FAQ
Printbrands™ is an socially and ecologically conscious screen printing business that offers custom apparel, banners & signs and promotional product services.
What kinds of products can I customize with my design or logo?
Identity is very important. We will find a way of customizing whatever you need. Whether it's pens, Greek shirts, water bottles, polo shirts, flash memory, pledge jerseys, ceramic mugs, corporate apparel, hand fans, uniforms, banners, custom labeled apparel, Slinky's , athletic apparel, towels, or organic cloth bags; we can "Put your name on it!?
What defines "socially conscious" apparel?
Printbrands™ will only buy apparel from manufacturers that have WRAP certificates or comparable auditing practices in place for their operation. WRAP stands for Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production Principles. The WRAP program's objective is to independently monitor and certify compliance with these socially responsible global standards for manufacturing and to ensure that manufactured products are produced under lawful, humane and ethical conditions.
What is "eco-friendly" mean?
Ecologically conscious or "eco-friendly" apparel is manufactured in a way that takes into consideration things like the air, soil, plants, people, animals, and the sustainability of the fibers being used to make the apparel. The use of recycled fibers qualifies as "eco-friendly" as well. Environmental impact is also one of the considerations taken when a WRAP certificate is granted to an apparel manufacturer.
What are the minimums for custom apparel and ad specialty products?
This varies based on the type of product. Apparel minimums for screen printing is 24 and embroidery, 12. For ad specialties (promotional products), signs and banners, the minimums vary depending on product.
Who creates the Art Design?
You may provide your own art, or our art department can create an original design for your apparel or promotional product. Our graphic design professionals will work with you to create a unique and individual design for use with your custom apparel, promotional product, or sign.
What are "outlines" and why is it important for me to create them?
Individual fonts can enhance and focus the message of a design. There are tens of thousands of fonts available currently, with new ones popping up all the time. Fonts must either be installed on PrintBrands™ computers or the fonts need to be preserved in an original design provided to PrintBrands by creating outlines. In Adobe Illustrator, outlines change a unique font into an image. This process guarantees that we will see the same image you are seeing, and not our computer's translation of the unique font that you added to the design.
What are the artwork requirements for placing an order?
We accept:
Adobe Illustrator 5.5-6 (.eps)
Adobe Photoshop 4.0 or higher (.psd)
High Resolution JPEGs (>150 dpi)
Corel Draw
We cannot accept the following:
Publisher
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Office
Low resolution JPEGs (below 150 dpi)
Ideally, vector images (Adobe Illustrator, Freehand) are the preferred graphic files. They are made up of a set of mathematical points stored by their position on a grid. Because vector files are mathematical the images can be changed in size infinitely and maintain their integrity. Raster images (Photoshop, jpeg, bmp, etc.) are made up of pixels and as raster images are blown up in size the pixels get larger and their edges become more pronounced and pixilated.
Artwork can be sent to art@printbrands.net or you can provide us with a burned CD or flash memory media.
When do I pay?
Payment is required upon your approval of the artwork. Any payment terms must be negotiated prior to artwork approval.
How do I get started?
Browse our web site catalogue and pick out the apparel or product you would like to enhance with you own design and then click "request quote" button, and fill out the information for that product. Once you have filled out all the information, click the "send message" button to request a quote. You will hear back from us within 24 hours. If you do not see a particular product you want, call or email us. If a product is available, we can "Put your name on it!?.
Are there design limitations when choosing an embroidery design?
There are very few limitations as to what you can do with embroidery. It's a matter of choosing the right materials for the design. The texture of the material influences the detail. A finer cloth or smoother surface allows for a more detailed design while rougher surfaced cloth may require less detail or color options.
What is digitizing?
All images used in embroidery must be converted to a file format that will allow the embroidery machine to read your custom design. This must be done for every new and unique design you may want sewn onto a piece of apparel and has to be done with care. This is where the number of stitches for a design is determined.
What is an embroidery sew-out?
This is simply a sample of your design "sewn out" on an identical or comparable material to the one you intend to use for your custom apparel.
What are films and how are they used in screen printing?
It is not a movie. In reference to screen printing, a film is a black or single color positive image that is printed onto a piece of clear or opaque acetate. These images are then used to create your art on the screens.
How long can I anticipate the print to last?
Done correctly, the print will likely outlive the life of the apparel it's printed on.
What is a PMS color?
In screen printing, PMS colors are used to make a (pantone) match. The pantone color system was developed for graphic designers as a color matching system for the hundreds of colors from across the visual spectrum. Each pantone color is labeled with an alphanumeric code. The pantone system is not always perfect and can be confusing, but it's an established standard for color-coding that works.
How much will my custom apparel or promotional product cost?
There are so many variables that influence price. Things like color choices, quantity, type of materials, organic or renewable fibers, complexity of design, number of print areas and time tables can all influence how expensive an order will be. For some people, value comes with the execution of detail and design complexity in a product. For others, quantity and cost is what determine value. Put your name on it!
Where did the name "Printbrands™" come from?
The name "Printbrands™" emphasizes the importance of identity while describing the very nature of our business. The trademark symbol was used intentionally as part of the design to emphasize the importance of the branding and identity of our clients.