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Embroidered Workwear Vs Printed Workwear

We all know the significance of workwear for people in various industries. Thanks to the constant change of fashion, workwear is experiencing a new transformation. Workers are now wearing printed workwear that includes t-shirts, polo shirts, etc. which is very similar to the clothes we wear on our day-to-day basis. On the other side, embroidered workwear has also become popular especially for high-end brands. Embroidery is an ancient technique where images are created by sewing threads of colored silk onto fabric, using special needles and sharp thread. The designs can be silhouettes or any detailed images/patterns/texts you want. In this blog of ‘Embroidered workwear vs printed workwear,’ we will point out how this workwear is different and what you would want to prefer for your work.

Embroidered workwear vs printed workwear

At first glance, embroidery, and printing seem like two completely different, unrelated concepts - but upon further inspection, they've got more in common than you might think. Seeing as how both processes are intended to make clothes look aesthetically pleasing after being imprinted on them, some people wonder why there's a big difference between them at all?

Let's start at the beginning: it all begins with the threads that compose the fabric itself. Embroidery demands that the threads be pulled from a spool of thread and pushed into the fabric, which creates an effect that looks like handwriting.

Printing is done using a special screen with strategically-placed holes in it, which are only large enough to let the ink through by certain points and create a desired design on the fabric in its place.

It works a lot like how stencils work, but instead of being able to reposition the fabric underneath it as you please, the screen is permanent - and that's where one of the biggest differences between embroidery and printing comes into play.

Printing takes much less time than embroidery does - which makes sense, considering how it doesn't have to be manually threaded after each application. But despite its speediness over embroidery, printing also tends to fade faster - especially if it's not applied correctly or with high-quality material.

That's not all that sets them apart: while printing can be done on any type of fabric (even those that aren't completely made out of thread), only certain types of fabric are suitable for embroidery - because the material must be able to withstand being pulled through it repeatedly, or else it'll simply tear.

What's more: embroidery is performed by hand, while printing can be done both digitally and manually - therefore there's not always consistency in how they turn out when compared to one another. And speaking of digital workwear: nowadays fewer and fewer people choose traditional embroidery for their company uniforms than they did just two decades ago. With such advanced technology readily available to us today, it's becoming increasingly popular for companies to choose digital workwear methods, such as printing. As a result, there's been an increase in demand for modern and stylish printed workwear with many modern options available.

Embroidered workwear vs printed workwear- what do the companies want?

Though both types of workwear can be used in company uniforms, they are not synonymous. Embroidered workwear is achieved through stitching threads directly into the fabric, while printed workwear uses a special screen with carefully-placed holes that only let ink through to certain points on the screen - which creates a desired design on the fabric.

The two outfit options also vary wildly when it comes to their results due to differences in production processes. While there is often inconsistency with embroidery (due to manual labor), printing tends to yield more consistent results due to digital technology. There's also much less demand for embroidered apparel these days than for printed apparel because it is often difficult to find qualified embroiderers.

An overwhelming majority of companies choose printed workwear because it's cheaper, easier to make, and has more consistency when it comes to the end product compared with embroidery.

Printed apparel can be completed in a matter of hours or days depending on the amount that is ordered, while embroidered apparel takes much longer due to manual stitching processes. Because digital printing technology has taken off, many people are opting for printed workwear over embroidered options.

Embroidery might have been popular in previous decades, but today companies are far more likely to go with the modern option of adding personalized designs using digital printing methods.

This blog of 'embroidered workwear vs printed workwear' shows a comparison of the two types of workwear but both the embroidered and printed options of workwear yield professional results and provide a valuable service to company uniforms across the nation.  Printed workwear still has the upper hand in many ways regarding convenience and modern options, however, embroidered workwear still provides a unique and personalized touch to your business uniforms today.

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