Using logos on custom apparel is a time honored tradition and a good strategy to increase brand awareness for your business. Many companies have uniforms for their employees that feature the businesses logos and slogans or they use branded apparel as a marketing tool for customer giveaways. A lot of corporate designs simply feature the logo in corporate colors on the left or right chest and while highly functional, this placement in plain print doesn’t elicit a lot of excitement. Providing professional business wear printing services is a large portion of our business and we’ve been doing it since 2003. But we believe promoting your business with custom apparel doesn’t have to be boring.
There are alternatives to traditional logo placement and decorated apparel print methods you may have not considered. Before you think these examples are too edgy or too fashion forward for your business, consider the shift in business culture and how little things like an exciting uniform can impact the growth of your company. Attracting millennial employees has become a goal of lots for employers. Unconventional work environments and perks including stand up desks, options for remote work, free energy drinks, and ping pong tables are becoming common tactics to attract and retain this coveted segment of employees. But never underestimate the power of self-perception.
Everyone wants to feel good about their appearance and that includes work uniforms. Even if your business does not require work uniforms, simply having logoed business apparel that’s attractive and fashionable may encourage your employees to want to wear these promotional products simply from a pride stand point.
Check out these alternative ideas for logo placement and decoration methods for custom business apparel:
Embroidery may not sound drastically alternative but if you’ve never considered it before and are looking for an elegant, expensive look it’s an attractive option. Embroidery is typically a time intensive project (meaning it will take longer than our typical 10-day turnaround.) The cost of embroidered shirts can vary dramatically and always require a custom quote depending on the following factors: the type of shirt desired, the quantity, the stich count, and the complexity of the design.
The norm for embroidered products is the polo shirt. Assuming you want it to last a while, we recommend a medium to high end polo. Cheaper polos are typically thin and will curl at the collar after brief wear, but can be perfectly acceptable if you’re looking to get them made for a one-time event or convention. The cost can also vary depending on the feature of the shirt like long sleeve versus short sleeve, color blocking, pocket, and trim stripes.
Most people only think of polos when considering embroidery but you can also embroider sweaters, sweatshirts, and even tees although we would recommend a very thick tee.
The complexity and size of the design as well as the setup required are super important. Pricing basically comes down to the time we need to spend digitizing the artwork and the stitch count to make sure the end product turns out beautifully. Oversized designs are possible and would definitely be eye catching, but due to the stitch count, larger means more pricey. As with anything custom made that can be produced easily in volume, the more you order, the lower the cost will be for each individual garment.
This is an interesting prospect especially if you have a logo that is horizontally inclined. A horizontal logo when printed traditionally will usually have to be smaller to fit within the parameters of the shirt. But if we print it at a quirky slant, suddenly there is a lot more of the garment that can be utilized to broadcast your message and the overall presentation suddenly has a modern and edgy feel.
This is a novel concept for the screen print world. Printing over an actual hem is not typically recommended because the slight peaks and valleys introduced into the material by the stitching will interfere with a clean print. But you can have a similar impact by featuring the logo flush to the hem. It will result in a very unexpected but noteworthy look.
Businesses don’t have to be bashful about promoting who they are and what they are about. Say it loud and say it proud with an oversized print. No more squinting to see this branded shirt!
We know not everyone thinks glitter belongs on business apparel but the possibilities are fun. Glitter doesn’t have to be feminine either. Consider crystalline ink over your screen printed logo on a black shirt. The effects can be stunning if you’re willing to try something new. Of course glitter prints can be very feminine which may open up a new channel for your business if you’re looking to attract a specific segment of people. Obviously some business types scream for glitter like hair and nail salons, a woman’s apparel store, and yoga and Pilates studios.
Glow in the dark is of course going to be most beneficial for nighttime activities or low light environments like bars and pubs. Glow in the dark ink needs to be exposed to light for it to glow when it’s in the dark and the length of time the ink glows will depend on the ink used. If it’s heavily deposited on the design, the more vibrant you can expect it to be. If you’re going to be hosting a big nighttime event for your business or employees, this option will add a lot of interest and definitely cause people to talk about your event. It’s also a great motivator to get people to take pictures at your event and share on social media.
Here’s another unusual and modern instance of using your company’s logo on custom business apparel. Instead of just a single humdrum print, we can arrange your logo into a repeating pattern across the printable area. Alternating the color of your logo in the design can add more visual appeal.
This could require some flexibility from your company’s branding department. If you don’t have rigid branding policies changing a logo to print vertically will add an unusual element to your staff’s uniforms or customer appreciation gifts.
This is usually associated with sports team wear but what’s wrong with cross associating your logoed business apparel with sports. People love sports teams because sports are something everyone can get behind and support. Borrowing from the energy, vitality, and enthusiasm that sports convey and associating the same mentality with your business is a pretty cool game plan. Keep your team excited and motivated to wear your personalized business wear and the “squad goals” mindsight thriving at work.