
mounted on a beam mounted above an embroidery machine(s). (Lasers are
used for producing appliqué as well as etching.) This beam allows the laser unit
to travel quickly from head-to-head on the embroidery machine. Thus, it’s
possible to setup multiple items to be etched one after the other using the work
area of the embroidery machines.
Rhinestones
Much like sequins, rhinestones have traditionally appeared on garments used in
the entertainment business, with a goal of adding glitz and bling to theatrical garb.
But rhinestones are finding new applications in a wide range of markets.
Historically, rhinestones were affixed manually one-at-a-time with special tools.
This evolved into patterns that were created on heat sensitive backing and
applied as whole to a garment using a heat press. Now there are automatic
machines, much like embroidery machines, that allow a user to setup and apply
virtually any design quickly and easily.
With today’s automated technology the machine attaches each stone one at a
time to a garment using ultrasonic energy to weld each one in place. Though the
process is simple, its somewhat slow with an average speed of about 60 stones
per minute. Thus the typical design is usually more of an outline than a solid fill,
in order to keep the run time down. Images can range from simple lettering to
full-blown logos and since stones are available in a wide range of colors, shapes
and sizes, there is plenty of opportunity for creativity.
Production costs are fairly reasonable, but there are a limited number of
suppliers, so that might keep the cost level at more of a premium. Because
rhinestones tend to be associated with high end products, it’s an ideal application
for high-end customers who want to differentiate themselves and their products.
Wearables FAQ
Where did the American T-shirt originate?
In World War I, American soldiers took a lesson from their European
counterparts and started wearing cooler, light-weight, cotton undershirts instead
of their wool uniforms in the hot summer climates. This eventually evolved into
the modern t-shirt.
Where did the word "jersey" in jersey knit come from?
It references the Jersey and Guernsey Islands in the English Channel, where it
was first knitted.
Why do women's shirts button up on the opposite side from men's?
In Medieval times women usually had handmaids to help them get dressed.
Therefore, the dressmakers designed the garments so the buttons were in the
proper position for those doing the dressing, rather than for the person wearing
the clothing. This tradition of garment construction has continued into modern
times.
Is it really necessary to offer gender specific clothing when selling
corporate apparel?
Ladies wearable basics like polo’s may look the same as men’s, but there are
differences and with 60% of the American workforce being composed of women,
it becomes an important part of the sales process for corporate apparel.
Is pre-shrunk" and pre-washed the same thing?
No. Pre-shrunk is a mechanical process applied to the material before it is
converted into a garment. It basically creates small scale puckering which
provides the fabric some room to shrink when washed, without affecting the size
of the garment.
What is ring-spun cotton?
Ring-spun is a process used to soften the cotton strands before they are woven
into fabric for garments such as t-shirts. The process makes for a soft feel.
What is Microfiber?
Microfiber refers to a material composed of ultra-thin strands of polyester in such
a way as to create a finely woven, soft, silky fabric that is windproof and
waterproof, plus has moisture wicking capabilities.
What is mercerized cotton?
Mercerized is a process which uses a specialized gas to remove the fuzziness
from cotton strands while still on the spool. The result is a smooth texture with an
elegant sheen.
What is the difference between "Pique" and "Interlock" weaves in a
Polo/Golf shirt?
Pique is more of a looser weave that is visible to the eye. Interlock is a microweave that gives the shirt a very smooth/soft texture.
What is a "henley" shirt?
Henley refers to a style of shirt that is characterized as a no-collar knit with button
placket. They were first worn by rowers in Henley, England. (It was originally a
rower's shirt.)
What is a "half moon sweat patch”?
Some upscale golf shirts have an inset back yoke of that is the shape of a half
moon. It is there for decoration purposes and extra collar support.
Where does the term "denim" come from?
From the French "serge de Nimes," a twill fabric made in Nimes, France from
blue vegetable dyes from the indigo plant, which is why deeper hues of blue
denim are called "indigo."
What does the term "ounces" of fabric refer to?
The weight of the fabric based on one yard of fabric.
Where does the word "khaki" come from?
Khaki comes from the Hindu word for “dusty”. Troops in 1850's India found their
white uniforms would be dusty within hours and began soaking them in mud to
turn the same practical khaki color.
Do recycled bottles actually play a role in apparel manufacturing?
Yes! Recycled plastic bottles are cleaned, crushed, melted and extruded into the
polyester fibers that make many of today's most popular fleece clothing. It's every
bit as warm and durable as virgin polyester... but conserves more energy in
processing.
Glossary of Wearables Terms
2-Way Zipper A zipper with two zipper pulls so that it can be unzipped from
either direction.
All-Weather Microfiber 100% Polyester Microfiber with waterproof coating and
fully taped seams. 100% waterproof.
Anti-Pill A treatment applied to garments primarily to resist the formation of little
balls of material on the fabric’s surface due to abrasion during wear.
Argyle Typically a diamond pattern woven into a garment.
Back Pleats Tiny folds in the material on the back of a garment that allow for
more room and comfort.
Back Yoke A piece of fabric that connects the back of a garment to the
shoulders. This allows the garment to lay flat and drape nicely.
Box Pleat A single, uniform fold in the center back of a garment to allow for more
room and comfort.
Brushed Cotton Cotton fabric that is brushed to remove all the excess lint and
fibers from the fabric, leaving an ultra soft, smooth finish.
Button-Through Sleeve Placket A small placket located on the sleeve, by the
cuff, which contains a single button closure.
Casual Microfiber 100% Polyester Microfiber fabric that is water repellent and
wind resistant.
Chambray A dressier fabric woven with white threads across colored threads.
Collarette The trim around the neck of a t-shirt or sweatshirt.
Combed Cotton Cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short fibers and
straighten or arrange longer fibers in parallel order.
Cool Mesh Similar to a pique knit but with a more open texture for increased
breathability. Features a soft hand for better comfort.
Cord Locks A stopper or toggle on a drawcord that keeps the cord from
retracting into the garment.
Coverseamed A finish in which two needles are used to create parallel rows of
visible stitching. It is used around the neck, arm holes, waistband, and wrists of
garments to create a cleaner, more durable finish.
Denier A density of the weave in a nylon or polyester product
Double-Needle Stitched A finish used on a sleeve and/or bottom hem that uses
two needles to create parallel rows of visible stitching. It gives the garment a
cleaner, more finished look and adds durability.
Dry-Fiber (PING) A high activity sportswear fabric that absorbs, wicks and dries
faster than average golfwear.
Duck Cloth Tightly woven fabric that provides wind and snag resistance.
Dyed-To-Match Describes buttons or trims that are the same color as the
garment onto which they are sewn.
Enzyme Washed A laundering process in which a catalytic substance is added
to create a chemical change in the fabric resulting in a very soft finish, smoother
appearing surface and reduced shrinkage.
Etched Tone Buttons A more upscale horn tone button with an etched pattern.
Extended Tail When the back portion of the garment is longer than the front.
Assists in keeping the garment tucked in during normal activity.
Eyelets Small holes or perforations made in a series to allow for breathability.
Finished with either stitching or brass grommets.
Full Cut Refers to a garment’s fit as being generous and roomy.
Garment Dyed A dyeing process that occurs after the garment is assembled.
Garment Washed A wash process where softeners are added to finished
garments to help the cotton fibers relax or bloom. The result is a fabric with a
thicker appearance, reduced shrinkage and a softer hand.
Herringbone A chevron or zig-zag pattern, knit into fabric.
High Profile A cap style with a high slope structured with buckram–a stiff fabric
lining. Less fitted to the head.
Horn Tone Buttons Buttons that appear to be manufactured from horn.
Houndstooth A medium sized broken check effect that is knit into the fabric.
Interlock Knit A fabric that has two plys knit simultaneously to form one thicker
and heavier ply. It has more natural stretch than a jersey knit, a soft hand, and
the same appearance and feel on both sides.
Jacquard Knit A pattern knit directly into the fabric during the manufacturing
process. Typically, 2 or more colors are used.
Jersey Knit Fabric has a definite smooth side, the outside, and a textured side,
the inside.
Locker Loop A looped piece of fabric in the neck of a garment for the
convenience of hanging the garment on a hook. Can also be located at the
center of the back yoke on the inside or outside of a garment.
Locker Patch A semi-oval panel sewn into the inside back portion of a garment,
just under the collar seam, to reinforce the garment and minimize stretching
when hung on a hook. The patch also allows for the garment tag or label to be
sewn below the neckline to help prevent irritation.
Low Profile A cap style with a low slope that is more closely fitted to the head.
Can be either structured or unstructured.
Mercerized A product that has gone through a process to produce a smooth,
lustrous hand.
Mesh Similar to a pique knit, but with a more open texture for increased
breathability. Larger knit than Cool Weave.
Micro Fleece A high density, anti-pilling fleece made of knit micro-fibers that are
brushed less than a regular fleece garment. It has a high capacity for warmth
without the weight.
Micro-Stripe An ultra-fine stripe that is knit into the fabric.
Microfiber Fabric that is tightly woven from a very fine poly thread and has a
sueded finish for a luxurious, soft feel. Microfiber fabric is naturally water
repellent due to its construction process and when specially treated, can also be
waterproof.
Mid Profile A cap with a slope height in between that of a High Profile and Low
Profile. It is most often structured with buckram.
Mother of Pearl Logo Buttons Buttons made from Mother of Pearl, with a logo
inscribed on them.
Nail Head Design A jacquard knitting pattern in which the jacquard forms a
design similar to small nail heads.
Nublend™ The combination of a knitting and spinning process developed by
JERZEES® for their blended fleece that helps prevent pilling.
Overdyed A process in which yarn dyed fabrics or piece dyed garments are put
through an additional dye color to create unique colors.
Oxford A type of fabric where the fibers are either cotton or blended man-made
fibers.
Patch Pocket A pocket attached to the outside of a garment.
Pearlized Buttons Buttons that have a pearl-colored hue.
Pewter and Horn Tone Buttons Buttons that incorporate pewter and horn tone,
usually one encompasses the other.
Pewter Buttons Buttons that have a dull, metallic hue.
Pigment Dyed A type of dye used to create a distressed or washed look.
Pique Knit A knitting method that creates a fine textured surface that appears
similar to a birdsnest or waffle weave.
Placket The part of a shirt or jacket where the garment fastens together.
Poly-fill A warm polyester lining found in the body or sleeves of outerwear
garments. It has more loft than a regular nylon lining.
Polynosic Features similar characteristics to cotton and silk, has excellent luster
and very little shrinkage.
Poplin A tightly woven, durable, medium weight cotton or cotton blend fabric
made using a rib variation of the plain weave which creates a slight ridge effect.
Print Pro™ A knitting process developed by Hanes® for their fleece garments
that creates a tighter knit for a better printing surface.
PVC A polyurethane coating that is added to make garments water resistant.
R-Tek™ Fleece 100% polyester fleece with an anti-pill finish which prevents the
formation of little balls on the surface of the fabric.
Raglan Sleeves Sleeves set with a diagonal seam from the neck to the armpit.
Reverse Placket See Placket, but reversed for women’s garments.
Rib Knit A textured knit that has the appearance of vertical lines. It is highly
elastic and retains "memory".
Ring Spun Yarn Yarn made by continuously twisting and thinning a rope of
cotton fibers. The twisting makes the short hairs of cotton stand out, resulting in a
stronger yarn with a significantly softer hand.
Sandwashed A washing process in which the fabric is washed with very fine
lava rocks or rubber/silicon balls resulting in a softer fabric with a relaxed look
and reduced shrinkage.
Sculpted Hem A hem that is softly rounded for fashion detail. A collar that is
constructed from the same material as the body of the garment.
Self-fabric Sweatband Refers to headwear where the sweatband is constructed
with the same fabric as the crown.
Serge Stitch An overcasting technique done on the cut edge of the fabric to
prevent unraveling.
Side Vents Slits found at the bottom of side seams. They are fashion details that
allow for comfort and ease of movement.
Singles A term used to indicate the diameter of a yarn; the smaller the number,
the thicker the yarn.
Slash Pockets A pocket that has to be entered through a slash on the outside of
the garment. The pocket pouch is suspended from and attached to the slash.
Stonewashed A washing process in which the fabric or garment is heavily
washed with lava rocks or rubber/silicon balls. The result is a softer fabric with
a distressed or weathered look and reduced shrinkage.
Storm Flap A strip of fabric sewn under or over the front zip or snap closure of
an outerwear garment to protect against wind and moisture.
Structured A cap style with a lined front consisting of buckram, a stiff fabric, that
controls the slope of the cap.
Taped Seams A strip of fabric sewn to the seam of a garment to prevent
distortion. In outerwear, taped seams aid in waterproofing.
Taslan Used mainly in outerwear garments, Taslan is a durable and water
repellent nylon fabric with a slightly shiny surface.
Teklon A rugged, stronger Taslan nylon that is water repellent.
Terra-Tek™ A durable and water repellent Taslan with a matte finish.
Terry Velour A type of material with uncut loops on both sides. It has a soft,
plush feel and is water absorbent.
Triple-Needle Stitched See Double-Needle Stitched but with 3 stitches.
.
Twill A cotton fabric characterized by micro diagonal ribs producing a soft,
smooth finish.
Unstructured A low profile cap style with a natural low sloping crown. No
stiffeners have been added to the crown.
V Patch A section of material in a V shape that is sewn onto a garment directly
under the collarette. Can provide support against stretching the neck opening
and is also a style component.
Vents, Front & Back Allow for breathability and may aid in ease of decoration,
allowing the garment to be hooped and embroidered with no show-through on
the inside of the garment. Some vents are tacked down and are for fashion
purposes only.
Welt Collar and/or Cuffs A single ply fabric with a finished edge that is used for
collars and cuffs on sport shirts and short sleeve garments.
Wood Tone Buttons Buttons that simulate a wood appearance.
Yarn Dyed Yarn that has been dyed prior to the weaving or knitting of the
garment.