General Decoration Terms
DIGITAL PRINTING: A 4-color process of printing directly from
a computer file onto a garment.
DEBOSSING: A process in which fabrics are engraved with
the use of heat rollers under pressure to produce a concave/
sunken design on the fabric surface.
EMBOSSING: A process in which fabrics are engraved with
the use of heated rollers under pressure to produce a raised
design on the fabric surface.
EMBROIDERY: Decoration consisting of needlework created
using a special machine that is programmed to stitch a design
combining texture, pattern and color.
HEAT TRANSFER: The process of transferring a design from a
specially treated paper to a garment using temperatures around
375 F (190 C). See “Hot-peel transfer” and “Cold-peel transfer.”
Laser Appliqué: A laser beam is used to cut single or multiple
fabric layers revealing a fine, detailed design.
Laser Etching: A process that uses laser technology to etch or
burn a mark on a fabric surface.
PRINTED TRANSFER: Printed transfers use many of the same
inks and techniques of printing to create a design that is
transferred from a sheet to a garment using heat.
SCREEN PRINTING: The process of printing by squeezing ink
through screens allowing color to pass through open areas to
create a design. Multi-colored designs are achieved using one
screen for each color in the design.
STUDDED TRANSFER: Colored metallic and rhinestone studs
are arranged on a sheet that is used to transfer the studs to a
garment using heat.
Embroidery Terms
APPLIQUÉ: Decoration or trimming cut from one fabric piece
and stitched to another to add dimension or for design
techniques.
BACKING: Material used beneath the embroidered fabric to
provide stability and support.
BEAN STITCH: Three stitches placed back and forth between two
points. Often used for outlining because it eliminates the need
for repeatedly digitizing a single-ply running stitch outline.
CONNECTING STITCHES: Threads that connect short distanced
objects in embroidery. Distance of 1/16” is the industry standard
for using a connecting stitch.
CROSS STITCH: Two stitches that cross to form an X.
DENSITY: Number of stitches per given area.
DIGITIZING: Conversion of artwork into a series of stitch commands
read by an embroidery machine’s computer via a card.
DISK or TAPE: Disk containing computerized embroidery
designs read by the embroidery machine’s computer.
EMBLEM/PATCH: Embroidered design with a finished edge,
stitched independent of garment.
FELT: Non-woven fabric made by layering thin sheets of fibers,
then applying heat, moisture and pressure to shrink and
compress the fibers into a thick matted cloth that will not ravel
or fray. Used for appliqué designs and letters.
FILL STITCH: A series of running stitches commonly used to
cover large areas.
FINISHING: Processes done after the embroidery is completed,
including trimming loose threads, removing excess facing or
backing, and pressing or steaming to remove puckers and
hoop marks.
FRAME: Holding device for inserting the hoop beneath the
needle to maintain stability during the embroidery process.
HOOP: Wood, plastic or steel device used to tightly grip the
fabric and stabilizer between an inner and outer ring. Attaches
to machine’s frame. Designed to hold fabric taut against the
machine bed for embroidery.
LETTERING: Embroidery using letters or words. Lettering,
commonly called “keyboard lettering,” may be created using
an embroidery lettering program on a PC or from circuit boards
that allow variance of letter style, size, height, density and
other characteristics.
LOCK STITCH: Formed by three or four consecutive short, tight
threads stitched at end of embroidery to prevent raveling.
LOOPING: Loops on the embroidery surface generally caused
by poor top tension or tension problems. Typically occurs when
polyester top thread has been improperly tensioned.
MONOGRAM: Embroidered design composed of one or more
letters, usually one’s initials or name.
PUCKERING: Result of fabric being gathered by the stitches.
Possible causes include loose hooping, lack of or improper
backing, incorrect tension or a dull needle.
PUFF EMBROIDERY: Stitching a dense motif over embroidery/
craft foam to create a three-dimensional effect.
REGISTRATION: Correct registration is achieved when all
stitches and design elements line up correctly.
RESIZING: The ability to scale a design to different sizes. May
cause density problems unless stitch count can be altered.
RUNNING STITCH: A single stitch between two points, used
for outlining and fine detail.
SATIN STITCH: Formed by closely arranged zigzag stitches.
Can be stitched at any angle and with varying lengths.
Sequin Embroidery : A technique in which sequins are
embroidered directly onto a garment or cap.
SPECIALTY FILL: Fill stitch capability that produces a design
in relief.
SPECIALTY THREADS: Threads designed for effects such as
shine, glitter, iridescence or thickness. The thread soften are
made from synthetic materials including rayon, mercerized
cotton, metallics and textured nylon.
SPI - Stitches per inch: System for measuring density or the
amount of satin stitches in an inch of embroidery.
TACKLE TWILL: Letters or numbers, cut from twill fabric that
are commonly used for athletic teams and organizations.
Tackle twill appliqués attached to a garment have an adhesive
backing that tacks them in place; the edges of the appliqués
are then zigzag stitched.
TENSION: Thread tautness.
THREAD: Fine cord of natural or synthetic twisted fiber used
for stitching. Machine embroidery threads come in rayon (high
sheen), cotton (duller finish), polyester (strong and colorfast),
metallics (synthetic core wrapped with metal foil or thin slivers
of metal foil) and acrylic (sheen similar to rayon).
TOPPING: Material hooped or placed on top of fabric to hold
the embroidery stitches above it.
TRIMMING: Operation in the finishing process that involves
trimming the reverse and top sides of the embroidery, including
jump stitches and backing. |
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Screen Printing Terms
ABRASION-RESISTANT: The ability of a surface to resist
deterioration by friction. Commonly describes the durability
of cured ink.
BLEEDING: The migration of ink, pigment or dye into
unwanted areas. Typically occurs when one ink spreads or
mixes with another ink, forming an unwanted third color. Also
can occur during high-temperature curing where a low-opacity
ink is placed on a dark poly/cotton garment - red or black, for
example. Also known as color migration.
BLEND: A printing technique using multiple inks in one screen.
BONDING AGENT: An additive that gives ink better adhesion
to such substrates as nylon.
CLEAR SOFT-HAND INK: Clear ink that has no pigment but
creates a darker, tonal look when applied to a garment. It also
features a uniquely soft hand. Best results occur on color-wash
and medium color garments. Not recommended for White,
Navy, Dark Brown, or Black garments.
COLORFAST: The ability of an ink to retain its color on a
printed garment through laundering, exposure to light and
normal storage.
COLOR SEPARATION: Separating a multicolor design into its
primary colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. Individual
screens for each color then are prepared, with each color
applied where needed to recreate the full-color design.
CONVEYOR DRYER: A dryer that incorporates a conveyor belt
that moves garments through aheating chamber. Sometimes
called tunnel dryers.
CRYSTALINA INK: A clear glitter ink that is printed on white or
over a color to give a sparkle effect. Crystalina ink may change
look of base color.
CURING: An essential process typically associated with plastisol
inks whereby temperatures between 280-320 degrees F (137-
165 C) are necessary to fuse, or cure, the inks.
DISCHARGE: The one-step process where special inks that are
applied to a substrate – most often a black T-shirt – chemically
bleach out the substrates color to create a printed image. The
process is accelerated and completed as the garment passes
through a curing dryer. Also, the inks that are used.
DISTRESS: To make something appear worn. A variety of
distressing techniques can be applied to artwork resulting in
different looks.
FLASH CURE: A partial curing (fusing) process of plastisol
inks most often used in multicolor printing between color
applications.
FLOCK: Very short individual fibers that are applied via adhesive
to a backing to form a velvety surface.
FLOCKED TRANSFER: Colored fibers are adhered to a transfer
sheet to create intricate textured designs that are transferred
by heat to a garment.
FOUR-COLOR PROCESS: The process of reproducing a fullcolor
design from the original artwork to the screen printed
surface. Special process-color inks, which are transparent, are
used. See “Color separation.”
GLITTER INK: Colored ink with small flecks of glitter.
HALFTONE: A print that is photographically reproduced using
a series of small and large dots to represent the varying shades
or tones of a design. In screen printing, details and dark and
light tones are represented by dots of varying sizes: small dots
form light tones, large dots form darker tones.
HAND: The feel of ink on a substrate’s surface. A “soft” hand
has a light feel; a print with “no” hand feels like nothing has
been placed on the fabric. “Heavy” hand examples are puff
inks and the rubbery-feeling letters on football jerseys. Also,
the weight, heft and fineness of fabric itself. For example, a
pima lisle cotton knit has a finer hand than a 50/50 cotton/
polyester fleece.
HIGH-DENSITY INK: A specially formulated ink that adds height
to a design with a clear, sharp edge. Creates a 3-D appearance.
MESH: The woven fabric used to make screens. Usually composed
of synthetic fibers.
MESH COUNT: The system used to designate the number of
threads per inch in a woven fabric. A high mesh count means
the fabric has smaller holes and is more tightly woven. A low
mesh count means the fabric has larger holes and is more
loosely woven. Mesh count affects design reproduction detail
- the tighter the mesh count, the better the print quality.
METALLIC INK: Powdered metals, such as aluminum and bronze,
processed with ink to give appearance of gold or silver. Has a
smooth finish.
NON-REPRODUCIBLE COLOR: Certain colors (fluorescent, for
example) that can’t be perfectly color-matched in processcolor
printing.
OPACITY: The quality or ability of an ink to keep light from
penetrating. To completely cover a substrate, thereby fully
hiding the color of the garment underneath.
OVERALL: Refers to a print whose image or images cover the
entire substrate, front and back. Also referred to as “All over.”
PALLET: A surface that supports a garment during the printing
process. Also called a shirtboard or a platen.
PLASTISOL: A family of inks popularly used by screen printers.
The inks contain a plasticizer, such as polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.
PROCESS COLORS: Primary printing colors of magenta,
cyan, yellow and black that are printed one over another to
produce different hues in a multicolor print. The inks used
are transparent, exhibiting very low opacity. Requires color
separations. See "Opacity" and "Four-color process."
PUFF INK: An ink that expands when heated, giving a threedimensional
look.
REGISTRATION: The aligning of screens using special marking
guides or pins to ensure proper color/design placement and
crisp detail on the printed surface.
SHIMMER INK: A very fine glitter ink with a powdered
shimmering appearance.
SIMULATED PROCESS: Process uses spot color inks and special
seperations using halftones to achieve a similar photorealistic
look as four-color process.
SQUEEGEE: A tool that forces the ink through the screen onto
the printing surface.
SUBLIMATION: A type of transfer in which dyes, rather than
inks, are used to transfer a design onto a substrate with a
combination of heat and pressure. The dyes vaporize and are
absorbed by polyester fibers. The process can be used to print
textiles, as well as mugs, plates or other specialty items.
SUEDE INK: Inks with a soft textured suede-like hand.
WATER-BASED INK: Inks that have a water base, as opposed
to a petroleum or plastisol base.
WET-ON-WET: Printing one color over another color before the
first color has dried.
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