Technical / Artwork
What kind of artwork do you need for embroidery?
We can accept embroidery files, such as DSTs and EMB files. Of course, we can also convert your JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, PDF, AI, EPS, and CDR files into an embroidery file format for a fee. Please be sure to supply us with the highest quality image possible to ensure maximum accuracy. Sending an embroidery file will decrease your setup fees. All files should be emailed, please contact me for more info.
Can I send you a file by email?
Yes. Please contact me for more info.
What is the largest sewing area for a design?
The largest is 12.5″ by 14.5” whether it is vertical or horizontal.
What is the smallest letter you can make?
We can make letters incredibly small, but we don’t recommend sewing letters less than ¼” high. The quality of the stitching decreases considerably at heights lower than ¼”, particularly on specific fabrics, such as pique and fleece.
Can you match Pantone colors?
Depending on the color, we can match it accurately with embroidery threads, but not all Pantone colors are represented among the thread colors. This is due to the limited number of thread colors available from thread manufacturers. We have a system for color matching and we can match your color very closely, but a perfect match is not possible among all Pantone colors. If you would like to see about matching your Pantone color, please contact us.
How can I make sure my design will digitize and embroider well?
You need to provide us with the best artwork you have available. We can accept JPG or GIF format. If needed, you can send other formats via e-mail or snail mail. If you have information about Pantone colors and logo sizes, be sure to include that information.
Do you do 3D embroidery?
Yes. We can certainly do 3D or “Puff” embroidery. In order to do this, the file must be specifically digitized for 3D embroidery. If you have an embroidery file and are not sure whether or not it will work, you can forward it to us for a free consultation.
I want to have different colors on different shirts. Can you do that?
Absolutely. There is no charge for color changes on your embroidery order.
What is appliqué and do you provide this service?
Appliqué is the type of work you see most often on a college sweatshirt. It involves the laying down of tackle twill letters and stitching around those letters. It can be very difficult and expensive. We currently do not offer this service but are looking into it.
What if I don’t have a design?
You can find a graphic designer to design an image for you. With that image I can then embroider it for you
How many colors can you accommodate in a design?
There is no additional charge for having up to 14 colors in a design, because our machines hold up to fourteen colors of thread in them at any one time. Since needles will have to be re-threaded during the machine run to accommodate any number of colors over 14, additional charges will apply to any design requiring over 14 colors.
Do you have any stock designs available?
Yes, we have over 10,000 stock designs and 100 lettering typestyles from which you can choose.
What kind of designs can I choose from?
Smart Choice Embroidery has a huge collection! Whether you want cars, wildlife, floral or occupational designs. Just give me a call at (801) 833-5950 or e-mail me.
Do you have different typestyles available?
You bet! We have over 100 typestyles to choose from. We have block styles, script styles, old English, Greek letters, and more.
Will there be a set-up charge if I create a design using stock designs and stock lettering?
No.
Can I change colors within stock designs?
No problem! Just tell us what you would like to see, and we can get it done. We’ll even offer our advice if we foresee a conflict in your color choices and the design layout / background colors.
What colors do I have to choose from?
We offer a wide variety of colors and shades of thread. We can even match many PMS colors.
What do I need to supply for Artwork?
The better the quality of the artwork you provide, the more closely we can match what you are looking for. We prefer to work with good, clean full color renditions of the art you want reproduced. If you have a design that you are happy with, that was previously created by another embroidery shop, sending us the file from that job ensures a perfect reproduction, and lower setup fees.
Will I See a Proof of my design?
With custom digitized designs we will send you a sewn sample, or scan the sewn sample and e-mail/text you a picture of the design.
Can the same embroidery image be used on different garments?
Usually. But to avoid complications, please tell us what kinds of garments you are considering using the design on in the future if possible. This way we can design the job to work on as many of the different applications you have in mind as possible.
I got a disk from another embroiderer. My Computer says the disk is blank. . .
Many embroidery design disks are stored in formats that Windows or Macintosh cannot read. Don’t worry, just send us the disk and we will examine it. It is probably just fine!
When Smart Choice Embroidery creates an embroidery design for me, who owns the design?
That depends. When we create a custom design for you, and charge a fee for turning your artwork into an embroidery file – you own it. When items from our stock design collection are involved, we cannot transfer ownership to you under any conditions because the suppliers of the art and typestyles only license those elements to us for in-house work.
Are design charges applied to every order?
No. Once your design is on file with us, or if you supply us with an embroidery-ready design file on disk, there is no design charge.
Ordering / Pricing / Payment
How soon will my order be ready?
Most orders will be completed within 1 week. If for some reason your order will take longer, we will notify you as soon we become aware of a possible delay. If you need your order sooner, we can usually still accommodate you, although additional charges may be necessary to accommodate the circumstances.
What types of payment do you take?
We accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. However there is a 3% fee for all credit card transactions.
How does the order process work?
You can email your logo to info@smartchoiceembroidery.com and select your garment. We then put together an e-proof for your approval. After approval, the order is produced and picked up.
What are the payment terms?
Payment is due at the time of pick up
Can I order if I am not in the local area?
Yes. We accept orders from all over the United States.
Do I have to come down to your shop to purchase?
No. The transaction can happen completely over the internet with your product shipped to you. However, we would love to meet you and have you visit our shop.
How does pricing work for embroidery?
Embroidery pricing is tied to the number of stitches. A garment of 3,000 stitches is going to take much less time on the embroidery machine then a design of 50,000 stitches. Pricing is also dependent on the number of garments embroidered. Colors are not normally a pricing factor unless there are more than fourteen colors in the design.
What is the set-up fee and what is it for?
A set-up fee is a one-time fee charged to set up a computer file to tell the embroidery machines what to do for embroidery. Most items will require a set-up fee. For embroidery, this is payment for the time it takes to digitize your logo, which means to put it in a format that the embroidery machine can read.
Can I see a sew-out of my design?
Yes. Sew-outs are complimentary when you digitize your logo with us.
How much will it cost (are there any hidden fees)?
This is probably the most popular question that we get. Many embroidery companies like to play games with the pricing by including the cost of embroidery in the garment price. If you choose a design with too many stitches in it they will tack on extra charges at the last-minute. We disclose all our prices and total them up for you during the checkout process…THERE ARE NO HIDDEN CHARGES!
There are four costs that you need to be aware of when ordering custom embroidery: Setup Cost (digitizing fee), Embroidery Cost (sometimes called stitching or application charge), Garment Cost, and Shipping Cost.
Do you have a chart of your embroidery charges?
No, since each embroidery job is individualized prices can vary.
What kind of work does Smart Choice Embroidery do?
Smart Choice Embroidery is your source for embroidery on Shirts, Caps, sweaters, Jackets, Casual Business wear, bags, Aprons, Baby blankets, Bibs, and just about anything else that can support a thread and needle and that will fit on my hoops. We do work for all your different needs, whether you need something for business, promotions, Family, conventions or golf outings.
Do you have a catalog?
For the most part, we create designs to your specifications. However, we also have a stock design catalog containing over 10,000 designs – which would be most difficult to post on the Internet or combine into a single catalog. If you are interested in a specific topic, we can fax or e-mail you scanned images from our collection that would best suit your needs for you to choose from.
Do you supply the items to be embroidered?
Yes! We can supply you with highest quality, name-brand apparel that was made specifically for embroidery. We can also work with quality garments you provide. If you elect to provide your own goods for production, please be aware that embroidery is a manufacturing process, and some spoilage is likely to occur. While we endeavor to provide 100% quality on every piece in every order, the embroidery industry as a whole rejects 2% of every order sewn. We cannot be held responsible for spoilage that is within this tolerance. If you elect to provide goods for embroidery it is wise to send us a sample for inspection, since not every garment is capable of supporting or accepting quality embroidery.
What kind of minimums does Smart Choice Embroidery have?
At Smart Choice Embroidery we have a minimum quantity of ONE.
How much does embroidery cost?
We realize that most shoppers start their purchasing process by comparing prices. That is very difficult when shopping for embroidery. Since no two embroidery jobs are quite alike, pricing an embroidery order is a difficult task. We can tell you that Smart Choice Embroidery offers the highest quality service at a competitive price. All designs are quoted based upon estimated stitch count and quantity, and we always offer a firm quotation of price in advance.
Clothing / Material
Can I bring my own garments in for embroidery?
Yes. However, quite often we can save you money by purchasing the product for you because of our volume discount with several vendors.
What types of garments produce the best embroidery results?
Button down shirts, jackets and bags will produce crisp results for embroidery. Loose knit shirts and caps can be difficult for small lettering and detail.
What kind of items can be embroidered?
The saying in our shop is, “If we can hoop it, we can embroider it.” Most soft items can be embroidered. Call us with questions about your particular item at 801 833-5950
Is it cheaper to do screen printing or embroidery?
Screen Printing is less expensive than embroidery. However, embroidery will last longer than screen printing will.
Do I have to supply the shirts, caps, etc. that I want embroidered?
No. You can order garments from our online catalog. We offer top brands like Ogio, Nike, Eddie Bauer, Port Authority, District, and more.
Miscellaneous
Can you personalize my garment?
Yes, we can personalize with names and/or numbers. We ask that you provide an electronic version of your list of names, preferably in Excel, to facilitate production.
Can you embroider this logo on this location?
We’ve done all kinds of locations and materials. No matter how crazy it might sound, contact us with your ideas and we’ll see what we can do!
How do I get started?
Contact me at 801-833-5950 and I can help you get started
Do colors match between different styles (will a butter colored polo match a butter colored tee shirt)?
No. Generally speaking colors will not match 100% between different styles. Coloring of a garment may even change from batch to batch. A red shirt purchased today may not match a red shirt that you bought in the past. Most customers do not notice the slight variations in color, however if color matching is a concern we suggest buying your embroidered apparel in a single batch, and let us know so we inspect the garments prior to embroidery application.
Are there any limitations on the types of graphics that can be reproduced with the embroidery process?
Yes. Small text, fine detail, and color gradients can be difficult to reproduce with embroidery. Additionally the level of detail that can be reproduced is affected by the type of fabric the logo is stitched on. Call me 801 833-5950 and we can discuss your project in more detail
Why do you charge a setup fee for uploaded logo’s?
Unfortunately, custom logo’s still need to be digitized by hand for the best result. Our design team has access to state of the art digitizing software and even this software cannot produce production quality logo’s automatically. If software existed that could automatically create digitized logo’s we would be using it and digitizing would be free. Other companies combine digitizing into the total cost so it seems like it’s free, we choose to show the actual embroidery costs instead. Once you have paid us to digitize your logo, you will never have to pay for it again…. Should you ever decide to leave us for another supplier, you can download your paid digitized logo at any time.
Does Smart Choice Embroidery sell non-embroidered Items?
Most of the garments we sell can be purchased without embellishment if you so desire.
What kind of embroidery process do you offer?
To many people, that may seem like a strange question, but the fact is: there are many different types of embroidery out there. Some of the processes include chenille stitch, loop stitch, Schiffli, zig-zag stitch, and satin stitch. We use (brand name) embroidery equipment, which produces the finest satin stitch embroidery. Satin stitch embroidery allows the thread to travel in smooth, silky columns, with the thread direction able to change to accommodate the design. We feel that this process is the most superior method available for decorating on garments.
Do you offer product samples?
We can send you a sample embroidery design on backing if you wish at no charge. Due to the costs involved in creating and sewing embroidered designs, we cannot offer speculative samples of your design. However, I always supply a sample of your logo before I sew it on your product.