Process + Techniques

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Selecting the Correct Embroidery Backing

Choosing the correct backing is a vital part of the embroidery process. Unfortunately, it can also create a fair amount of anxiety and confusion for embroiderers.

Picking the Best Decorating Method

Many apparel decorators have decided to diversify their businesses, and with newer technologies being simpler to adopt, there are now more shops with more decorating choices available than ever.

Ensuring High-quality Screen Printing

Quality control is an essential part of growing any manufacturing business and maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. Screen printing has its challenges, but that’s what separates the good from the excellent.

Decorating Methods Up Top

My career started in the imprinted sportswear industry selling both screen-print and heat-transfer equipment for embellishing caps.

Remove, Replace and Recycle Your Emblems

Whether it has been sewn on or heat sealed, it is both cost effective and makes all the sense in the world to remove an old emblem and replace or adhere it to another article of clothing.

Try Creating Multiple Variations on a Theme When Designing for the Holidays

The end of the year is a great time for garment decorating. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas–all are the perfect reason for creating fun, festive designs for printing, and with dye sublimation, in particular, sales opportunities abound.

Designing for DTF Transfers

Direct-to-film (DTF) transfers provide a new, fast-growing garment-decoration method that’s ideal for designing layouts for sports apparel. From team and practice uniforms to fan wear, DTF transfers allow you to easily and inexpensively incorporate full color into layouts.

Embroidery Basics for Hooping Caps

Embroidering caps on commercial embroidery machines can cause struggles and stress. Most cap styles are unique in their shape and the way they are made. Here, let’s consider different cap styles and ways to hoop them, as well as different types of cap frames that are available.

Manual Screen-Printing Success Part 2: Coverage to Squeegees

In Part 1 of this series, step-by-step techniques were listed for everything from press setup to preparing pallets and applying pallet adhesive. In Part 2, we'll start with emulsion practices and sufficient coverage on screens.

The New Digital Apparel Decorating Era: Direct-to-Film Printing

To understand why direct-to-film (DTF) apparel decoration matters so much, ask yourself two questions? Why has the plastisol transfer had such enormous success for decades? Why does it still have loyal customers today?

Manual Screen-Printing Success: Part 1

From the moment I enrolled in my high school printing class as a freshman to the time I printed my first shirt, I’ve been hooked on screen printing.

Embroidery on Bulky Items

Embroidery is a creative, fun and expressive way to personalize bulky items, including bags and luggage, to create a one-of-a-kind, timeless piece.

When Tech Meets Embroidery

While the saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” may be true, it begs the question: Who is the mother of innovation?

Top Tips for Creating Impactful Cap Designs

Designing graphics for headwear requires a specific expertise. A full-front graphic that looks good on a T-shirt will not necessarily work on a hat.

Can Emulsion Coverage Indicate Print Quality?

One of the top complaints I have heard in my career is that textile inks, whites in particular, are not opaque enough.

Prepping Screens for Printing Glitter Ink

Adding glitter to a print design instantly elevates its value and fashion appeal.

Headwear-Stitching Solutions

Embroidering on headwear typically presents challenges that can scare away some embroiderers, even those who have years of experience.

Creating Raster Print/Cut Designs

The print/cut process is not only a great way to create designs for heat-printing wearables, but you also can create decals for cups, windows, walls and all kinds of hard surfaces.

The Nuts & Bolts of Hybrid Printing

As you may have heard by now, hybrid printing is rising in popularity. New screen-printing chemistry is available; decoration on more specialty products is being attempted and achieved; and more new users are adopting this technology into their workflows.

Flexo-Inkjet Hybrid Printing Combines the Best of Systems

Companies using flexo printing no longer see digital inkjet printing as a disruptive technology, and industrial inkjet printing is no longer dismissed as an inferior process.

Pallet Attachment Trends for DTG Printing

A look at five unique pallet attachments to make specialty application screen and digital direct-to-garment (DTG) printing a breeze.

Break Away from Boring Embroidery

Although hand embroidery and appliqué have been around for millennia, computerized machine embroidery is only about 40 years old.

Arabesque Artiste

Impressions gives apparel decorators from around the world an opportunity to submit their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in its annual Impressions Awards decorating competition.

Add Special Effects With Minimal Work

Does your existing customer want to see something new or special you can do to their logo or design? Or do you want to wow a new client?

In the Mix with Plastisols

Plastisol inks have been a mainstay of the textile screen-printing industry for the past 40-plus years. Although new technologies are popular in some applications such as high-solids acrylic (HSA), silicones, discharge and new water-based inks, plastisols still are the go-to product for most of the imprinted sportswear market.

Embroidery Advice for Apparel Decorating Newbies

When you first start off as an embroiderer in the decorated apparel industry, you learn that there are many elements that go into mastering your craft and producing a beautiful design

Printing on Tie-Dye

Clothing trends are cyclical; the popularity of certain concepts ebbs and flows all the time. Such is the current situation with tie-dye. People usually have a love-hate relationship with the tackiness of it, but the tie-dye trend currently is on the rise.

Basics: Wet-on-Wet Screen Printing

There are many reasons why a T-shirt shop should learn how to screen print inks using a wet-on-wet technique. 

Tips for Creating Eye-Catching Embroidery Artwork

Embroidery continues to maintain its popularity as a reigning imprinting option for company branding.

Tips for Choosing an ‘Eco-Friendly’ Textile Screen-Printing Ink

Not all inks are created equal. Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz regarding “eco-friendly” inks. Without going into too much detail on the make-up of these screen printing inks, I’d like to give a brief guideline of what to look for when switching to or using “eco-friendly” inks.

Why Low-Cure Plastisol Screen-Printing Inks Are Necessary

Having the right screen-printing supplies is important for all screen-printing business.

What is a Reducer?

Reducers reduce the Viscosity or thickness of an ink when you feel the need to make an ink creamier or easier to print.

Winning the Printing Race: Screen-Printing Maintenance

When a race car driver wins a race and stands at the podium to accept the coveted prize and recognition, he gets the praise, accolades and the headlines.

Basics for Hooping Caps

Embroidering caps on commercial embroidery machines can cause struggles and stress. Most cap styles are unique in their shape and the way they are made.

Tips for Choosing the Right Conveyor Dryer

Depending on your screen-printing production and business goals, there are a lot of different conveyor dryer options out there. Since a dryer is often one of the largest investments a shop makes, it is important to analyze all of your choices.

Tips and Tricks for Better Embroidery

Although you may have only been doing embroidery for a short time, you probably have learned some tricks through trial and error.

Printing on Finer Thread-Count Blends

Simulated Process Printing on Kidswear

In the screen-printing business, everyone seems to be battling for the same customers. But what if you could add new business that your competition isn’t getting?

Printing on Polyester Fabrics

The process for printing on T-shirts has fundamentally remained the same for decades because it mostly was done on 50/50 blended and 100% cotton T-shirts.

Printing on Heavyweight Fleece

Screen printing on fleece is by no means a new process; fleece is only second to T-shirts among garments in terms of printing popularity. This installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter will feature printing on the American Apparel® Mason Fleece Drop Shoulder Sweatshirt (style HVF496W).

Quality Ink Without the Price Tag

Tips for finding high-quality ink at a reasonable price

Sheer Impact

Each year, Impressions invites decorators from around the world to enter their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in the Impressions Awards decorating competition.

Adjusting Dryer Temperature for Winter

Tips for proper curing during the colder months of the year

Decorating on Tri-Blends

During the past decade, there has been a new revolution in garment-manufacturing technology. Consumer demands have necessitated new fabric and style development using a wide variety of different organic and synthetic fibers.

High-Flying Outerwear Embroidery

When a vintage style meets an innovative performance fabric, the possibilities for the garment can soar. When tasked with embroidering a design on such a garment, imaginations can be difficult to contain.

How to Prevent Ghost Images

Tips for keeping these images from creeping up on garments

The Facets of Fleecewear Embroidery

Make the right choices when embroidering fleecewear for first-rate results

Earn Your Stripes

Tips and tricks for printing on this popular pattern.

Direct-to-Garment Printing Tips

The direct-to-garment (DTG) printing process rapidly is growing as a preferred decoration method for many garment printers.

On Target Embroidery

Learn the ins and outs of embroidering garments in this popular apparel category.

Printing on Garment-Dyed Apparel

In this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by Comfort Colors®, we will explore the possibilities available to decorate two kinds of dyed shirts.

Thinking Outside of the Hoop

Tips for embroidering between-size garments

Custom Patch Embroidery

Follow these easy steps for designing 
and creating unique embellishments.

Perforate Athleticwear Properly

Mastering Micro Lettering

Strategies for embroidering designs with small letters

Are Six Heads Better Than One?

There recently has been a virtual explosion of personalization, including monograms, in many decorating disciplines.

Tips for Embroidering Patches

A step-by-step guide for turning embroidery designs into patches

Embroidery Tips for Corners and Capping

How and when to adjust corners in a digitized design 

Screen Printing on Long Sleeves

Offering clients the latest in apparel styles and fabrics is key for a successful textile screen-printing company.

Pointers for Appliqué

Appliqué may be a fancy-sounding word complete with an accent mark, but the process is nothing more than simply sewing a piece of fabric on top of another and adding a neat border of stitches. 

The Best Practices of Screen Printing

Countless small-shop owners, garage-based operations, hometown printers and startup decorators make a living via the manual screen-printing process, as it remains the heart of most garment printing.

Digitizing Realistic Designs, Part 4: People

Strategies for digitizing faces and silhouettes

Allover Printing with Sublimation

Allover print sublimation graphics are popular in the fashion world and among traditional apparel decorators.

Digitizing Realistic Designs, Part 3: Animals

 Tips for digitizing lifelike wildlife 

Stahls’ TV Offers Video On Increasing Appliqué Profits

 A recent video from Stahls’ TV, explores how to create sew files for the appliqué process using Twill Stitch Pro PLUS software.

How to Print Arm Warmers

Tips and strategies for decorating the trendy add-ons

Digitizing Realistic Designs, Part 2: Trees and Bushes

Attention to detail is everything when you want to digitize realistically

Stahls’ TV Offers ‘Project Press It’ Video

Stahls’, Sterling Heights, Mich., has released a new video as part of its “Project Press It” series that details how to transfer cool metallic heat designs onto oversized, short-sleeve shirts.

Digitizing Realistic Designs, Part 1: Landscapes

Approach is everything when you want to digitize realistically

More Than Meets the Eye

Tips for adding hidden security marks to screen-printed garments

DTG Printing on Fine Jersey

Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is unique among garment decorating techniques because the garments will, in part, determine the quality of the final image.

Monogramming on Fleece

Monogramming has surged in popularity during the past few years and now has become a fashion statement similar to the way it was in the 1950s…

Start The Presses

Performance T-shirts, compression apparel and other garments that include stretchy or synthetic fibers can be difficult to screen print and properly cure.

Mega Multimedia

The secret to making money with multi-media starts with a great design concept and artwork. Then, to make it profitable and production friendly, you need to purchase the right “toys” so the process flows smoothly and is not so time consuming.

The Lowdown on Logos

What’s in a logo? That depends upon whom you ask. An apparel decorator, trained in a specific process, sees a logo through production process lenses. A vinyl cutter operator sees details and layers…

Sublimation Rising

So you really think you want to offer cut-and-sew services? You have seen the demand for customized sublimation growing all around you. You have maximized your traditional spot hit and all-over-print business and you still want more?

The True Cost Of Digital Printing

In the world of digital printing (direct-to-garment, transfers, sublimation) there is a lot of emphasis placed on ink costs, yet they account for a very small percentage of production costs.

The True Cost of Digital Printing

Figuring out your total costs can mean more profit for your digital decorating business. 

Retail Price Calculations

Calculation of quantity price breaks for development of price sheets. 

Efficiencies of Multiple Piece Runs

As you run larger orders you benefit from considerably less downtime in regards to pre- and post-production activities. 

The Cost of a Complete Sublimation Job

How to get a realistic view of the total costs to produce a job from beginning to end.

Cost Analysis – Small Shop

It is impossible to set any kind of logical prices without understanding what something costs to produce 

How to Profile Dryer Temperature Output

The dryer preforms a very important job in a screen-printing shop. If it’s not working properly it can result in the ink that cracks, or falls off after a garment is washed. 

Anticipate ‘Push-Pull’ in Designs

When you create a digitized design, it is important to know what will happen with the stitches in your sewout.

Edgy Cap Embellishment

Caps are a staple of the embroidery business, so it makes sense to take the time to learn how to sew them well.

Stretchy Puff Printing

Puff is back in style. But instead of the stiff puff prints of yesterday, here is an instructional how-to video on screen printing a stretchy puff design.

A Tip for Removing Carrier Sheets

Layering multiple colors or materials to create a single design is not difficult using heat-applied graphics materials. 

Beyond the DTG Printer

“There’s something wrong with the ink.” “There’s something wrong with the printer.” “There’s something wrong with…” a hundred of other reasons direct-to-garment (DTG) prints look dull, stiff or otherwise imperfect.

Sublimation Rising: The Super Spot

Sublimation continues to grow in all types of markets. From athletics and streetwear to outdoor and coastal retailers, increasing demand for sublimation is evident.

Digital Appliqué — The Best of Both Worlds

In the world of apparel decoration, perceived value is what sets the bar on pricing, not a formula. People only are willing to pay what they think a product is worth.

Printing on the Ultra Wash Tee

In this installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by American Apparel, we will showcase the ladies’ Ultra Wash tee (style RSA6320).

Screen-Making Techniques

I wholeheartedly believe that if our industry held one philosophy above all others, scrape rates (misprints) would drastically decrease and profits would subsequently increase.

Success with Stock Designs

Creating stock designs gives you the freedom to express yourself and the process can be rewarding. However, there are restrictions to that freedom.

InstaWhat?

Did you know that Instagram has more than 100 million users? That’s a lot of potential customers that you may not be speaking to about your products and services if you offer sublimated hard goods.
 

Halftone Printing on Textiles

Screen printing halftones on textiles is not as daunting of a process as some people make it out to be. However, there are steps that must be followed to ensure success.

How to Maximize Product Margins

Sales are the backbone of a successful apparel decoration business, and a well-orchestrated sample kit is the key to turning sales opportunities into real profits.

Tips for Easy Jacket Back Embroidery

Now that it’s evident that jackets can be as profitable — if not more so — than the “normal” stuff most embroiderers sew, let’s look at the challenges of working with jackets. 

Printing on Nylon Spandex Performancewear

As a departure from the typical step-by-step review of decorating one particular garment, let’s review the challenges and processes for printing on two new garments from American Apparel.
 

Screen Printing on Fleece

Follow these expert guidelines for producing brilliant fleece prints while avoiding the pitfalls of this lint-producing fabric. 

Using Gellusion for Special-Effects Prints

“Gellusion” is a special-effects printing technique that lends itself well to creating a shiny 3-D effect print on a garment.

Printing on Suede Fabric

In this installment of the Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, we will review the optimum printing techniques for embellishing the new suede fabric from Next Level Apparel 

Screen Printing on 100% Polyester Mesh

In this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, we will look at the American Apparel unisex polyester mesh athletic tank (style H458) and T-shirt, and the different means of embellishing these garments. 

Riley Hopkins: Racing Toward a Dream

“Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.”
 

Printing on Baby Rib Knits

Follow the advice in this Impressions Tech Tips Newsletter, sponsored by American Apparel, and rib knits will be coming off your presses in no time.

 

Loading Shirts Onto an Automatic Press

There are many ways to load shirts onto automatic screen printing presses, and much of how an individual operator does this is based on preference or habit. 

Adding Digital Garment Printing to Your Shop

If you’ve added a process such as embroidery to your screen printing business, then you’re probably a good candidate for adding direct-to-garment printing. That’s because you’re already looking at yourself as someone who offers decorating services, not someone who only does screen printing. The only question, then, is how to add the process to your shop.

Stahls’ Heat Transfer Films Produce Cover-Worthy Clothing

In the Spring 2014 issue of Team & Spirit Apparel, a twice-a-year supplement to Impressions, contributing writer Greg Kitson wrote a feature article about “Super Moms.”

Printing on Cotton/Spandex Blends

With the expanded gamut of garment configurations entering the market today, screen printers must constantly remain aware of printing techniques and procedures required to print on these specialty fabrics. 

Multimedia Decoration of Color-Blocked Hoodies

This Impressions Tech Tips newsletter will explore the use of a color-blocked JERZEES^® NuBlend^® fleece hoodie and an appropriate design solution that brings out the best in this garment.

Appliqué the Easy Way

Are you looking for ways to save stitches but still produce top-notch embroidery with a good profit margin? Then appliqué may be the answer to your challenge.  

How to Embroider on Denim

In this Tech Tips Newsletter, we will be working with an array of new denim products from American Apparel to create embroidered looks your customers will love.

Minimizing Sublimation Dye Migration

In this technical bulletin and video, we‘ll be using the JERZEES NuBlend 50/50 cotton/polyester fleece to demonstrate an effective method of optimizing printing on blended fleece.
 

How To Print Logos Using High-Density Ink

Broaden your shop’s profit margins and add to your printing arsenal by learning the steps involved in this special-effects printing process. 

Puffy Letters: Foam vs. Faux Foam

In responding to the various online forums, I am finding that one of the biggest topics in question is puffy letters. 

Printing on Tri-Blended Apparel

Get vibrant, soft-hand results on tricky fabrics that contain varying amounts of polyester, cotton and rayon. 

Controlling Variables, Part 1

In this installment, we will review the primary variables that require controlling or standardization in order to maximize the desired quality results to maintain your primary client base. 

Watch Impressions Get Heat Printed

The June/July cover of Impressions features two tots wearing customized garments that were heat printed by Stahls’ Cad-Cut Direct, St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Mastering Four-Color Process Printing

In this technical newsletter and accompanying video, you’ll learn how to achieve excellent color and tone range on your next true four-color process job (also known as 4CP or process color).
 

Top 5 Considerations When Printing on Polyester

I frequently get calls from customers asking for advice on how to print on polyester. Although this topic has been covered in previous articles, here are some quick tips: 

Screen Printing on Nylon Bags

This article will review the variables involved with printing on nylon and the correct procedures needed to ensure a winning product each time. 

Simple Sublimation Solutions

As the popularity of poly-performance apparel grows, so does the interest in sublimation, since it’s the ideal choice for decorating anything made of polyester. 

Screen Printing on Fashion French Terry

The popularity of French terry has skyrocketed due to its comfort and adaptability to different apparel silhouettes.

Perfecting Printing on Poly/Cotton T-Shirts

As the drive for additional styles and fabrics have flooded our industry, the need to perfect the printing on 50/50 blends has become a necessity for every screen printer. 

Create Embroidery That Sells Itself

It’s one thing to be a great embroiderer, but you also must have strong sales to keep your business alive. 

Top 5 Considerations for Ink Knives and Spatulas

One of the main determining factors in choosing the right knife is the purpose for which it will be used. 

How to Screen Print Stickers

Many screen printers initially focus on printing T-shirts, but you also can think outside the box and print fun items like stickers
 

How to Applique on Fleece

Appliqué on fleece, like any appliqué, is a fairly straightforward process. The two variances when compared to “normal” embroidery are the placement line in the design and getting the fabric cutout to fit inside that placement line.

Fleece Printing Over Zippers, Seams & Pockets — Sponsored by JERZEES®

With the popularity of allover printing, it's becoming increasingly common to screen print over zippers, seams and pockets, particularly on fleece apparel.

MESA Distributors Releases Video of Highland Machine

This video, courtesy of MESA Distributors, shows its Highland HM1501 15-needle embroidery machine in action.

How to Choose the Correct Bobbin Type

There are different types of fibers used for bobbins, including cotton and polyester.

How to Oil Your Commercial Embroidery Machine

Oiling your commercial embroidery machine is crucial to upkeep.

How to Set Bobbin Tension

Bobbin tension is very important to an efficient embroidery operation. This video shows how to set bobbin tension on an L sized bobbin.