Embroidery

Thread stitched into the fabric by a multi-head machine. The most durable finish we offer and the only one available on a structured cap, at the cost of a small field and no photographic detail.

Minimum order: 6 pieces
Colour ceiling: 12 max
Maximum size: 4 x 4 in
Laundering: Highest

Configure with Embroidery Quantity bands

Macro detail. The printed shape is an original abstract mark, not a customer design.

What it costs

Per piece, one position, one colour: $5.90
Each additional colour or layer: $0.40
Each additional position: $5.20
Setup: $35.00

Setup is charged one-off digitising charge per design. It is a one-off, so a repeat run of the same artwork does not pay it again within twelve months. All prices in United States Dollars, before the quantity band discount.

Laundering test

No measurable colour change or thread loss through 50 home laundry cycles at 40°C in accordance with AATCC 61 2A accelerated laundering. Stitched thread does not fade the way surface ink does.

This describes an accelerated laboratory procedure on a test sample. It is a measured result under stated conditions, not a guarantee about a particular garment. Wash temperature, drying method, detergent and how often the garment is worn all change the outcome.

On press

Production window: 6 business days
Runs on: 38 of 38 blanks

Production starts after your artwork is approved by a reviewer, which adds one business day, and after pre-press, which adds two. Runs of 100 and above add two more days; runs of 250 and above add four.

What this method cannot do

Four inches square is the working field. Anything larger needs a re-quote through bulk enquiry.
Text below 5 mm cap height will not read once stitched. We will tell you before we run it.
Fine gradients and photographs cannot be stitched. Artwork is redrawn as flat shapes during digitising.
Six pieces minimum, because the digitising charge has to be spread across something.
On lightweight knits we add backing, which stiffens the area behind the stitch.

What it is the right answer for

Caps, polos, softshell and anything with a collar
Marks that need to survive industrial laundering
Corporate kit where a raised finish reads as more considered

Colour on any method is an approximation. Screens emit light and ink reflects it, so a colour on your monitor and the same colour on a garment will not match exactly. We can work to a nominated reference colour and we will get close, but we do not promise a visual match. How we handle colour

Fabrics this method runs on

Availability of Embroidery across every fabric class in the catalogue
Fabric class	Blanks	Availability	Rule
Cotton knit	11	Available	No restriction.
Cotton-rich blend knit	9	Available	No restriction.
Tri-blend knit	1	With a caveat	Lightweight tri-blend needs cut-away backing behind the stitch. You will feel a stiffened patch on the inside of the garment.
Polyester knit	5	With a caveat	Open mesh and lightweight tricot need cut-away backing. On mesh, a dense fill can close up the holes behind the design.
Woven shirting	3	Available	No restriction.
Cotton canvas	3	Available	No restriction.
Structured cap twill	4	Available	No restriction.
Acrylic rib knit	1	With a caveat	Stitched on the cuff only, with backing. Rib knit stretches when worn, so the design distorts slightly on the head.
Bonded softshell	1	With a caveat	Backed so that the needle does not perforate the membrane in a continuous line. Water resistance at the stitched area is reduced.