Promotional Apparel, Hats & Wearables, Promotional Products, Promotional Items & Corporate Gifts

Promotional Apparel For A Professional Image

Shopping for promotional Apparel doesn't have to be a hassle! Whether you're looking for promotional T-Shirts, Custom Golf Shirts, or embroidered Dress Shirts, InkHead takes the confusion out of ordering branded Apparel!

Let's start with the basics. Most of our logo Apparel is made from cotton or a cotton blend. There are many different ways that cotton fabrics can be processed to alter the look and feel of the finished garment. Combed cotton has been brushed to a smooth, fine finish; it is often used for t-shirts and hats. Pima cotton is one of the best grades of cotton and has extra-long fibers for added softness and strength. It is frequently used for high-end t-shirts.

The actual weave of the fabric also plays a role in its suitability for custom Apparel applications. Piqué, a closely woven ribbed fabric often made from cotton, is a popular choice for custom golf shirts. Twill fabric is woven with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs and is often used for hats. Poplin is used to describe a strong, plain fabric with fine ribbing that creates a slight ridge effect. Poplin is most commonly seen in Embroidered Dress Shirts, as is Oxford cotton. Oxford is a soft and lightweight woven cotton with a tight basket weave construction.

Now that you know a little about the types of Apparel fabrics, let's talk about imprint methods. Screen printing involves the transfer of artwork onto a porous screen, which allows a custom ink to flow onto the garment. The image on the screen is then transferred to the fabric. Screen printing is most commonly used for promotional T-Shirts. You can learn more about the screen printing process here.

For other types of corporate Apparel, embroidery is often the preferred imprint method. In order for a logo to be embroidered, the image must first be digitized. Digitizing involves the artwork being converted into a series of digital commands which are read by an embroidery machine's computer. One thing to consider when choosing embroidery is the stitch count, because this is how embroidery is generally priced. For a logo, one could estimate 1500-2000 stitches per square inch. Note that this is for one layer of stitching; multiple layers require more stitching. Text embroidery can be difficult to estimate because the number of stitches will vary with font style and size.

Proper placement is crucial when adding your logo to promotional Apparel. The left chest is the most common choice for logo placement, with optional personalization on the right chest. Additionally, one could embroider the left sleeve an inch above the cuff. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, try placing your logo on the back of the shirt, just below the collar. This trendy imprint area is very popular on Golf Shirts and sportswear.

Remember that the quality of the garment itself is of utmost importance when choosing your custom Apparel. Your logo on a t-shirt or hat may be the first contact your customers have with your business, and you want to be sure that you make a positive impression. Lower quality material is also known to buckle around the imprint or embroidery after washing. Rest assured that at InkHead, you'll get the best quality promotional products with the best imprint method for your artwork. You can browse our online catalog of promotional Apparel, or feel free to contact us for assistance at 1-800-554-0127, M-F: 9AM-8PM EST.