Decoration Options
Practically any item you can think of can be decorated in one or more of the following methods: Pad Printing, Screen Printing, Embroidery, Laser Engraving, Etching, Embossing, Plastisol Transfers, Decals and Sublimation.
Decoration Pricing
In most cases the cost of decorating products is calculated by the number of colours in the logo/image, the quantity of the item and the number of positions to be printed.
Set Up Fees
Initial set up fees apply with every form of decoration. This cost appears separately on the quote to the printing cost.
Set up fees are charged to cover the cost of applying your logo/image onto film, making a printing plate for each colour and creating a jig to ensure each item is decorated in a regular manner. This is a time consuming and costly process.
Pad Printing
Pad printing is where a silicone pad is used to lift an image from a printing plate after it has been inked and transferring the image to the surface on which you wish to print. Each colour in the design requires an individual printing plate. You are restrictioned as to how large an image can be reproduced depending on the type of product, the contours of its surface and the overall appearance of the final product. Promotional items which are usually pad printed include pens, pencils, keyrings, clocks, radios etc.
Screen Printing
Screen printing is achieved by pressing ink through a fine mesh screen, leaving a colour imprint on the fabric's surface. This is an effective method of printing for a wide range of products including clothing, bags, compendiums etc.
Embroidery
Embroidery is a method of stitching a logo/image onto clothing, hats, bags and many other promotional products. The artwork is digitised by using specialised software. It is a an extremely cost effective decoration method for a logo/image that requires multiple colours as the cost of embroidery is calculated on the number of stitches in the design.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving is used primarily on metal type objects and can be successfully used on a wide range of promotional items. Stainless steel and silver or gold metal promotional premiums are often laser engraved with an image as an alternative to pad printing or less effective methoids of promotional branding.
Etching
Etching is a similar process to laser engraving and is used as a method of decorating glassware with a permanent image. The image appears to be frosted in comparison to the rest of the glass.
Embossing
Leather, PVC and paper items are often embossed or stamped. The process of stamping a product with either a logo/image in silver or gold foil so it is permanently shown on the promotional item is the best explanation possible. A block is made of the artwork and then stamped onto the object using a hammer or mechanised system. Certain leather products can also be blind embossed leaving an image impressed into the product without metal foiling.
Plastisol Transfers
Plastisol transfer is a process of applying a transfer (sticker) with one or more colours to an item. Transfers are often used on products that have a rough surface i.e. bags or hats where screen printing cannot give you the registration or fine lines that maybe part of the image being reproduced.
Decals
Decals are normally used to decorate porcelain, glass and ceramic items and other promotional products which are hardworking or require regular exposure to water and cleaning agents. Decals can produced in any number of different colours and are then applied to the promotional item. The best branding method then requires the item to be baked in a specially designed oven for 4-6 hours depending on the design and the colours used. Effectively the image becomes part of the product leaving a decoration which will stay in place for the life of the item.
Sublimatation
Sublimated prints allow you to take a particular photograph or digital image to be directly applied to the product. The effectiveeness of this branding system depends heavily on the type of artwork you plan to use.