Branding - What's best for me?
Branding your workwear is a good idea for a number of reasons, including marketing your business and boosting brand awareness as well as improving staff morale.
Screen Printing -
Screen printing uses screen press units and involves creating a stencil and applying a mixture of inks or paints which is then pressed onto the item of clothing.
The benefits: Suited to very large runs, or printing of colour pictures, such as on promotional items or retail clothing designs. Often this option can suit most budgets, although smaller print runs can be expensive if you are using high quality printing techniques and inks.
You can print quite intricate and detailed designs which simply can’t be replicated with embroidery.
The cons: Screen printing is expensive for smaller numbers but more cost effective if you are printing larger numbers of items.
Indirect Heat Transfer -
Indirect printing involves printing your design or logo onto a transfer paper and using heat to apply it to the garment. The colour options are limitless and fine details can be shown.
The benefits: Often this option can suit most budgets. It is suited to small runs and often cost-effective. Set up fees are low and the method can be applied to nearly any garment. This option is particularly good for limited use or workwear that will be replaced often.
The cons: Some print techniques will fade or deteriorate quickly if you use cheaper materials such as cheaper ink, fabrics or transfer papers. rushed or you use budget materials.
Embroidery -
Stitching your logo or design onto clothing is actually the most popular method of branding, not least because it suits most fabrics and is often the more durable method of applying branding.
The benefits: Embroidery is usually very durable and long lasting, although nowadays, some print technology can produce long-lasting results. It also produces professional results. As a result, this method is often used for a more professional image, on higher cost garments due to its durability and appearance.
The cons: It’s often the more expensive method initially, although nowadays this option is cheaper due to technological advances. It can also compromise waterproofing features of some workwear. It is not usually applied to low cost clothing such as T-shirts or Hi-Vis tabards.