These days there is a wide range of Promotional Printing options for different types of Promotional Products. The type branding options which will be best suited to your items will depend on a couple of different options. The first thing to consider is what your budget will be. This factor will either give you an economical print option or a barding option that will last you a considerably longer period of time it will leave a higher quality finish. Overall products using Promotional Branding options that are in the more expensive will look far superior to your recipients. Screen printing or Pad Printing is by far the most economical option for all of your decoration requirements. It is very cost-effective and will offer a great impact by displaying your logo in front of the eyes of your intended recipients. For Promotional Clothing the type of decoration used with these items would be embroidery. Embroidery is based on stitch count and therefore the price is reflected on the size of the logo or image which is placed of the clothing. Embossing is used on items such as leather. This type of promotional printing process incorporates a stamp which is placed into the fabric which leaves and imprinted design of your decoration. Below is a brief explanation of each Promotional Decoration process:
Screen Printing:
Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink blocking stencil. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh that transfer ink as a sharp-edged image onto a substrate. A roller or squeegee is moved across the screen stencil forcing or pumping ink past the threads of the woven mesh in the open areas. A screen is made of a piece of porous, finely woven fabric called mesh stretched over a frame of aluminum or wood. The screen is placed atop a substrate such as paper or fabric. Ink is placed on top of the screen, and a fill bar (also known as a flood bar) is used to fill the mesh openings with ink. The operator begins with the fill bar at the rear of the screen and behind a reservoir of ink. The operator lifts the screen to prevent contact with the substrate and then using a slight amount of downward force pulls the fill bar to the front of the screen. This effectively fills the mesh openings with ink and moves the ink reservoir to the front of the screen. The operator then uses a squeegee (rubber blade) to move the mesh down to the substrate and pushes the squeegee to the rear of the screen. The ink that is in the mesh opening is pumped or squeezed by capillary action to the substrate in a controlled and prescribed amount, i.e. the wet ink deposit is equal to the thickness of the mesh and or stencil. As the squeegee moves toward the rear of the screen the tension of the mesh pulls the mesh up away from the substrate (called snap-off) leaving the ink upon the substrate surface. Typical items that can be screen printed include a wide range of Promotional Items.
Pad Printing:
Pad printing is a printing process that can transfer a 2-D image onto a 3-D object. This is accomplished using an indirect offset (gravure) printing process that involves an image being transferred from the printing plate (cliché) via a silicone pad onto a substrate (surface to be printed). Pad printing is used for printing on otherwise impossible products in many industries including medical, automotive, promotional, apparel, electronics, appliances, sports equipment and toys. Promotional Pad printing usually incorporates smaller and more delicate items, which are difficult to print. Small areas can be printed with a fantastic finish.
Embossing:
Embossing is the process of creating a three-dimensional image or design in paper and other ductile materials. It is typically accomplished with a combination of heat and pressure onto a surface that is suitable for this to be done. This is achieved by using a metal die (female) usually made of brass and a counter die (male) that fit together and actually squeeze the fibers of the substrate. This pressure and a combination of heat actually “irons” while raising the level of the image higher than the substrate to make it smooth. Typically the types of products embossed with the Promotional Products industry include items made from leather.
Embroidery:
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Not all machines are for embroidery only. Some are a combination of embroidery and sewing. Some of the more advanced features becoming available include a large color touch screen, a USB interface, design editing software on the machine, embroidery adviser software, and design file storage systems. Commercial embroidery machines can be purchased as 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 18 head machines. Industrial embroidery machines are available from 12 to 56 head models.
Just about any type of fabric can be embroidered, given the proper stabilizer. For example, open lace and embroidering items are being developed. Anything from paper to fabric to lightweight balsa wood and more can be embroidered.
Machine embroidery commonly uses polyester, Rayon, or metallic embroidery thread, though other thread types are available. 40wt thread is the most commonly used embroidery thread weight. Bobbin thread is usually either 60wt or 90wt thread. The quality of thread used can greatly affect the number of thread breaks and other embroidery problems. Polyester thread is generally more color safe and durable. Promotional items that can be embroidered include all types of clothing. The effect is a colorful display of your logo or band that has a subtle effect.
Laser Engraving:
Laser engraving is the practice of using lasers to engrave or mark an object. The technique can be very technical and complex, and often a computer system is used to drive the movements of the laser head. Despite this complexity, very precise and clean engravings can be achieved at a high rate.
Promotional materials that can be engraved include natural materials such as woods, plastics and metals. Other items that may be of interest include stone and glass which laser engraves very nicely.
There are also additional types of Promotional Printing for speciality need, if you would like more information on these please feel free to contact our office.
“And Don’t forget, we print on any surface!”
