Catalogs

FAQs

 ♦ How do I pronounce “Namaste” and what does it mean?

It is pronounced as “Na-ma-stay” with the first two ‘a’ as the first ‘a’ in “America” and the ‘ay’ as in "stay" and the ‘t’ pronounced softly.

There are many complicated and poetic meaning, however, generally Namaste is a gesture of friendship and kindness and also of thanks or special recognition. It is from ancient Sanskrit and is used as a friendly greeting in written communication. Author Deepak Chopra defines the meaning at more of a spiritual level with – “I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me”

 ♦ Design – Placement on Shirts

Most shirts are embroidered on the left chest (the wearer's left). If there is a pocket on the shirt, the embroidery is centered above the pocket. Other popular locations are on the sleeve of polo shirts and on the back of the shirt just below the collar. One location is included in all the prices listed on our site. There is a quantity-based charge for additional embroidery locations.

 ♦ Hats / Baseball Caps

There are 5 basic elements of styles to chose from when requesting an embroidered Baseball cap or hat. They are:

• structured – high profile with high flat fronts, good for advertising
• unstructured – low-profile with a lower frontal area and a sloping crown. This popular style but has a more restricted embroidery area,
• pro-style, which is a low-profile hat with a more upright front-traditionally used by professional teams,
• 5 panel, a high-profile hat with no front center seam,
• 6 panel, available in high, low or pro-style with a front center seam.

A standard cap design is generally limited to a height of 2 ¹/₄ inches and a width of 4 inches. A design on the side of a hat band is placed on the left side for a man and on the right side for a woman. (This custom has its roots in the seventeenth century with the Cavalier hat with its long plumes and ostrich feathers, which was restricted to the left side to free the sword arm.)

There is a recent trend to place organization's website address along the back of the hat and the company logo across the front. This requires two separate digitizing efforts.

 ♦ Digitizing – Why do I need this?

This is the process of converting your art and text into a special 'stitch' file used by our embroidery machines. This file controls the machine's movements throughout the embroidery process. We personally create, verify, and adjust the file's ability to stitch your logo. This ensures that you have a great looking logo on your apparel.

 ♦ Dye Sublimation – dye•sub•li•ma•tion [suhb-luh-mey-shuhn]– What is Dye Sublimation?

Dye Sublimation is a process of printing an image onto transfer paper with dye-based inks and then using high heat and pressure to transfer the image onto a substrate (a specialized coating that captures the ink or polyester material). The following are a few examples of what can be done.

 ♦ Fabric – What is Pique, Jersey, Blend?

Pique is a knitted fabric with a waffle, or diamond-shaped, pattern which is similar to a mesh. Jersey is knitted fabric with a plain, flat surface on the outside and a textured surface inside, like a t-shirt. A blend fabric usually includes polyester. In any case, it's not 100% cotton. More? See Understanding Wovens

 ♦ What images can I use?

You can use almost any image that you own or can provide us with permission to reproduce a image that is copyrighted. We have several very large commercial libraries of royalty-free images available for use that can be altered or combined with your image. We can scan your image into the computer or you can email it to us. Please provide the highest quality copy you have of the image.

 ♦ Can text be added to an image?

Yes, we can add text around and in your image in various forms (curved, arched, outlines) and in a variety of fonts and colors. We can also add smaller graphics or borders to your image.

 ♦ What about fonts?

Design tip: A common "rule" among graphic designers is to not use more than two fonts in a single piece of artwork. This is a useful guideline to go by as it keeps your image clean, flowing, and void of distraction. If the viewer has too many fonts to look at, they get distracted by them and lose their focus on your garment or promotional item.

If at all possible, please let us know what fonts are in your design. We realize that sometimes you do not know. This keeps us from guessing the font or needing to add artwork fees to your order for the time we use to identify your fonts. As a result we can provide give you a more accurate image at less cost.

 ♦ What is the maximum image size?

The style and size of the shirt may limit to the size image. A medium shirt usually has a maximum image width of about 10 inches and a height of about 12 inches. When an image is larger than 13 inches by 16 inches it can be a slightly more difficult or time consuming to do. This can increase the cost of the decorated garment. In general, we can apply an image to any part of the shirt (front, back, sleeve, cuff). We also can put multiple images in different locations. Embroidery has a range of limitations based on buttons, seams, and other parts that may interfere with the ability to hoop the article. If you need a image larger than 13 inches by 16 inches, consider a modifying your design so that can be done in parts.

 ♦ Can you assist me in cleaning up an image?

Yes, however, there is art change if it is not a quick fix. We will bill you at the rate of $30 per hour billed in quarter hour increments. There is a half-hour minimum.

 ♦ Can you enlarge a small image?

Generally the answer is yes. However, some electronic images like the ones used on web sites do not allow for enlargement if there are tonal colors like what's in people faces. If you have a print or photograph the chances are better. Depending on the quality of the image, there may be an art charge. If so, we will bill you at the rate of $60 per hour billed in quarter hour increments. There is a half-hour minimum.

 ♦ What kind of garments do I need to provide?

On the contrary, we no longer decorate on customer provided items. We can offer a variety of type and style of shirts, hats, and jackets that we embroider. There are apparel catalog, listed to the left, are a great starting place as we have many suppliers. If you can not find what you are looking for, please contact us and and we will find the item that is just right for you.

 ♦ Stain and soil repellency

Stain and soil repellency treatment is a chemical finish applied to yarns and fabrics that prevents stains from entering the fabric face. Liquids, for example, will bead up and not be absorbed by the fabric. Stain and soil release is a different chemical treatment applied to yarns and fabrics that allows the garment to release any stain and soiling through the normal home laundering process.

These treatments can create minor problems with embroidery when there a fine detail. The finish can actually cause the needle to not penetrate the fabric straight on, in essence sliding sideways; off the yarn in the shirt.

 ♦ Understanding Wovens

The basic differences between knit and woven is knit products are constructed with yarns utilizing a loop construction, whereas wovens are constructed with yarns in a flat weave.

Knits shirts tend to have stretch where wovens do not. A few of the basic knits include jersey, commonly used for T-shirts, and various piques, used in most polo or golf shirts. More? – See Fabric – What is Pique, Jersey, Blend?

The woven sport shirts include three basic weaves: poplin, twill and satin.

• Poplin is a plain weave fabric and is typically made with a finer yarn in one direction. Poplin weaves are common as lightweight sport shirts in men’s and women’s styles.
• Twill weave fabric has a definite twill line. The twill effects are described as 2 X 1 or 3 X 1,The higher the first number and the lower the second number, the steeper the twill line.
• Satin or sateen weave fabrics have the majority of one of the weave yards on the face of the fabric, with the other yarns primarily on the backside. This creates a very smooth type of fabric with a luster or sheen.

There are two common basic weaves used in shirts: Oxford and Broadcloth.

• Oxford cloth is a derivative of a plain or basket-weave-type construction where two warped ends are woven as one in a plain-weave construction for a lustrous look. Pinpoint oxfords, every other yard is white, while the other is a colored yarn, creating a pinpoint effect. Pinpoint oxford also tends to utilize finer yarns, where regular oxford cloth uses thicker, courser yarns. Oxford sport shirts are common in the corporate and uniform worlds.
• Broadcloth is a plain-weave fabric closely associated with poplin cloth and is usually woven using finer yarns. Most broadcloth products are blended in cotton and polyester.

 ♦ Wrinkle-free finishes

Shirts are treated with a chemical resin that helps the fabric prevent wrinkling. Most wrinkle-free products are found in cotton/polyester blends, although 100 percent cotton fabrics are available at higher price. Cotton/polyester blended fabrics tend to launder well with little or no touch-up with the iron thanks to the polyester content.

 ♦ What can I put in a rhinestone transfer?

Any simple word or picture can be made into a rhinestone transfer. Think of your choice as a series of dots (rhinestones) in making your selection. For text, choose a simple font.

The minimum letter height should be 3/4", Best letters are produced when the letters are at least 1" in height. Phrases may have to be in more than one line. Stone placement needs to be at least 1/16th" apart. The maximum dimensions you can use is in the range of 9" or so.

 ♦ Rhinestone Sizes

Rhinestones are measured in 'SS' (Stone Size) sizes. A 30SS rhinestone has a diameter about that of a pencil eraser. Any pictures of rhinestone sizes shown on this site must be considered not true to size but only relative to each of the other..

 ♦ How do I care for garments with Rhinestones

The manufacturer instructions for care of garments with stone added is to wash and dry inside out. It is also a best to hang dry whenever possible. It keeps the stones from rubbing against things and getting caught on something.

 ♦ Vinyl Types: Sign Vinyl and Garment Vinyl – otherwise known as "Heat Transfer Film or Vinyl"

Sign vinyl is applied to non-porous surfaces: glass, vinyl (i.e. banners), metal, etc. Examples include car wraps, vinyl decals, window glass (car or store) vinyl lettering/graphics (for advertising or fun), sign banners and wall decorations (usually a removable type).

Heat Transfer film also called Garment vinyl is made of material different from the sign vinyl. It is very similar to screen print ink that be cut and applied with high heat to fabric. It s often used for lettering on sports jerseys, team apparel and other fabric (or garment) applications. It can be used as an alternative to screen printing especially when only a few shirts are needed or for team numbering where each jersey is unique. It doesn't flake or peel. Some varieties have high stretchability for today's stretch garments while others are foil like, reflective, glow-in-the-dark, or has a glitter appearance.

FAQ Content

• Explain Namaste
• Care of garments with stones
• Design – Placement on Shirts
• Design – Rhinestones Limitations
• Dye Sublimation – What is it?
• Digitizing – Why do I need this?
• Fabric – Pique, Jersey, Blend?
• Hats / Baseball Caps
• Images – What can be used?
• Images – Can I add text?
• Images – What about fonts?
• Images – Maximum Size?
• Images – Repair & Clean-up?
• Images – Enlargement?
• Providing items
• Rhinestones – Design limits
• Rhinestones – sizes
• Rhinestones – Washing?
• Stain and soil repellency
• Understanding Wovens
• Wrinkle-free finishes
• Vinyl (Film) Types: Sign & Garment