- General Questions
- Basic Logo & Design Requirements
- Digitizing
- Copyright Information
- Garment Care
- Order Basics
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What is embroidery?
Definition: The art of working raised and ornamental designs in threads of cotton, silk, poly-plastic and other materials upon woven fabric with a needle. This process has become highly automated through digital control and imaging.
What is the process by which my logo is prepared for embroidery?
Your logo is re-drawn in a digitized format our embroidery machines read. There is a one-time-only charge (Digitizing Fee) for this file’s creation. Ongoing orders which employ the same file do not incur additional charge. This process has become somewhat automated. Digital imaging, as well as more stable application material, allows increased piece-to-piece application consistency and design flexibility.
What is screen-printing?
Definition: Screen-printing (aka. silk screening) is a process by which ink is forced through a screen designed to apply a specific image to the fabric or surface to be colored. This technique produces a sharp-edged image. In multi-colored designs, a unique screen is required for each tone applied.
What are the basic differences between the two?
- Embroidery pierces the fabric while screen processing prints colored ink on the fabric surface.
- Embroidery presents a more “tailored” appearance when finished.
- In the real world, embroidery will outlast screen-printing in the same application.
- However, embroidery cannot reflect or expose subtle color changes required to fully present certain designs. It “works” best when applied in blocks of color.
- Screen-printing better represents complex color patterns and – in most applications – costs less.
What are the ideal materials with which to work?
Flyin’ R can literally decorate any woven fabric. We normally recommend some percentage of “poly” in the material as it both stabilizes for embroidery and allows screen-print designs to remain optimally colorfast. Poly also finishes better in both laundering and dry clean processing. An exception is the Hanes “Beefy T” t-shirt. Materials of “desert cloth” or super lightweight materials may require a backing layer of additional material to stabilize aggressive embroidery designs.
BASIC LOGO & DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
How do I send an art mage or design?
Please remember - the better the artwork, the better the final product. You may fax your image, but please specify the design’s colors in either Pantone or “PMS” code numbers. If you have a color fax, please send our design by that method.
What size will the lettering be?
Monograms are usually 1” – 4” high. Smaller letters can be applied; the minimum is .25 or ¼ inch for certain font styles. Letters required to be ¼” high are applied in CAPS.
How do I know what size design fits where?
A right or left chest design is usually from 2-1/4” to 4” wide. Designs over 4” wide look best centered on the front or back, especially when the design includes lettering. Flyin’ R employs an on-site designer should you require assistance.
Can I request a different color in the design?
Simple color changes are no hassle.
What size design fits on a baseball cap?
Most caps allow a maximum 2” design height which includes both design and lettering.
No exceptions.
I’ll probably order more than once, can it be saved?
Flyin’ R archives client designs for 2 years unless otherwise specified. Should any design become non-current, we are excellent duplicators.
Can my design be applied to any garment in any size?
In most cases the answer is YES. The exceptions are Fleece, Caps and Full Jacket Backs.
- Fleece: Most designs will apply to fleece without difficulty. Designs with small logos, and particularly those with small lettering, may have to be modified. Cost is based on design complexity but is generally minor.
- Caps: Virtually all Left Chest designs will apply to caps. The exceptions or changes to be considered are limited to the working area of the embroidery machines we use and style of the chosen hat. We can embroider around the entire cap, but not on the top. Your design may need to be reduced in size, or the lettering may be moved from the image’s top to either side. Should such be the option, we’ll contact you for approval. The most popular cap is a “six panel” design that features a seam down the cap front. This seam may cause problems with some designs. Certain Left Chest designs may have to be altered for successful application to a “six panel” cap.
- Full Jacket Backs: A Left Chest logo cannot be applied to a full-jacket- back and vice versa. An FJB version of your logo, or other design, requires a fresh digital template. Full Jacket Back design application is totally unique. The exception is lettered-only designs which can be easily modified at nominal cost.
DIGITIZING
How does it work?
We must determine the stitch density (stitches per square inch) of each design. In most cases, it starts with scanning the item or working from a graphic image format. The digitizer then manipulates that image. A small design, such as would be used for a hat or chest of a garment, may contain 5000 to 7000 or more individual stitches! This process determines how many stitches are to be applied in a given design area. Too many stitches will tear or distort the fabric, distort the design’s lettering and make the shirt very heavy as well. Too few stitches will leave the garment’s fabric and color showing through. Finally, we set the color sequence and pattern how each design component will be applied to the item being embroidered.
Digitizing cost seems high. Why is that so?
The required software is quite complex and of limited distribution. Thus each program “seat” is quite expensive. The most basic programs cost $5,000+. Prices of advanced programs, such as that used by Flyin’ R, can exceed $20,000. Creative manipulation of this software is a skilled trade and requires a trained artisan. It takes many months, and even years, of training before a digitizer produces satisfactory designs.
What happens to the program following approval and payment?
We will catalog and archive it for you until next use. The resulting program is your property.
If I already have my design digitized elsewhere can I change suppliers and avoid the cost?
Most likely, yes. If your design has been embroidered elsewhere, a copy should be available. Transfer is easily accomplished through burning a disc or sending an email.
Flyin’ R will help you through the process.
How long does it take to get my design digitized?
About one week. Flyin’ R will email the design to you for input and approval. We can also “snail mail” via USPS, FedEx or UPS. We don’t start without written approval of both design and layout!
How much detail can be captured for embroidery?
Embroidery can capture very fine detail, small as the thickness of a single thread.
However, color shading is not generally possible. Embroidery works best when applied in solid blocks of color.
Is there a less expensive way than having a design digitized?
Yes. Flyin’ R offers 15,000 stock designs that we can change slightly, add lettering to or apply non-standard colors. Cost for such alterations starts at $25.00 depending on the complexity of your desired result. Stock designs can be viewed at www.Dakotacollectibles.com .
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Can you embroider NASCAR, NFL, Disney characters or Harley-Davidson designs?
Those designs are copyright protected and require an individual “trademark release” for each project. Such documents allow reproduction of covered images within your design and on your items. That permission allows us to apply that image ONLY to your design and project. Flyin’ R is required to keep such written documents on file for possible inspection. We have those forms available for your use. Should questions arise, you must have written proof of rights to use any intellectual or artistic material that may be governed or protected by copyright law.
Can anyone else use my design?
NO! Your design cannot be used in any format without your approval. Although not copyrighted the design you paid for is yours and yours alone. Protect it. Should you choose to copyright or trademark your design, Flyin’ R can provide information as to the correct procedure.
If I use a stock design, does it become my property the same as if I/we created it?
No. The stock design software has copyrighted such images. Flyin’ R is allowed to reproduce these designs through our software purchase and a licensing agreement with its provider. Only those designs or images created wholly by you, or on your behalf, are fully and completely yours and should be protected by the same means others employ.
GARMENT CARE
Does an embroidered garment require special care?
Yes, to some degree. Most garment fabric will fail before the embroidery. However, strong bleaches, hot water wash and very hot dryers should be avoided. Hot water and excessive dryer heat will shrink a garment but not affect the embroidery. What results is a “puckered” look. Yuck! We also recommend turning embroidered garments wrong side out to avoid possible damage form other garments, button, hooks, zippers, etc. PLEASE also check pockets for damage-causing items which might tear or bleed color.
It is very unlikely that such would happen throughout a garment’s life. All of our designs use a “lock-in-lock-out” form of stitching that will isolate any damage to a small area of the design. Carefully trimmed, such blemishes will become hardly noticeable.
- What about those small threads between the lettering?
Two methods exist by which to trim threads between lettering and other design segments. One can be done by the embroidery machine as it sews;
the other is accomplished by hand. When lettering is quite small, we advise clients to leave threads in-place between letters as they help stabilize the design over repeated wearing and washings.
What are “hoop marks”?
As the embroidery process begins, each garment must be placed in a “hoop”. Such hoops are no different in use than those used in needlepoint or hand embroidery. During the embroidery process each garment moves while the machine’s sewing head, though it remains still, rapidly moves its needle through fabric – stitching the design. The hoop firmly grasps a garment to insure a quality finished product. This necessary holding process leaves a slight circular mark around your design.
Hoop mark evidence is most noticeable in pique and other knitted-style garments. Such marks will disappear upon first washing. For coats and other heavy-fabric items, such marks will not be noticeable. Caps employ a different holding system which does not leave marks.
If you are ordering garments for immediate use please let us know when placing your order. Upon request, Flyin’ R applies a garment-smoothing process; folding and packing them so tightly as to make hoop marks virtually disappear. A small fee is charged for this time consuming hand done service
ORDER BASICS
Contact with Ruddock
Orders may be emailed to: sales@flyinr.com
Fax them to: (520) 498-4759
Ask questions by email or, to speak with a person, dial (toll free) 1–88–89-FLYINR
1–88–89-359467
Returns
Embroidered items must be inspected prior to wearing or washing. No returns will be accepted on washed or worn merchandise.
Cancellations
Once Flyin’ R has accepted an order there are no cancellations.
Turn Around Time
- Truly, so many variables exist that it’s almost impossible to quote lead times. However, it is generally a good idea to plan on at least 14 working days from when you place the order to when we ship completed items. As always, the more notice the better. Rush jobs can be completed at a higher cost as we must pass on the overtime, administrative and extra shipping costs attendant to processing such orders.
- Typically, we return a logo design for approval in 3-4 business days.
- Embroidered or screen printed off-the-shelf items are most often turned around in 3-4 weeks.
- Custom made shirt/jacket/uniform orders typically require 6-8 weeks.
- Express turn around requests incur additional cost based upon project complexity and order specifications.
What if I make a mistake spelling a name on a completed order?
Everyone is human. If we make a mistake, it will be replaced at no charge. If you make a mistake, we offer a 10% discount on the replacement item. Once fabric is pierced it cannot be re-embroidered. That’s why Flyin’ R goes to such extremes to insure every detail of your project is correct and client-approved before we begin.
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