Choosing the Best Decoration Type for Your Artwork
We understand the importance of choosing the right decoration type firsthand, which is why our Threadbird team is here to guide you through the selection process! From screen printing to embroidery, patches to sublimation, we offer a wide range of decoration options to suit every style and preference. Together, we’ll find the ideal decoration type to give life to your designs!
SCREENPRINTING
Screen Printing is our most popular and standard decoration type and is ideal for designs with bold outlines & capturing vibrant artwork. This method allows for multiple ink colors, but each color requires its own screen and setup, so keep that in mind when designing your artwork.
- Best Products for Screen printing: Apparel garments such as t-shirts, hoodies, and bottoms, and flat canvases like tote bags and posters.
- Decoration Outcome: Screen prints produce a buttery-soft, smooth texture. The prints are super durable, which makes them ideal for everyday wear.
- Print Styles: We offer a range of high-quality ink types such as, Premium Standard, Plastisol, Discharge, Waterbase, Vybrasol, Speciality Inks (puff & glow ink) & Metallic Ink.
- Location & Scale: Screen printing is versatile and can be applied to various garment locations such as the front, back, sleeves, pockets, and leg.
- To prep your artwork for printing, we first print it out on a screen pallet (see left image below), in which we apply ink & press it onto the garment. We have two screen sizes: Standard screen (14” x 17”) & Jumbo screen (18”x 23”).
Every garment has what we call a ‘safe zone’. This safe zone, marked by the red lines (middle image), outlines the surface area on the garment where the design will be printed to avoid running over any seams of the garment.
EMBROIDERY
Embroidery is another popular decoration method and is ideal for recreating simple designs with defined lines and shapes. Embroidery is typically applied to surface areas with sufficient space for stitching, such as the garment's chest, sleeve, or back.
- Best Products for Embroidery: Heavy-weight fabric garments, such as t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and polos. Embroidery is also suitable for accessories like five & six-panel hats, beanies, backpacks & duffel bags.
- Decoration Outcome: Embroidery lends itself well to classic, traditional designs, but it can also add a touch of sophistication and dimension to modern artwork.
- Styles: Flat/Standard, 3D, 3D + Flat Embroidery.
PATCHES
Patches are compatible with a wide variety of designs, from simple logos to intricate illustrations. When designing your artwork, consider the size and shape of your patches, as overly intricate designs may not translate well to patch form.
- Best Products for Patches: Patches can be attached to almost any fabric type, including denim jackets, hoodies, button-up shirts, backpacks, beanies, hats, and more.
- Decoration Outcome: Can add personality & dimension to your designs and gives durability to your garments with custom patches.
- Styles & Attachment Locations: Embroidered, Woven, Printed, Rubber/ PVC. Patches can be attached or sewn onto various locations on the garment, such as the sleeve, chest, back, and leg. They also work great on the crown of hats.
HEAT PRESS
Heat press decoration works well with vector or high-resolution raster images, as it relies on digital printing technology. Heat press decoration is a great way to add a personalized touch to garments, such as names, initials, or small logos.
- Best Products for Heat Press: Heat presses are suitable for decorating a variety of fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and poly blends. They work well on foam trucker hats, garment neck tags, and apparel like windbreaks and rain jackets
- Decoration Outcome: Heat press decoration produces a smooth look and feel similar to screen printing.
- Print Locations: Works best printing on small surface areas such as sleeve, chest, inside neck tag, or hat crown.
Choosing the best decoration type for your artwork is crucial for creating custom apparel and products that truly stand out. Whether you opt for the bold colors of screen printing, the timeless elegance of embroidery, or the full-color brilliance of sublimation, Threadbird has you covered. So unleash your creativity, experiment with different techniques, and let your imagination run wild—because the branding capabilities are endless with the right decoration type!
Hey, It's Threadbird, here to be your expert guide with printing, apparel, and merch. Our brand has been in the custom merch game for 14+ years. We know the ins and outs of all of your favorite products. We are here to help your brand fly high with our knowledge and expertise!
