When you put your logo apparel, it’s on display for the world to see. The level of exposure your brand will gain is virtually unmatched. It gives you the ability to turn your employees and clients into walking advertisements for your brand. That means not only they remember your brand, but also that others will see it everywhere they go.
What Material Should I Look for?
When choosing something as basic as a shirt you have several varieties to choose from. First is the style. Do you want a dress button down woven or a polo style? The dress style button down is more popular with executives or salespeople. In many cases, it is part of the corporate branding where the shirt color plays as much a part in the look at the logo you put on it. Most dress shirts will come in a cotton or cotton blend where the finer styles will be pinpoint cotton. Adding a bit of polyester to the blend helps with durability and wrinkles. We do not recommend just purchasing any style or color shirt and putting your logo on it. This actually defeats the branding you are attempting to accomplish because everyone who wears your logo looks different. The shirt color is as important as the logo you put on it.
Polo style shirts offer a wide range of choices in both style and fabrics. If you are leaning to a cotton or cotton blend be sure you choose a higher quality shirt as a cheap cotton will fade and shrink faster and not wear as long. There is a big difference in the way cotton is made (refer to my previous article). Polyester has come a long way and is referred to performance fabric because of its moisture wicking properties. It also lasts longer and will not shrink or fade. Many corporate polos maintain a clean dressy look even after many washings. You can choose from various wicking fabrics as well as antimicrobial materials. In addition, you may also find items with additives like Teflon to repel stains or a special finish that makes the item water resistant.
Fleece appeals to all demographics but is especially useful in cooler climates. It can be used as a layer inside of a heavier jacket on a cold day or as a light jacket or vest on a moderate day. A lot of people like fleece because it’s soft and comfortable. Fleece can be offered as a ¼ zip pullover, full zip, and even a vest.
What Imprint Style Should I Choose? Basically, you have two choices for apparel decoration, embroidery and screen printing. In general, embroidery is considered a nicer and classier way to present a corporate logo on apparel and some accessories like bags and backpacks. An embroidered logo looks very nice and classy on the left chest of a shirt or the center of a bag. Because thread has dimension, an embroidered logo ends up being three dimensional and since embroidery thread is coated it has a sheen that helps the colors pop to attention. It is important to use a quality thread. Rayon is our choice since it is stronger, last longer and has a nice luster. Logo embroidery is used most often for apparel that will be used for uniforms or promotions. Millions of companies across the United States wear logo embroidered shirts to identify and promote their company logos and image. Most embroidered logos are done on the left chest and look really good on polo shirts, button-down shirts, caps, and hats, sweatshirts, jackets, and bags.
Screen printing is usually reserved for tee shirts and sweatshirts that are printed in quantity. Because of the smooth surface, these items show the printed design very nicely. Screen printing can be cost prohibitive if you have several colors, especially with low quantities. Our guideline is unless you are printing more than 144 pieces; keep the number of colors in your design below three color designs.
Dazzle and Stand Out
If you are looking for a little Dazzle in your apparel consider some of the new decorating styles we now offer like glitter, foil, rhinestone, and twill. These new decorating processes can add some fun bling to your apparel and can be used for recognition or special events.
Affordable Marketing
Logo apparel and accessories open up a work of opportunity for your company or organization. The number speaks for themselves. A single logoed shirt will generate over 2,400 impressions a year and a bag will generate almost 6,000. Just think how effective a few hundred shirts would be. Take advantage of its popularity and usefulness by distributing printed or embroidered apparel to your employees, customers, potential customers and more!