Every day, you come across promotional products. You touch, wear, and possibly even smell them. (or even eat them). But did you know that each of these products goes through an extensive design process, including the addition of logos, contact information, images, and more?
There are numerous methods for decorating a specific product. When you're the one ordering promotional products for your company, deciding which decoration process is the best can be a little overwhelming. Especially if you don't quite understand all that's involved in the design process.
Assume you're ordering t-shirts and need to send a logo to the decorator. What kind of artwork do you send them? Is it going to fit in the imprint area? And which is better: screen printing or embroidery?
We've got you! Here is a Decorator's Guide Cheat Sheet that will help you out.
Which type of artwork files are best?
I'm so glad you asked! The first rule of thumb is to always strive to create high-quality artwork. Your finished product will look more polished if it is perfect, camera-ready art and not pixelated. Sending a vector file to decorators is the best option. Vector files, such as EPS, AI, or PDF, are preferable in this case because the decorator can change the artwork's scale without losing quality or fidelity. If your logo is saved as a raster file (JPEG, PNG, or TIFF) we can vectorize it for you.
Next, consider the imprint area - the area where you can display your logo or other design elements that display your branding. When ordering products, keep your logo in mind and see if it will fit in the imprint area. If your logo is more vertical, but the imprint area is stretched horizontally, you may want to look for a different product that can accommodate vertical logos. If your logo is round, think about what it would look best on, such as a golf ball, Frisbee®, or a baseball hat.
6 Decorating Techniques You Should Know
Now that you know what kind of artwork is required, it's time to learn about the various decorating techniques. There are various methods for decorating a promotional product; however, we have listed the top six that will guide you seamlessly through the whole process.
Dye-Sublimation is a popular printing technique for transferring images onto a specific material such as plastic, paper, or fabric. Dye-sublimation is similar to a science experiment in that pressure and heat are used to convert a water-based dye ink into a gas that permanently bonds with the material.
Embossing and Debossing: This is the process of creating raised or indented designs on a material, which is commonly used on leather goods or even card stock. An embossed pattern rises from the material, whereas a debossed imprint creates recessed areas into the surface of the material.
Embroidery: This is one of the most common decorating techniques and is ideal for clothing or fabric-based products such as backpacks and blankets. Embroidery is the process of decorating fabric with a needle and thread. This technique has most likely been seen on baseball caps, corporate polos, and even fleece blankets. Logos with very small fonts or fine detail may not look amazing with embroidery.
Engraving. Need something super-permanent? Engraving is a popular decorating technique that involves cutting grooves into a flat surface, usually metal or glass. A burin is a metal shaft with a diamond-point tip at the end that decorators use for engraving. You'll see engraving on wedding rings, trophies, silver serving trays, and watches.
Pad printing: Are you looking for golf balls or other random or odd-shaped items for a promotional product? It's pad printing to the rescue! This printing method applies ink to three-dimensional objects with random, uneven, rough, or non-flat surfaces. Pad printing uses a pad that picks up the ink and then transfers it to the odd-shaped item.
Screen Printing: Did you know screen printing first appeared during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in China? It’s a printing technique where a mesh stencil or screen is loaded up with ink and then pressed onto fabric or other items. When we print on darker fabrics, we always print an underlay print (kind of like a primer) so that your logo will hold, and the dark color of the shirt doesn't bleed through the print. This results in brighter colors so your logo looks amazing.
Ordering products for your business should be easy and fun, not overwhelming. We hope this guide will help you understand the right questions to ask your decorator, so you’ll become a promo-ordering expert in no time!