Custom Screen Print and Embroidery

Here are some tips for ordering screen print or embroidery on t-shirts, polo shirts, accessories or custom apparel online. Follow these guidelines and you are sure to end up with a quality product that you will be happy with.

1) Find out how long your screen print company has been in business. You may not want to use a company who does not have a track record yet.

2) Ask about print sizes. Some companies have a limit to how big they will screen print your image. If you need a large image, you may want to ask for oversize or jumbo print dimensions.

3) Minimum orders can vary widely from company to company. Some have an order minimum of only six, whereas others may require that you order at least fifty t-shirts.

4) Check out the quality of the apparel that they offer. Do they have just a few generic colored t-shirts and baseball caps? Or do they offer a wide variety of styles, cotton blends, brands and products? Ordering a name brand that you trust can help you avoid getting a finished product that seems cheap or poorly made.

5) Ask about embroidery detail. How small of print can you get before it looks blurry or unreadable? This could be an important factor in determining the provider. What good is your logo if no one can tell what it says or means?

6) Ask about color options. This is especially important for logos. Many times, the color that you choose for your logo needs to be consistent. If your screen printer can't match the color, then the product will be useless at branding your image.

7) When getting embroidery, ask about thread contents. Cotton threads, cotton covered polyester, and polyester threads are generally not suitable for embroidery. This is because they can pill or fray after washing. Good embroidery thread should always be rayon. Metallic threads are also suitable for embroidery work.

8) Ask about specialty inks or processes that you might need. A high heat press will create a shiny and heavy screen print. This is often used for high visibility prints, like on sports jerseys. If you may need this, make sure your supplier offers it. Also ask about glitter inks, metallic inks, foil printing or 3D embroidery if you need it.

9) Find out how long orders generally take. Good companies usually have a turnaround of about a week. Shipping costs should be considered and usually deals can be made when you order in bulk.

10) The last thing to consider is how easy it is to get your design to them. Can you simply e-mail a file? Or do you have to actually meet with a designer and have it laid out in a certain way? Good companies will have someone on staff who can take an e-mailed design and create a template for you.

With these tips, you are sure to end up with a screen printers t shirt or embroidery custom apparel company that you are very happy with.