How Does Industrial Embroidery Work? by Jan Detlefsen

However, how does such an embroidery design get onto caps, pullovers or pockets?

At the beginning stands the idea of a design, mostly in the form of a company logo together with a slogan. If the idea only exists on paper, the design must be digitized into computer readable data. This takes place e.g. through reading in with a scanner. Then if the motif is available as a file, it must be converted into vector graphics. In this case, individual pixels are no more determining for the design but the lines, which separate a color field. One recognizes vector graphics also by the fact that one is able to enlarge them infinitely without quality loss, because the dividing lines always remain sharp.

These vector graphics are loaded into the punch program. The semantics of the word is to be traced back to the procedures before the computerized embroidery program creation where the commands were still pricked by hand in a punch card made of hard paper.

The puncher on the software decisively determines the quality of the finished stitch content. Here there are dozens of parameters such as stitch density, stitch direction, stitch distance, stitch pattern and the precedence of stitch work correctly on the motif, the embroidery machine and the textiles to be embroidered. Thus a cap requires a different embroidery program than a leather jacket, even if it concerns one and the same embroidery motif.

Not without reason there are companies which have specialized one and only in the production of the embroidery motifs.

Then if the embroidery program is ready, it is transmitted either by network, direct connection or floppy disk to the embroidery machine.

Again also in the embroidery machine there are different parameters which can improve the embroidery result or make it worse. The most important ones here are above and under thread tension and embroidery speed.

Then the real conversion of the program into the textile embroidery is only routine. The embroidery machine is made, in principle, just like a normal house sewing machine, many components, e.g. the under thread guidance looks very similar.

The essential difference is the amount of needles, which reaches from 6 up to 18 automatically changing needles and therefore usable colors in one motif.

Then when the motif is constructed, a quick change of the embroidery piece can be done, which makes the embroidery very interesting especially for bigger works orders. Bigger embroidery machines are so-called multi head machines, here i.e. up to 24 embroideries are done at the same time. This increases the economic efficiency and therefore makes the price per piece more attractive.

With the use of the finished product there are hardly any restrictions. Therefore, work clothes are embroidered with pleasure. Also clothes that needs chlorine laundry, like for example doctor's smocks can be permanently improved with special sewing cotton.

About The Author

Jan Detlefsen is owner and operator of Tonsai Headwear, a full service company for headwear need of all kinds and a specialised embroidery company for caps and hats at http://www.tonsai.de.