Don’t confuse material weight of a shirt with quality

It’s a question that comes up with customers.  For generations, it has been engrained in our national psyche that the weight of something is a reflection of the quality of that item.  For the most part the perception is the heavier something weighs, the better the quality of that item.

That is only natural as in many cases; weight really can be a reflection of quality.  But in the case of material specifically used to make shirts, weight is not necessarily a reflection of quality.

In nearly all of the product descriptions on our website Thread Logic, you will see the weight of the material.  We provide that information as a way for customers to use as a point of comparison for shirts.  In addition, customers have a better understanding of the kind of shirt they are looking at.  Some of our customers live in warm climates and want a lighter weight material.

However, just because a polo shirt has a material weight of 7 ounces does not mean the material is a better quality than one that weighs 5 ounces.  It just means that the 5 oz. shirt is a lighter weight material than the 7 oz. shirt-nothing more.

So how does one compare shirt quality?  One of the best reflections of shirt quality is the price.  Like something things, you get what you pay for.  And logo embroidered apparel is no different.

For example, the NIKE Dri-fit golf shirt that sells for $45.75 including the embroidery of your logo.  The material in this shirt weighs 4.4 oz.  Here is another golf shirt, that with the embroidery of your logo sells for $23.25 and it weighs 5.6 oz.  Which shirt is better quality shirt?  Not the heavier one.  It is the more expensive NIKE shirt.

So when comparing shirts, whether they are golf polo shirts, button downs or even sweatshirts, use the material weight for the purposes it is intended and not as a way to measure quality.

How long should it take to get an order of logo embroidered apparel?

We live in a “get it now” society.  Many things can be downloaded from the Internet instantly.  Orders from many companies can be shipped the same or next day. Amazon has changed and is changing the way we order merchandise and how quickly we get it.

With all of that, it begs the question of how long it takes to get an order of logo embroidered apparel. As with most things, the answer is more complicated than the question.  But we can make it very simple for you to understand.

The biggest reason is logo embroidered apparel takes longer to create-the fact everything is custom made.  Every order that leaves Thread Logic is different because it has a different logo embroidered on it.  Many companies the sell the same product, when an order is placed, they simply pull it off the shelf in the warehouse, package it and ship it out.

But because we have to embroider your order with your logo, it would be impossible for us make your custom logo embroidered shirts ahead of time and pull them off the shelf and ship them when and order is placed.

The second reason revolves around cost control and logistics reasons.  We don’t inventory any product.  When an order is placed, we have to then order those specific shirts from the supplier.  While we are able to get those orders in 1 to 3 days, that still takes some time.

Not carrying an inventory saves us a lot of money and allows us keep our prices down.   Can you imagine if we had to carry every style in every size and color?  Wow, that would be a lot of shirts and a lot of extra costs.

The final reason it can take days to ship out an order is production time.  It takes time to receive, sort and prepare garments for logo embroidery even before they are embroidered.  Then it takes some time to make sure the logo is going to embroider on the shirts exactly the way you want it to.

At Thread Logic, we are shipping orders of custom embroidered logo apparel in 8 to 10 business days.  In this industry that is better than average.  Some companies are able to do it a little faster and most not as fast.  In fact, almost every day we hear from customers who regularly have to wait 4 weeks or more for their order.

We work very hard to create processes and procedures that keep an order moving through the system as quickly as possible.  Yes, when compared to ordering non-custom products, the turnaround time for custom logo embroidered apparel can be longer.  But when compared with other companies providing this service, we are doing it faster than most.

What’s the difference between direct embroidery and a patch?

There are a number of ways to apply an embroidered logo to a shirt or some other item.  Two of the most common are direct embroidery and embroidered patches.  There is a difference between the two.  Understanding that difference can be confusing for people because patches are generally embroidered and many people refer to direct embroidery as a patch.

The key difference is really in the way the image is applied to the shirt.

Direct Embroidery

Direct embroidery is a process of applying an embroidered logo directly to a polo shirt, cap, bag or other item. With direct embroidery, the item to be embroidered is placed in a hoop and put into an embroidery machine.

Then the logo is embroidered directly onto a shirt. Or it may be more accurate to say the logo is embroidered to become a part of the shirt. This happens because the embroidery is woven directly into the fabric.

Patches are still embroidered images, but they are different. Patches are embroidered onto a substrate of material often a number at a time-not individually like direct embroidery. Patches then lay on top of the fabric and are either ironed on or sewn on.

The most common application for a patch is on the sleeve of public safety personal like police officers, paramedics and fire fighters.

Embroidered Patch

One of the big advantages/differences of patches is that they can generally be removed from one shirt and placed on another shirt. With direct embroidery, it is very difficult and time consuming to pull out or remove the embroidered logo of a shirt without damaging it.

Another difference is the flexibility to embroider more detail. Because the substrate of a patch is more stable than the material of shirt, it offers the embroiderer the flexibility to embroider smaller details and text on the image than direct embroidery.

One of the disadvantages of a patch however is they can be heavy when placed on a shirt and it some cases it feels like you might be wearing a bullet proof shield.

A patch is also has a perceived lower value than direct embroidery. Most people would not choose to wear a patch on a nice golf shirt. Patches are best used for uniform situations like law enforcement or the military vs. branding situations like the promotion of your company.

What is stitch count pricing for logo embroidered apparel?

If you have ever shopped for any custom logo embroidered apparel, you have probably noticed a variety of pricing options available for this service. There are a number of different pricing models embroidery companies employ to price their products.  Some companies price by stitch counts, for some the price is included in the polo shirt and yet others use a combination of the two.

Pricing by stitch count has been used by embroidery shops for decades.  In fact, it is probably the most commonly used pricing strategy in the industry.  Many shops have a basic formula for pricing this way that is usually based on price per thousand stitches.

The concept of stitch count pricing is fairly easy to understand.  It operates under the theory that the more stitches it takes to create a logo or image in embroidery, the more it costs.

It’s sound idea and has its basis in cost accounting methodology.  The more stitches it takes to create a logo, the longer it is on the embroidery machine.  It takes more time and time is money, right?  Embroidery machines are expensive.  So the more time it takes to create an image the more it costs.

So once the stitch count is known or estimated, the price can be quoted.  For example, if a logo is 8000 stitches and the price is $1 per thousand.  The price to embroider that logo is $8.

Another reason stitch count pricing is so widely practiced in the industry is because it offers the embroidery shop reasonable certainty that every order will be profitable (assuming they have priced their service properly).  Whether the design is a small one at 5000 stitches or a large one at 45,000 stitches, using this pricing model gives an embroidery shop relative assurances that they are covering their costs and making money on that project.

The problem with this pricing methodology is that pricing by stitch count, is mostly something only the industry insiders understand which makes it very confusing and less transparent for consumers.

The biggest disadvantage to using a stitch count pricing model in my view is transparency.  Customers seeking logo embroidered apparel have no idea how many stitches it takes to create their logo in embroidery.  That puts consumers at a disadvantage in the whole shopping and pricing process.

Therefore, consumers rely on the embroidery shop to tell them how many stitches it is and they have no basis to know if the shop is accurate or if it is inflating that number in order to justify a higher price.

In addition, a customer may get two different stitch count quotes from two different suppliers.  That just adds more confusion for consumers in their buying decision.

Finally, stitch count pricing puts all the attention on price in the customers purchase decision.  It ignores other factors like quality, turnaround time and customer service.  All of which are important factors a customer must consider in a purchase decision.

At Thread Logic, we use a flat pricing model that avoids all the pitfalls of a stitch count pricing model.

For many embroidery shops, pricing by stitch count works for their business model.  It is a tried and true method of pricing a complicated and custom process.  But there are other alternatives to pricing that are more “customer friendly” such as flat pricing that you may wish to explore.

Get blank samples of logo embroidered shirts to get the size right

One of the biggest challenges when purchasing custom logo embroidered apparel over the Internet is getting the proper sizing and fit.  We at Thread Logic understand that challenge.  We want your logo apparel to fit as well as you do.  Because when you look good, we look good.

One tool that is available for customers to help with that challenge is a size chart.  For many people that is all the information they need in order to find something that will work for them and their employees.  The size charts we provide come directly from the manufacturers are very helpful and accurate.

But sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where you just absolutely have to try something on before making a decision.  Ok, we get that too and have worked to make that process and simple as possible.

The best solution in that case is to get a blank sample of a shirt.  We ship blank samples of polo shirts and button down shirts to customers all the time.  Our blank sample process is to charge for those items up front and then credit you back when they are returned.  That credit can be in the form of a credit to your credit card or we can credit your order as well.

There is a $5 charge for shipping and handling but that charge covers shipping both to you and back to us.  After we ship the samples, we will email you a return label to get the package back to us.

We recommend not getting every size you think you might need however.  That is really just overdoing it.  Most people can get just a couple of sizes and figure out what is going to work best for them from there.  For example, trying on a large size will tell you a lot of things.  It will tell you if the large works or not.  If it does, great, decision made.  If it does not fit well, it will probably tell you if you need to drop down to a smaller size like a medium or move up to a larger size like an extra-large.

The biggest disadvantage of getting blank samples to try on is time.  It takes time to ship out a blank sample and then make a decision.  Sometimes, if there is an event or specific deadline, there may not be enough time to go through that process.

The best situation in which to get blank samples is when you have people to fit that might have challenges in finding the right size.  Otherwise we recommend getting the size you would normally wear.

But getting blank samples is a great way to figure out exactly what you need and make sure the fit is something that will work for you.

If you would like to order a blank sample, you can call us at 800-347-1612, email us at customerservice@thread-logic.com, or place the order online.

If you choose to order blank samples online, place those items in our shopping cart.  During the checkout process there is a field called “Special Instructions”.  In that field enter “BLANK SAMPLES”.

The shopping cart will display a $15 shipping charge.  We will adjust that to $5 after receiving your order

What does shrink resistant mean?

It’s happened to all of us at some point.  We order a custom logoembroidered polo shirt.  It arrives and it promptly goes in the wash.  Excited, you go to put it on only to find out that is has shrunk and it now too small for you to wear comfortably.

Very frustrating, I know.  I’ve been there.

 

So how can you mitigate that problem when purchasing logo embroidered polos or button down shirts?  The good news, there is a solution.

Shrink resistant fibers to the rescue.

This shrinkage problem has been one that has happened to all of us.  It has not only frustrated shirt wearers, it has also frustrated shirt manufacturers.  Shirt manufactures have been working on this problem for years.  They have realized it is a problem and that the one who solves the problem stands to sell more shirts.

For many years, customers would purchase a whole size larger knowing the shirt would shrink down to a size that would fit them.  In fact, to this day, we get customers asking us at Thread Logic if they need to do that with the logo embroidered polo shirt they want to buy.

Shrinkage happens most often with shirts that are made of 100% cotton.  Cotton is a natural fiber that changes.  Its shape and consistency is always changing-often times based on how it is washed and dried. That includes shrinking.

One solution to address this problem that the manufactures have developed is to treat the cotton fibers that reduces their pliability-it makes the fiber more stable.

In fact, nearly all of the cotton polo shirts on the market today have some of treatment to reduce the amount of shrinking.

Treated Cotton Polo Shirts

Manufactures have figured out a way to treat the cotton fibers before it is processed into a material that reduces shrinkage.  Different shirt makers call it different things like prewashed, garment washed, preshrunk, etc.  The good news is, these processes work to reduce, but not eliminate shrinking.

It does not mean they won’t shrink at all.  Notice it doesn’t say shrink proof-it is shrink resistant.  There still may be some shrinkage but it is significantly less than without the treatment.  With these treatments and processes, shirt makers have eliminated the need to purchase a shirt that is a size too big in order to account for it shrinking down to your size.

The other solution to address the shrink problem is to purchase a shirt that is made partially or totally with polyester.  Polyester is a fiber that is synthetic fiber and very stable.  It does not change based on how it is washed or cared for.  Therefore it won’t shrink after washing.

Polyester Polo Shirts

I know there are some people who are not fans of polyester fabrics and shirts.  But the polyester golf shirts being produced today are much better than in the 1980’s. They are soft and comfortable and make a great fabric for shirts that won’t shrink.

So there you have it. Next time you are looking for a logo embroidered polo or button down shirt and you don’t want it to shrink, look for cotton shirt that has been preshrunk or a shirt that is made with some amount of polyester and you will be good to go.

What is a sandwich bill cap?

A baseball style cap makes for a great palate in which to embroider and display your logo.  Behind polo shirts, logo embroidered baseball caps are the most popular style of apparel we sell at Thread Logic.

Baseball caps come in a number of different styles, shapes and color combinations anyone of which could make a good place to have your logo embroidered.  Like shirts, styles of baseball caps do come and go.

One of the most popular styles of baseballcaps today is known as the sandwich bill cap.  The sandwich bill cap has been around for a few years and are made in both structured and unstructured style caps.

The sandwich bill is fairly easy to define.  It basically is what it sounds like.  There is a piece of material, usually a different color, that is “sandwiched” between the material that makes up the top and bottom of the bill.  Here is a great picture of one.

The sandwich bill doesn’t serve any real purpose except that of fashion and style.  One of the advantages of a sandwich bill cap is that addition of color for the bill.  When paired with a logo color, it creates a very coordinated and professional look.

There are a number of different color combinations available to fit the needs of almost any logo to be embroidered on them.

The sandwich bill caps generally cost slightly more than a regular style baseball cap.  But there is real value in that increased cost.

Next time you are looking for a different way to present your logo embroidered on a cap, consider a sandwich bill.

What’s the difference between a constructed and an unconstructed cap?

In every product description on our website Thread Logic related to caps, you will see the one of these two terms; constructed or unconstructed. You will also sometimes see the terms “structured” and “unstructured”.   It is one of the most commonly used terms to describe a cap style and it is also some of the most questioned.

Customers always ask us what those terms mean when it comes to caps with logo embroidery.

The answer is actually fairly simple to understand. 

In a constructed cap, there is a piece of material called buckram that is placed in the crown of the cap and it helps the crown hold its shape.   One of the most common examples is that of a baseball style cap.  

The crown in this cap has a distinct shape.  The buckram holds the crown up giving it a more formal or uniform look.

In an unconstructed cap, that piece of the buckram is not used.  Therefore, the crown of the cap is lays more flat against the forehead.  It is a less formal or more casual look for a cap.  Some people call these floppy caps.

Constructed caps are great if you are looking for a more formal, uniform or athletic look for your company logo.

Unconstructed caps tend to be more casual and informal looking.  People also seem to really like the way these caps fit on their head.  That’s why you will see more people wearing unconstructed caps than constructed one. 

At Thread Logic, we sell way more unconstructed caps than we do constructed ones.

As you can see the logo embroidered cap you chose has a lot to do with the kind of look you are trying to achieve.  We also recommend thinking about who will be wearing the cap.  Are they more likely and/or comfortable wearing a certain style?  Very few women wear constructed caps outside of an athletic team so you may take that into consideration as well.

Either way, embroidered caps are very functional and a great way to promote your company or organization with beautiful logo embroidery.

How Big Will My Embroidered Logo Be?

That is a question we often get asked when someone is interested in buying custom logo embroidered apparel from us at Thread Logic.  And it is a very good question. 

If you want your logo embroidered on the left chest of a shirt, size matters, right?  Too big and it will out of proportion and goofy on the shirt.  Too small and it may not be easily seen or read by the people you want to see it.

The answer of course is more complicated than it first appears but in this post I will try and explain two quick ways you can see what sized your logo might end up being.

First of all, there is no real standard size for every embroidered logo.  And that is simply because every logo is different and must be treated differently.  However there are some guidelines that can help you understand how big a logo will be on a shirt.

Because nearly all of the logos we embroider on the left chest of apparel, we will concentrate on that application.  Obviously if the application is a full front or full back, the discussion is very different.

The Logo Shape

The final size of an embroidered logo can depends a great deal on shape of the logo.  For example, we approach logos that are a circle shape differently than ones that are more horizontal or vertical.  By the nature of their shape, circle logos look bigger because the cover more area. 

Therefore, we usually recommend circle logos be sized to 2.5 inches in diameter.   At that size, the elements are generally big enough to embroider well and the circle image still doesn’t look out of proportion on the left chest of a shirt.

The America’s Best Companies is a good example of a circle shaped logo.

The Moss Landing logo is more of a square shape.  A square shape can appear very large

because of the area it covers.  Therefore, we need to be careful not to make it too big.  In the case of logos that have more a square shape, we like to keep them at about 3 inches wide or less.  Anymore and they don’t look good.

Business Card Size

Most everyone is familiar with the size of a business card.  If you are looking for a quick and dirty definition of logo size, this is the one.  Most logos, either horizontal or vertical in orientation end up about the size of a business card.  The standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches.

When asked this question, I have even recommended that people take a business card and put it to their left chest so they can get an idea of how large a logo will be.

The Chocolate Pink logo is a good example of a logo that is about the size of a business card.

Too Big

We have found that any logo that is over 4 inches long or 4 inches tall is too big for the left chest of a shirt.  Not only does it look out of proportion, but larger than 4 inches wide and it starts to dive into the arm pit-which never looks good.

As you can see, answering the question about logo size may not be as easy as it first appears.  Hopefully we have helped you answer this question and therefore make a more educated decision about your embroidered logo apparel purchase.

The Smallest Element

When considering what size to embroider a logo, we first consider the smallest elements in the logo.  Embroidery has its limitations.  Putting thread on material is different from ink on paper. 

So we look at how big we need to make the smallest elements in the logo so they embroider well then adjust the size of the overall image to reflect that.

This method works well in some cases.  In others, the smallest elements are so small that if we adjusted the size so they would embroider well, the logo would blow up to a point that it would be too big for the left chest of a shirt.

In those cases, the smallest elements may be to be adjusted or eliminated so the logo will embroider cleanly and not be too big.

What is the best material for a polo shirt?

This is a question we get asked often from customers seeking to purchase logo embroidered polo shirts.  It is a simple question and as with many simple questions, the answer is not very simple.

The two most common fabric materials used in the manufacture of polo shirts are cotton and polyester-or some combination of the two.  Those two materials make up a vast majority of logo polo shirts sold in the United States today.  There are some niche materials like bamboo and recycled plastic, but the number of shirts made with those materials is very small.

Cotton and polyester each offer advantages and disadvantages.  Let’s explore some of those and see if we can shed some light on the answer to this question.

Cotton Polo Shirt

Cotton is a great, all natural material that has been used to make clothing for hundreds of years.  It is a tried and true material from which to make a polo shirt.  Cotton is soft and comfortable, durable and it drapes well on the body.What gives cotton an advantage is also creates a disadvantage.

Cotton is a natural fiber so it will shrink after repeated laundering.  And cotton fibers dyed with dark colors like black and navy will also fade over time.Cotton is a great, all natural material that has been used to make clothing for hundreds of years.  It is a tried and true material from which to make a polo shirt.  Cotton is soft and comfortable, durable and it drapes well on the body.What gives cotton an advantage is also creates a disadvantage.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, polyester got a bad name for itself that is only now starting to change.  Its reputation was for a stiff and scratchy material that was not very comfortable.  That was the polyester of decades ago, that is not the polyester material of today.

Polyester Polo Shirt

Today, polyester offers a number of distinct advantages for its use.  Polyester fibers, unlike cotton, do not shrink at all.  In addition, it holds the dark colors better than cotton and will not fade.

Logo polo shirts made of polyester also tend to be less expensive.

The biggest advantage for polyester however is the moisture wicking abilities of the fabric.  Polyester fibers can be constructed and treated in a way that lifts moisture away from your skin to the top of the material where it can dry rapidly.  Cotton cannot do this. (see Do rapid dry shirts really work?).

The disadvantages to polyester are that it can snag and it still fights the perception that some have of it being a stiff and scratchy material.

So as you can see, there is really no clear cut answer to the question of what is the best material for a polo shirt.  It all depends on your needs, your use of the shirt and personal preferences.  If you take those things into consideration when making your purchase, you really cannot make a bad decision.

Embroidery vs. Screen Printing

There are a number of methods to decorate apparel but by far the two most common are embroidery and screen printing (aka silk screen or serigraphic).  However, they are very different in terms of their application, benefits and situations in which you would use one over the other.

Embroidery is basically defined as decorating fabric using a needle and thread.  Screen printing is a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of silk or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance, and ink is forced through the mesh onto the printing surface, usually a t-shirt.

An logo embroidered directly
on a polo shirt material.

At Thread Logic, we do a form of direct embroidery on all logo apparel.  Direct embroidery is where the design or logo is woven or sewn directly into the material of the garment.  The embroidered design essentially becomes part of the material.  You might contrast direct embroidery with something like a patch where the logo is embroidered on a piece of material first and then the patch is placed on top of and merely attached to a garment.

There are three major ways to compare and contrast embroidery and screen printing-how they look, how much each costs, and the applications for best using each method.

How They Look

In general, embroidery is considered a nicer and classier way to present a design.  An embroidered logo looks very nice and classy on the left chest of a shirt.  It is the preferred way to decorate a shirt with a logo by many companies.  Because thread has dimension, an embroidered logo ends up being three dimensional.  In addition, embroidery thread is coated and therefore has a sheen that helps the colors pop to attention.

A design screen printed on a t-shirt.

Screen printed designs look like they were painted or printed with an ink-jet printer on a shirt.  It is possible with screen printing to create designs or certain looks that could not be recreated in thread and embroidery.  The designs can be very colorful, but are one dimensional.  In general, screen printed items are considered by many to be less valuable and not as nice as embroidery.est of a shirt.  It is the preferred way to decorate a shirt with a logo by many companies.  Because thread has dimension, an embroidered logo ends up being three dimensional.  In addition, embroidery thread is coated and therefore has a sheen that helps the colors pop to attention.

The Best Applications

Logo embroidery is used most often for apparel that will be used for uniforms or promotions.  Millions of companies across the United States wear logo embroidered shirts to identify and promote their company logos and image.  Most embroidered logos are done on the left chest and look really good on polo shirts, button-down shirts, caps and hats, sweatshirts, jackets and bags.

Screen printed designs are usually best done on t-shirts and sweatshirts.  One reason for that is the finish on a t-shirt or sweatshirt is smooth and therefore provides a nice surface on which the ink can be applied.

If you need to do a large full-front or full-back design on a t-shirt for example, screen printing is the best choice.  Putting a large embroidered design on a t-shirt would spell disaster for both the shirt and the embroidered design.  The t-shirt material is too thin to properly hold all the embroidery stitches it would take to create a large design.  It would not look good or last very long.

Embroidery and screen printing are equally durable.  Often times, these decoration methods will outlast the garment they are printed on.

How Much They Cost

Pricing for each decoration method involves a number of variables that one should consider ahead of time.  Embroidery is most often priced by stitch count.  That is the number of stitches it takes to create a design in embroidery.  More stitches equal more cost.

However, at Thread Logic, we created a flat pricing structure that includes the embroidery in the cost of the garment to simplify the pricing process for our customers.

The pricing for screen printing is completely different.  It is driven by three variables including the number of shirts, the number of colors in the design and the number of different locations (i.e. front and back) printed on a shirt.

The more shirts you have to print, the lower the printing cost per shirt.  However, more colors in a design drives up the printing cost.  Similarly, if you want a design on the front of a shirt and one on the back, that also adds cost to the item.

Hopefully we have been able to provide some basic information about the difference between embroidery and screen printing.  Both decoration methods have their advantages and disadvantages.  If you have any additional questions, please contact us for more information.

What does ‘preshrunk’ mean?

One of the challenges we all face when choosing a shirt to wear is the sizing and fit.  An important consideration in that decision is any potential shrinkage of the material.  We have all bought logo embroidered shirts, washed and dried them only to have them shrink up to the point where we can’t wear them anymore.  That can be very frustrating not be mention expensive.

In the not-so-distant past in fact, it was common place to buy a t-shirt or polo shirt that was a size too big knowing it would shrink down to a size that would fit.  Thankfully, those days are long past.  The good news is technology has caught up significantly with this problem.

One of those technological advances is the ability for manufacturers to “pre-shrink” material in order to address that issue.  For many of the products on our website and the websites of others, you will see the term “pre-shrunk” used in the product description.

Fabric, either natural or synthetic, innately wants to shrink when washed.  Pre-shrunk fabric is not washed and dried as the name may imply, but put through a machine that pushes the fibers tightly together, condensing the fabric by removing the space between the stitches.   In essence, it replicates the shrinking process.

In theory, the practice seems ideal to eliminate sizing guess-work. However, If you understand the technical part, you know that pre-shrunk means they’ve taken most of the shrinkage out.  But that can be misleading for some people.  Pre-shrunk can imply that the garment will not shrink at all when it is washed.

That assumption is incorrect. Most every fabric will shrink, on average 3 to 7 percent depending on the type.  Even if it says the fabric is preshrunk, there will still be some shrinkage when it is washed.  However, shrinkage of 3 to 7 percent is not something most of us would even notice when it comes to fit.

So the bottom line is next time you see the word pre-shrunk or shrink resistant know that it means a majority of the shrinkage has been take out of the material.  You will see that mostly in loose knit shirts like polo shirts that are made of 100% cotton. Therefore, you can be confident that you will not need to get a size larger to account for any shrinkage.

Pricing for Custom Logo Embroidery: It doesn’t have to be so complicated.

Pricing custom logo embroidery services can be a very daunting and confusing adventure.

So you are ready to purchase some embroidered logo apparel. You go a Google search and find a number of companies from which can meet your needs.  You find a shirt that will work for your company so now you want to know the price.  But as you try and figure out how much it will cost to have your logo embroidered onto a polo shirt, you discover the pricing for custom logo embroidery can be a process in itself.

There are basically two different methods to price custom logo embroidery.

Stitch Count

In this method, the price is determined by the number of stitches it takes to create an image in embroidery.  The theory is the more stitches it takes, the longer it is on the embroidery machine and therefore it would cost more.

You would see this pricing method referred to usually as “$1 per thousand stitches” for example.  In this formula, a logo with 10,000 stitches would cost $10 to embroider on a shirt.

Part of the buying decision for customers is figuring out the price of an item.  Some companies make this very complicated.  For example, this is the embroidery pricing found on a competitor’s website.

Custom embroidered apparel or cap prices include up to 6 colors per logo, up to 10,000 stitches for the 1st logo, and up to 5,000 stitches for additional embroidery locations.

$0.35 for every 1,000 stitches exceeding 10,000 stitches, per piece* (regardless of quantity purchased)

What happens if my design has 7 colors in it?  Then what is the price?

I am in the business and I am not sure I understand how that pricing would work.  I can’t imagine if I were a customer just wanting a few polo shirts for my company this would make any since.

Pricing by stitch count has its advantages.  For the embroidery shop, it is a very accurate way to cover the costs of production.

But there are two very distinct disadvantages with a stitch count pricing method.  The only way to actually know the stitch count, and therefore the price, is to have the logo set-up or digitized.  That can be a time consuming process-it may even take a day or two.  How does that pricing method make is easy for a customer to make a buying decision?

Secondly, the customer really has no idea of how many stitches it takes to create their logo.  Only the embroidery shop knows the true number so this method is less than transparent.  Information is power and in this case the customer has no information or power in this transaction.

Flat Pricing Method

The other pricing method is one that we at Thread Logic have employed since the start of our company. It is a flat pricing method.

Under this method, the cost for the custom embroidery of a logo is a flat fee and it not determine by stitch count.  This makes it much easier for the customer to understand when making a decision about logo embroidered apparel.

In fact, we take it one step further; we include the cost of logo embroidery right in with the cost of the item that is to be embroidered.  That way it is very easy and transparent way for customers to make a quick and educated buying decision.

Every item on our website includes the embroidery of the logo.  It’s that simple.  No need for a quote.  No need to figure out stitch counts.

Flat pricing for custom logo apparel takes away all the disadvantages of pricing by stitch count.

So why don’t more embroidery shops use this method?  That is a good question.  The answer lies in the old traditions and practices of the industry.  Pricing by stitch count has been around for decades and is a commonly accepted practice within the industry.  It is driven by a cost account philosophy of pricing and not a customer friendly philosophy.

The flat pricing model is something we have used at Thread Logic from the time we started the company.  The feedback we get from customers on it has been very positive for the reasons stated above.  I would dare say it is one of the best marketing decisions we have ever made.