| Screen printing and embroidery are by far the most | | | | because the ink actually soaks in to the fabric and |
| popular methods of apparel decoration on the | | | | becomes part of it. Embroidery will always have a |
| market. While screen printing definitely has the | | | | hard hand because of the density of the stitching |
| majority share in the marketplace in some | | | | used and as we saw above can become scratchy. |
| applications embroidery definitely has its strengths. | | | | Headwear - While you can have success with screen |
| When you are deciding which garment decoration | | | | printing on caps and other various headwear, |
| method to go with there are many variables to | | | | embroidery is definitely the best option. Most caps |
| consider but here is where each method has its | | | | have a seam that runs down the front centre of the |
| strengths. | | | | cap and this is very difficult to print or apply a heat |
| Image size - Screen printing definitely wins out with | | | | transfer over. One of the exceptions to this is the |
| larger image sizes. Embroidery can tend to gather the | | | | foam front trucker caps. They screenprint well but |
| fabric and can also be a lot heavier and scratchier at | | | | can also give a cool effect when embroidered. Where |
| large sizes. Embroidery will also be a lot more | | | | the embroidery is the foam depresses and gives a |
| expensive at large sizes where as the price of screen | | | | 3D effect. |
| printing doesn't change that much between a small | | | | Cost - Both methods have their pro's and con's here. |
| pocket print and a large back print. | | | | For single colour jobs I think screenprinting comes out |
| Corporate look - Embroidery tends to have much | | | | on top whereas once you get into multiple colours |
| appeal when it comes to corporate applications. | | | | embroidery's lower set up costs can make it a bit |
| Business shirts etc that have a small corporate logo | | | | more cost effective. But also as stated above if the |
| embroidered on them tend to look a lot more | | | | size of the image gets too large embroidery costs |
| professional that the equivalent with screen printing. | | | | can definitely increase as its pricing is based on stitch |
| Soft hand - The feel of the decoration to the skin is | | | | count as opposed to the number of colours in the |
| called its "hand". A "soft hand" is where you can't | | | | print. |
| readily distinguish the feel of the print from the fabric | | | | So there are a few things to keep in mind when you |
| itself. A "hard hand" is where the print is much stiffer | | | | are deciding what type of garment decoration you |
| and harder than the fabric itself. When using water | | | | want to use. But for me, while embroidery has its |
| based inks in screenprinting you can achieve a soft | | | | benefits in certain situations, I believe that screen |
| hand where the feel of the print is indistinguishable | | | | printing is a much more versatile and stylish solution. |