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PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
Oxfords & Denims
PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS

Oxfords & Denims Embroidery Project

By   James M. (Jimmy) Lamb   on   February 01, 2008
Description

Freshen up classic garments like denim and oxford shirts with creative placements and unique applications.

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Freshen up classic garments like denim and oxford shirts with creative placements and unique applications.

 
 
No matter how much things change, they still remain the same – sort of. Take for example, the classic garments such as denim and oxford shirts. They have been around for many years, yet they still remain popular and have changed little if any in their basic design. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t freshen them up a bit by using creative placements and unique applications. In fact, creativity is the driving force that sets the leaders apart from the followers in this industry. Those innovators who stand at the forefront of the industry typically got there by developing new embellishment opportunities that turned heads, opened doors and brought in new revenue streams. Thus, you should challenge yourself to do the same. Don’t get stuck in the left chest logo rut!
Chances are you have probably had the opportunity to embroider on a denim or oxford shirt. For the purposes of this article, we will define the shirt style as follows:
  • It has a structured collar, possibly a button-down style, but not necessarily.
  • It buttons up the front – top to bottom.
  • It may have a pocket on the left or right chest, but not required.
  • It has an extended tail.
  • It has sleeves – either long or short.
In all likelihood, you produced a logo on the left chest and possibly the right chest. In a rare case, you may have done a full-back design as well. But for most Embroiderers, the left chest area is the only place they have embroidered on such a garment. Question – was it you or the customer who chose the left chest location? Think it over carefully. Most likely, it was you who made the initial recommendation and the customer simply agreed to it. If so, then you should begin to understand that the customer looks to you for advice and will typically accept your suggestions.
Now go back and take a look at the typical denim and/or oxford shirt that you offer. How many places can you add embroidery? Let’s make a list of the most suitable locations:
    1. Left and right chest - obvious.
    2. Left and right sleeves – for short sleeve shirts
    3. Left and right collars
    4. Left and right cuffs – for long sleeves
    5. Full back
    6. Yoke
    7. Shirt Tail
    8. Below pocket
(Actually any portion of the fabric that you can hoop and get a needle through is a candidate for embroidery.)

Also keep in mind that multiple embroidery locations generate additional revenue for you, so be quick to recommend a combination of placements whenever possible.

Before you get too creative, you must think about how the shirt will be used and who will be wearing in order to decide on the appropriate location.
 

Left And Right Chest

The most common embroidery placement on the face of the earth! It is suitable for a wide variety of logos, where maximum front visibility is desired. If the shirt has a pocket, the logo should be no wider than the pocket. If the job calls for a logo and a name, the logo is generally on the left and the name on the right.

Left And Right Sleeves

Short sleeves are ideal locations for logo’s. Typically, a full size logo can be sewn in this location. For customers who are looking for a moderately conservative look, the sleeve is preferred over the front chest. In addition, the sleeve makes a great place for a secondary logo or text, when the primary logo is on the front chest. For example, a company logo on the front and a department name on the sleeve.

Left And Right Collars

Collars are an option for customers who are trying to maintain a very low-key look, while sending a subdued message. This placement has been very popular in Europe for years and is starting to gain momentum in the U.S. Due to the limited size, it usually requires that a logo be specifically digitized for the location. In addition, there is a hooping challenge, but clamps usually do the trick. Finally, be aware that many collars have plastic “stays” embedded inside the collar, which will limit where the embroidery can go.

Back Of Collar

The back of a collar offers some interesting possibilities for embroidery. Just like with the sides of the collar, the embroidery field is quite limited, but it’s a great place to add a subtle message, such as a website address. Back locations get a lot more exposure than you might think.

Left And Right Cuffs

When working with long sleeve shirts, the cuff offers a creative location for a small design. Usually, the cuff is done in conjunction with a small chest logo and is a repeat of some portion of the logo, such as a brand icon. When sewing in this location, make sure that the logo is centered in regards to where it will rest when the customer is wearing the shirt.

Full Backs

A full back location is ideal for large logos obviously. But before you even consider it, verify that the shirt can support it. Many denim and almost all oxford shirts have a pleat in the back panel, which will restrict where the embroidery can go. Do not try to embroider over the pleat, as the shirt will not fit the customer properly.

Yoke

The construction of denim and oxford shirts is such that there is a wide panel at the top of the back of the shirt, just below the neck that is referred to as the yoke. This area will support a logo of the same size as you would sew on the front chest. Just like the back of the collar, the yoke area gets plenty of attention from behind.
 
 
 
Click the image on the right to view a chart of potential locations and suggested logo sizes for denim and oxford shirts.
Keep in mind that these are recommendations only. Different size shirts will require some minor adjustments. Feel free to experiment. Also, depending on the brand and sized of the shirt, some of the location measurements will vary.

As you can see, denim and oxford shirts offer a lot of interesting possibilities for embroidery placement. Be creative and start promoting alternatives or additions to the standard left chest location to your customers. Always strive to be on leading edge rather than the back of the crowd. Fresh looks and unique ideas will keep you ahead of the competition and on the positive end of the revenue stream.
Meet the Author: James M. (Jimmy) Lamb
James M. (Jimmy) Lamb
Award-winning author and international speaker Jimmy Lamb has over 15 years of embroidery experience as well as 10 years of professional digitizing experience (as a business owner). Currently, he is the Director of Training and Education for Hirsch International Corp., where he has been instrumental in developing their educational seminars.
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