What Are My Branding Options On Promotional Clothing

Visible to hundreds if not thousands of people over the garment’s lifetime a well thought out, quality clothing initiative brings about a sense of teamwork amongst staff members. Whilst also demonstrating a professional image to your clients.

In fact, a promotional t-shirt alone will generate around 3,400 impressions throughout its lifetime and will be kept for an average of 14 months. So, if you are looking for a way to promote your business, then what better way than to make your employees walking billboards for your brand!

But with a range of different techniques that you can use to brand your corporate clothing, which is best for you?

Screen Printing

What it is: Screen printing involves creating a stencil on a mesh screen and then pushing the ink through the screen to create and imprint the design on the below garment. Each colour used within the design requires its own screen.

What items does it work best on: Although this method can be used on a range of materials, natural fabrics are the ultimate choice for screen printing, as they tend to absorb the ink more readily than man-made fabrics do.

Why choose this method: It is an ideal decorating process, allowing Pantone matching and can be up to 8 colours+. This format of printing can also offer different and exciting forms of print ranging from Metallic, bubble print, Reveal Print, fluorescent and luminescent along with, Foiling and High build.

Transfer Print

What it is: This process involves first printing your design on to a flexible nontextile substrate and then transferring by a separate process using a heat press to a textile.

What items does it work best on: These heat applied transfers are perfect for most fabrics making it a very universal branding solution. Can be pressed up to A3 size.

Why choose this method: Transfers have become very popular over the last few years. The increasing demand for personalised apparel makes this service ideal for full colour runs making it a very cost-effective solution. Our new TST transfer is changing the way transfers are used.

Direct to Garment Printing (DGT)

What it is: This "state of the art" process uses specialized ink in order to print directly onto the garment, using a DTG printer.

What items does it work best on: In general, 100% cotton is best, but you can go down to 50% cotton and still get good results.

Why choose this method: As the application of your logo/artwork is going directly onto the garment, greater consistency in replication is achieved. As well as a much enhanced "photo like" detail and a softer feel to the finished garment.

Sublimation

What it is: Whereas a transfer print adds a layer of ink on top of the garment, sublimation uses a process where the ink changes into a gas and becomes part of the fabric when heat is applied.

What items does it work best on: Sublimation printing is ideal for white branding clothing items with a high Polyester content.

Why choose this method: While most processes leave a residue or PVC backed branding on the fabric this process does not, it leaves the end product breathable and feeling like no branding has been applied at all to the touch.

Silicone Badging

What it is: Silicone badges are 3D pre-moulded badges that can be added to a garment using a heat press.

What items does it work best on: The badging process means that they can be applied to not just clothing but almost any surface, branding all kinds of merchandise and clothing.

Why choose this method: This method can easily be added to most corporate clothing products quickly and easily. The method of production ensures that the same results occur time after time leading to fantastic logo reproduction and consistent branding.

Embroidery

What it is: Embroidery is a process whereby an embroidery machine and thread are used to create patterns on textiles using. Embroidery is based on how many stitches are taken to form the completed logo / supplied artwork. This is called “digitising the image”.

What items does it work best on: Embroidery can be used on just about any material and garment. From hats to denim jackets, and socks to t-shirts you can brand almost everything.

Why choose this method: Embroidered designs retain their quality for several years, over multiple washes.

Direct To Film (DTF)

What it is: DTF is a process that transfers prints onto fabric or other substrates using a heat-press mechanism.

What items does it work best on: Unlike the DTG method, which only works on cotton fabrics, the Printer DTF method can work on cotton and poly blends.

Why choose this method: DTF printers probably produce the softest feel/hand of any transfer technology.

Here at LSi, we are here to help with all your Corporate Clothing needs, so don't worry if you don't know which method is best for you! If you have any questions please call your Sales Advisor on 01274 854996 or email sales@lsi.co.uk to find out more.

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