In an overcrowded market plagued by a soft economy, quality and service are powerful points of differentiation that will trump competitors every time and help to set you apart from the pack.
There are many factors that contribute to high quality embroidery and they must each be mastered and controlled in order to produce world class results.
By far the most important factor is digitizing.
Digitizing is the process of converting graphical images or art work into an instruction file that an embroidery machine can interpret.
There is very little that can be done during the embroidery process to compensate for a poorly conceived or executed digitizing exercise.
On the other hand, sloppiness or mistakes in production can definitely ruin or degrade the results from a beautifully digitized embroidery file.
There are also several production considerations that impact embroidery quality.
It begins with machine quality - such as top-of-the-line modern Tajima machines, considered by many to be the "gold standard" in the industry.
A disciplined daily, weekly, and semi-annual preventative maintenance program ensures that machine part tolerances (which cause variability in results) are minimized and that worn parts are replaced on a timely basis.
Careful employee selection and continuous training ensure that machines are properly calibrated and that proper materials are used for each job.
Written procedures and quality standards must be understood and maintained by each employee.
And only the finest materials (i.
e.
, backings, toppings, thread, and bobbins) can be used.
Even the smallest detail-a dull needle or a poorly tensioned embroidery machine-can constitute the difference between good quality embroidery and a product that truly stands out from the rest.