What kind of thread do you use?

We use a high-sheen polyester thread called Isalon 40.

How tough is the embroidery?

An embroidered design is at least as tough as any every-day garment, in terms of pulling and abrasion. It is extremely colour-fast to light and washing.

What are the washing instructions for an embroidered garment?

Up to 95C (that’s hot!) on a wrinkle resistant cycle; bleach proof; medium iron on reverse or through cloth; medium temperature tumble dry; any dry cleaning.

What colours are available?

Isalon is available in over 420 colours. Please contact us to discuss any specific requirements.

How many colours can I have in a design?

Any number, in principle. Most designs would typically have fewer than 10 colours.

What is the maximum size of design?

36x50 cm - but that’s one big design! More practically, a design could cover a whole jacket back - say 30x30 cm. If a design is made up of separate elements at least 5 cm apart, then the size is unlimited.

How many stitches are there in a typical design?

The Tiger Face design is about 5 cm in diameter and contains 6645 stitches - about 400 stitches per square cm.

Can designs be re-sized?

Embroidery designs can be re-sized, but it is generally better to stick with the original size, because the stitches used will have been designed to get the right effect at this size.

Lettering can be resized, but note that the minimum column width (e.g. the strokes of a ‘T’) is about 1.5 mm, and thus there is a minimum character height of about 6 mm. This is the size of capitals in a 24 pt font.

Are there limits to the thinness/thickness of the embroidered material?

At the thin end of the spectrum, you probably wouldn’t want a solid design on a very wispy T-shirt, because the backing needed would make the embroidered area relatively stiff.

At the thick end of the spectrum, any normal fabric can be embroidered (even leather), with the possible exception of very thickly quilted garments (e.g. duvet jackets).

Can you embroider a design taken from a photograph?

Yes, but you need to keep in mind that printing and embroidery are quite different media. The pixel in a 300 dpi print is about 0.08 x 0.08 mm; the ‘pixel’ in an embroidered design is about 0.33 x 1.5 mm, so both the granularity and the texture are different.