Embroidery Art and Pre-Production from the Custom Logo Factory

The embroidery prices listed by the Custom Logo Factory reflect the customer providing a design and digitized file that is "100% READY FOR PRODUCTION". If a design or digitized file is not "100% READY FOR PRODUCTION", then design and digitizing fees will be charged as a part of the job, as this graphics work requires the time and knowledge of a highly skilled professional.

There are two parts to creating an embroidered image: the development of a logo or graphic design, and the digitizing of that design to create a computer file that instructs the embroidery machine what to sew where. These are two distinct processes, and the billing for each process is separate (see below).

The Custom Logo Factory is happy to work with outside designers, agencies and design-oriented customers who wish to provide art and digitized embroidery files that are "100% READY FOR PRODUCTION", so that these fees can be avoided. We suggest, however, that only those who are highly experienced in design, digitizing and embroidery production attempt to provide digitized embroidery files to us.

OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE: THE QUALITY OF THE ARTWORK CREATED AND READIED FOR PRODUCTION DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE FINAL LOOK OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT. IF YOU DECIDE TO USE SELF-DESIGNED OR PREVIOUSLY-DESIGNED ARTWORK THAT IS LESS THAN 100% PERFECT TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS IN ART CHARGES, THEN IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT THE FINISHED PRODUCT TO BE LESS THAN 100% PERFECT.

Listed below are the technical requirements that will ensure perfect embroidery production from the Custom Logo Factory.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A LOGO OR GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR EMBROIDERY

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LOGO OR GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR EMBROIDERY
PRODUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR EMBROIDERY

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A LOGO OR GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR EMBROIDERY

Art that is "100% READY FOR PRODUCTION" means the customer provides a digitized embroidery file to us in one of the formats listed below, ready for sewing. UNDER ANY OTHER SCENARIO, DESIGN AND/OR DIGITIZING CHARGES WILL BE BILLED.

DESIGNS, LOGOS AND ART FILES: Digitized embroidery files are created by importing an existing graphic or logo into a digitizing software program and then "tracing over" that design with stitch patterns. These images can be scanned from a paper copy that contains your design, or they can be imported from a digital art file (including low-resolution images taken from the web).

Paper copies of logos or designs should be presented at the highest resolution possible, and in a color format. Letterhead is an acceptable option (more so than business cards, because typically the logos on business cards are small and printed on textured paper). We can also use black and white line art as the tracing pattern, so long as any color breaks required are designated in some way.

Digital art files of logos or designs are created and saved from a professional graphics program or exported from a graphics program. Acceptable graphic program formats include files created in Photoshop, Freehand, Quark, PageMaker, CorelDraw, Illustrator, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint or any paint program that can export an image. Acceptable exported file formats include eps, gif, jpeg, or bmp at any resolution, but the higher the better. Any and all fonts and attachments must be included with every file type, or all fonts must be turned to paths. Images taken from websites are acceptable for creating digitized embroidery files, so long as they are large enough to see clearly.

The bigger and cleaner the provided art, the easier it is to digitize and the more accurate the final result. Color breaks must be made apparent on this artwork, so that these color breaks can be built in to the digitized file.

Standard turn-around time for digitizing existing artwork is three business days. If digitizing is required in less than three business days, a rush charge of 20% will be added to the invoiced amount, plus any and all shipping charges involved with sewout approvals.

If the Custom Logo Factory provides an estimate to you in regards to the number of stitches that a piece of art will require to complete as an embroidered file, remember that this number is only an estimate. All digitizing and embroidery fees will be billed based on the ACTUAL STITCH COUNTS that can only be determined after the file is digitized. Adjustments will be made to all estimates, both up or down, based on the final, actual stitch count.

DIGITIZED EMBROIDERY FILES: The Custom Logo Factory prefers to use TAJIMA [.DST] digitized embroidery files, as this format sews best on our embroidery machines. (IMPORTANT NOTE: we cannot edit or resize TAJIMA .DST files! Any .DST files provided must ready for sewing!)

We also accept the following digitized embroidery file formats: MELCO CONDENSED [.CND]; COMPUCON [.REF or .XXX]; BROTHER BES [.BDF]. Each of these file types can be opened, edited and resized through our systems.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LOGO OR GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR EMBROIDERY

The best in professional artwork and design services are available from the art staff at the Custom Logo Factory! Using our professionals to create your logo from scratch provides not only a high level of aesthetics, but also ensures that the designs will translate perfectly into screen printed and/or embroidered works.

Remember that there are two parts to creating an embroidered image: the development of a logo or graphic design, and the digitizing of that design to create a computer file that instructs the embroidery machine what to sew where. These are two distinct processes, and the billing for each process is separate (see price chart).

[IF YOU WANT ONLY EMBROIDERED TEXT (no graphic/logo/design/image) ON YOUR PRODUCTS, THERE ARE NO DESIGN OR DIGITIZING FEES; customers only pay a one-time typsetting fee of $30. You may choose any of our Stock Embroidery Fonts and we will set the text to your specifications in preparation for embroidery. Text setups include only type/letters/words; no graphics, icons or logos included. Billed per set of words sewn in a single location.]

All time spent on a design project will be tracked and billed to the customer, including the time spent on discussing concepts and making revisions to the design concepts presented and the cost per thousand stitches for the actual digitizing.

Standard turn-around time for graphic designs created from scratch is three business days; if a shorter time period is required, a rush charge of 20% will be added to the fees charged. Standard turn-around time for digitizing is also three business days; likewise, if a shorter time period is required, a rush charge of 20% will be added to the fees charged.

If the Custom Logo Factory provides an estimate to you in regards to the number of stitches that a piece of art will require to complete as an embroidered file, remember that this number is only an estimate. All digitizing and embroidery fees will be billed based on the ACTUAL STITCH COUNTS that can only be determined after the file is digitized. Adjustments will be made to all estimates, both up or down, based on the final, actual stitch count.

Feel free to discuss ideas, time estimates and fees with your sales representative prior to submitting your order to us, so that both parties clearly understand the expectations and all of the potential applications for the design prior to development.

PRODUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

MAXIMUM ART PRODUCTION DIMENSIONS:
- hat fronts/left chest designs: 4"w x 2.5"h
- full front or full back on adult apparel: 14.5"w x 16"h
- bags and other accessories: vary by specific product
Dimensions may reduce if sewing on adult sizes S or M.
Youth and infant sizes reduce maximum dimensions further.

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRE-PRODUCTION SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR EMBROIDERY

GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES
$60 per hour billed in 15-minute increments
The following work is covered under this billing:
- graphic or logo design and development
- design concept discussions (phone or email)
- image scanning, typesetting and editing

DIGITIZING FEES
$19 per thousand stitches digitized
- stitch counts are estimated by the size and complexity of a design
- specialty jobs and/or oversized embroidery will be quoted by the job

[NOTE: If the Custom Logo Factory provides an estimate to you in regards to the number of stitches that a piece of art will require to complete as an embroidered file, remember that this number is only an estimate. All digitizing and embroidery fees will be billed based on the ACTUAL STITCH COUNTS that can only be determined after the file is digitized. Adjustments will be made to all estimates, both up or down, based on the final, actual stitch count.]

"TYPESETTING ONLY" EMBROIDERY SETUP
$30 per setup
- includes only type/letters/words; no graphics, icons or logos included
- billed per set of words sewn in a single location

EDITING OF PREVIOUSLY DIGITIZED DESIGNS
$30 for revisions requiring less than 30 minutes to complete
- will quote major revisions

MONOGRAMS OR EMBROIDERED NAMES
- No setup fees; see embroidery production pricing

RUSH CHARGES
20% added for all rush design, pre-production and production work
- standard design time is three business days
- standard digitizing time is three business days
- standard production time is seven business days
- all orders required in less time than standard will be charged as "rush"

DIGITIZED ART FILE DISK
$50 per digitized design
- copy of digitized art file provided on a 3.5" disk
- if original graphic designs are to be included, then a CD is provided for $125

Questions? Please contact your sales representative with any question you have about art, design or pre-production. If your salesperson cannot answer your question directly, he or she will consult with the art department to obtain an answer for you. For some technical questions better handled directly, an art department staff member may contact you in response.

DIRECT TO GARMENT EMBROIDERY