In a world where working from home is the new norm, people are more inclined to wear athleisure at their desks than khakis and polo shirts. But what happens when a customer wants embroidery on garments such as leggings, quarter-zips, or joggers?
We talked to industry experts from ColDesi(opens in new tab) and Melco(opens in new tab) to provide an embroidery-on-athleisure 101, helping customers comfortably rep their brands without compromising the quality or performance of their apparel.
Thin and Stretchy Isn’t Ideal for Embroidery
Marc Vila, director of marketing for ColDesi, and Josh Welch, applications team manager at Melco, agree that the stretchy, breathable materials commonly used for athleisure can pose challenges when it comes to embroidery.
“These materials can be, not always, very lightweight,” Vila says. “They are also like spandex. So, there’s a lot of stretch to those fabrics. And you’re going to need to handle embroidery different when you’re dealing with very lightweight garments or very elastic garments.”
Welch agrees, explaining that because polyester and spandex are common in athleisure, the thinner, stretchier fabric can shift or stretch during stitching. This can cause puckering and registration issues, resulting in a low-quality finished product.
Welch also warns decorators about lightweight fleece fabrics. These materials can be tricky because the fleece texture may show through the stitches or even bury them, affecting the clarity and appearance of the design.
Read this full article on Apparelist, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
