Custom Branding for Promotional Products | Logo Printing and Decoration Guide
Logo on a pen that fades after a month? Rubbish impression. Logo that cracks and peels off a bag? Even worse. How your branding appears on promotional products matters as much as the products themselves.
Been doing this 25 years. We've seen every stuff-up and every brilliant result. Here's what actually matters when it comes to decoration methods, artwork, and getting results you're stoked with.
Understanding Branding Methods
Different methods for different products. The one you choose affects how the logo looks, how long it lasts, what it costs. Getting this right matters.
Screen Printing
Most common method. Ink pushed through a mesh screen onto the product. Bold, vibrant results.
Each colour in your design needs its own screen. More colours equals more cost - which is why simpler designs with fewer colours are more economical. Basic maths, really.
Works brilliantly for t-shirts, bags and totes, flat surfaces, bold simple designs. Large quantities spread the setup cost nicely. Cost-effective for bigger orders, durable results lasting years, vibrant colours that pop.
The catch? Each colour adds cost. Complex multi-colour designs get expensive. Photographic images don't reproduce well. Minimums usually required to justify setup.
Pad Printing
Ink transfers from a silicone pad to the product. The pad's flexibility means it conforms to curved surfaces other methods can't handle. Clever stuff.
Standard method for pens and writing instruments, curved surfaces, small items, drinkware, golf balls. Good detail reproduction. Works on surfaces that would be impossible with flat screens.
Smaller print areas than screen printing though. Limited colour opacity on dark surfaces. Very small prints may lose fine detail.
Embroidery
Thread stitched directly into fabric. Premium, textured appearance screen printing can't match. You feel the quality immediately.
Your design gets converted to a "digitised" file for the embroidery machines. Thousands of stitches build your logo in coloured thread. Dimensional result that stands out.
Preferred method for polo shirts, caps and hats, jackets and outerwear, corporate apparel, quality bags. Premium look justifies higher cost. Survives heavy washing, outlasts most garments it's applied to.
Detail limited by thread size though. Very small text or intricate designs? May not reproduce cleanly. Photographic images impossible.
Heat Transfer
Design printed onto transfer paper or vinyl, then applied using heat and pressure. Flexibility that traditional methods lack.
Best for complex multi-colour designs, photographic images, small quantities (yep, even just a few), personalised items, products where screen printing won't work. Economical for small runs. Handles complex artwork that would cost heaps in screen printing.
Durability varies. Quality transfers last well. Cheaper options? Deteriorate faster. The transferred material may feel different from the fabric beneath it.
Sublimation
Dye converts to gas and infuses into the product material. Becomes part of the surface rather than sitting on top. Clever chemistry.
Special sublimation inks printed onto transfer paper. Heat converts ink to gas, penetrates polyester fabric or coated surfaces, bonds permanently.
Ideal for polyester apparel, drinkware with polymer coating, all-over prints, photographic images, vibrant colours. Won't crack or peel because the ink's actually in the material. Sublimated mugs are dishwasher safe.
Only works on polyester or coated items though. Best on light colours. Cotton? Won't work at all.
Laser Engraving
Laser removes surface material to create permanent marks. Burns away the surface layer to reveal different colour beneath or creates textured mark. Elegant result.
Suits metal products, leather items, wood, glass and crystal, premium corporate gifts. Understated appearance that communicates quality. Permanent - no ink or material to wear away. Ever.
Single colour only though. Creates contrast rather than colour variety. Product material determines what the finished result looks like.
Full Wrap Printing
Digital printing heads apply designs around cylindrical products. Product rotates while printing. 360-degree coverage.
Works for drink bottles, some mugs on appropriate equipment, cylindrical containers. Maximum branding impact. The entire surface becomes branding space. Pretty impressive when done well.
Choosing the Right Branding Method
Several factors to balance. Here's how to think about it.
Product material. Cotton suits screen printing or heat transfer. Polyester opens up sublimation. Metal works with laser engraving or pad printing. Plastic suits pad printing or screen printing. Material constraints narrow your choices before you even start.
Your artwork. Simple logos (one to four colours) suit screen printing and pad printing economically. Photographic images need sublimation or heat transfer. Detailed artwork requires careful consideration of size and product.
Order size. Large orders benefit from screen printing's lower per-unit costs. Small orders suit digital methods - lower setup but higher per-unit costs. Single items? Digital printing or laser engraving.
Budget. Screen printing: higher setup, lower per-unit for larger orders. Digital methods: lower setup, higher per-unit. Premium methods like embroidery and laser engraving cost more. Deliver premium results though.
Artwork Requirements
Right files save time, ensure quality. Wrong files cause delays and rubbish results.
Vector files. AI, EPS or PDF. Scale infinitely without quality loss. Screen printing requires them. Embroidery needs them for digitisation. Most decoration works better with vector artwork. If you've got them, send them.
Raster files. JPG or PNG when necessary. Minimum 300dpi at actual print size. Higher resolution for large prints. Original files always better than compressed versions that have lost detail.
Colour specs. Pantone (PMS) colours for exact matching. CMYK for process printing. RGB is for screens only - don't use it for print specifications.
Artwork needs adjustment? We can advise. Vector conversion often possible from quality source files. Artwork setup included in many orders. You'll see proofs before production.
Common Branding Mistakes
We see these all the time. Easy to avoid if you know what to watch for.
Logos printed too small. That clever detail in your design? Disappears at actual print size. Make sure it works at the size it'll actually appear. We'll tell you if something's too small.
Detailed designs on small print areas. Looks great on screen, doesn't reproduce well at small sizes. Fine lines merge. Small text becomes unreadable. Simplify for small spaces.
Wrong method for the job. Screen printing complex photographic images costs more AND looks worse than sublimation would. Ask us first. Seriously.
Low-resolution files. Fuzzy, pixelated prints. Rubbish start equals rubbish finish. Send the highest quality source files you've got.
Working with Us
Thousands of orders annually. We know what works, what doesn't, and how to avoid stuff-ups before they happen.
Not sure which method? We'll recommend based on your design, products and budget. Send your artwork, we'll review it and tell you if anything needs adjusting. No guesswork, no nasty surprises.
Digital proofs before production. You approve, then we print. We check finished products against approved proofs before shipping. Quality control that actually works.
Ready to get your branding sorted? Call us on 1300 85 50 35 or contact us online. We'll point you in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best way to put a logo on promotional products?
Depends on the product. Screen printing for bags and apparel. Pad printing for pens. Embroidery for corporate wear. Laser engraving for metal items. We'll recommend the best method for whatever you're ordering.
What file format do you need for logos?
Vector files work best. AI, EPS or PDF. If you've only got JPG or PNG, send it through and we'll tell you if the resolution works.
How durable is the branding?
Varies by method. Laser engraving and embroidery are basically permanent. Screen printing lasts years with normal use. We select methods that make sense for each product.
Can I see what my branding will look like first?
Yes. We prepare virtual samples before production. Allow 24-48 hours for our artists. One free per customer. You approve before we print anything.
What's the minimum order?
$500 per invoice. Quantity depends on products and decoration method. Call 1300 85 50 35 and we'll work out what that gets you.
More Featured Articles
