This is one of the most often asked questions so we thought we would answer it in our first blog! Embroidery is when clothing has a logo stitched into its fabric. Printing is when a design or logo is printed directly or transfered onto the garment. 

Embroidery and print both have their own pros and cons. This short blog highlights the difference between the two types of branding to help you determine which is right for your business. If you would like any further information just ask! 

Printing 

Printing is often favoured for high volumes of promotional uses or highly detailed artwork. This is because of lower set up costs. Print can handle complicated artwork better than embroidery usually can. Printing works well with larger designs and can sometimes handle bright colours better. There are different types of printing:

• Direct to Garment prints full colour directly to the garments

• Vinyl Transfer is when vinyl is printed then applied to the garment using a heatpress to transfer onto the garment. This can be solid colour or printed vinyl. 

Printing is well suited for t-shirts or lighter garments as these are thinner and usually can’t take embroidery well and can pull the garment in production. 

A logo is either printed directly  on to the item of clothing or transferred through heat. Printed garments are often cheaper.  Once they are set up they are much quicker produced so can be great value for money. Hand drawn or complicated designs are often better suited to printing rather than embroidery too. 

Embroidery 

Embroidery will generally last the life of the workwear or garment it is produced on. Embroidery works best for creating logos on a thicker garment, such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, gillets, hoodies etc. Embroidery on garments is long lasting and durable. Embroidery set up costs may be more than traditional printing (no set up costs with us!  all prices on www.canwear.co.uk include set up so no set up costs on top of our single or bundles), however the longevity makes it more cost effective. With larger designs such as back embroidery, we would sometimes recommend printing over embroidery as the stitch count can be high. Not all designs are suitable for embroidery especially complicated designs therefore you should take this into consideration when placing your order. For best results for embroidery, avoid heavy gradients and very small details and text. If you would like advice on your order just contact us. Once you have placed your order with us we will also send you a proof for you to see before it goes to production. 

Why print your workwear?

Usually when our customers choose print over embroidery is due to high volumes, complicated designs, large design or when very small text is required. When choosing printing the logo doesn’t need to be digitised so can be cheper set up costs. Unlike embroidery the file type and quality is much more important. Your artwork or design must be high resolution as unlike embroidery the image is used directly from the file rather than being traced during the digitising process used for embroidery. Preferred files are jpeg, pdg, tiff etc. 

When washed correctly following our instructions printed items usually last between 30 to 50 washes depending on the printing type. 

Why embroider your workwear? 

Embroidery really stands out when creating logos on a thicker garment, such as on polo shirts and sweatshirts ect. Embroidery on garments will last longer than the clothing itself! Embroidery can cost more than printing due to set up costs (free set up when ordered at www.canwear.co.uk ) and the time that goes into each embroidered item when being embroidered onto your clothing, however the longevity makes it cost effective. With larger designs like backs of clothing, usually we would recommend printing over embroidery due to the cost. Not all designs are suitable for embroidery and therefore you should take this into consideration. There is also other restraints with embroidery for example small text, detailed logos, designs with complex gradients etc. Just contact us if you are unsure which way is best before placing your order with us.

Most businesses choose embroidery for their uniforms. This is because embroidery looks professional and gives the garment a more solid feel. Embroidery is long lasting and will not fade in the wash.  

Also for embroidery we can use a picture or sketch for your logo as all logos and designs are traced when being coverteted to a digitised file before being embroidered. We will be writing a blog explaining more on what digitising is soon. 

We offer all types of printing and embroidery 

Since we set up in 2020 we have been offering customers mainly embroidery and vinyl print transfers but as we moved into 2021 we have increased our offering to our customers. 

We now offer screen printing (direct to garment or transfers) , DTG (direct to garment) , sublimation and solvent transfers. We will be writing a post soon to explain each type separately. 

Going into 2022 we will be expanding even more into new technology and upgrading and investing in new machines to bring make sure your brand really stands out! 

If you have any questions about this blog or would like to place an order with us just contact us and we will be more than happy to help you to make sure your brand stands out!

Contact Us 

Email: hello@canwear.co.uk

Call: +44 2890667769 (Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm)

Whatsapp: +44 7307 562562 (24 Hours 7 days a week!)

Facebook: @canwearni

Instagram: @canwearni

Making ordering your workwear as easy as 1,2,3 at www.canwear.co.uk

Check out these handy guide and tips on embroidered logos https://99designs.co.uk/inspiration/logos/embroidery

Apps for designing your logo https://www.creativebloq.com/features/logo-design-apps or we can also look after the design of your logo just contact us for more information.