Table of Contents

1. Why put our companies logo on shirts, pens, mugs etc..?
2. What would we use embroidered logo items for?
3. Do you have minimum order quantity?
4. What kind of artwork do I need?
5. What is an "Embroidery Tape"?
6. What is "Digitizing" or "Punching"?
7. When is the best time to embroider?
8. How much does it cost to have embroidery work done?
9. How do I know what my exact costs will be?
10. Why is it so expensive?
11. Why does it cost less to do volume as opposed to a one or two piece order?
12. What is your turn around time for delivery?
13. My order is not very large, why does it take so long to produce?
14. Do all embroidery shops operate on the same pricing and production schedules?
15. How does the process of Embroidery work?
16. Do you do just Embroidery?
17. Do you do just Digitizing services?
18. What about Guarantees on your work?
19. What is the ordering process to have something Embroidered?
20. How do I know how big I need my design and where it should be located?
21. Do you do contract screen printing?
22. What about Shipping?
23. What about garment inspection for defects from the manufacturer?
24. How long have you been in business?
25. Where are you located?
26. Do you have more than one location?
27. Do you have a catalog?
28. Do you sell blank garments?
29. Who are some of your clients?
30. Why are some pages very slow to load?
31. Join our Message Board Discussions

1. Why put our company's logo on shirts, pens, etc..?

A lot of company's go through a tremendous effort to create a logo for their company that makes a statement and captures the essence of what the company stands for. Consider shirts, pens, mugs, hats and caps, etc. as advertising for your company. All of these items are basically miniature billboards that are never torn down. How often do you throw a pen away? When was the last time you threw a coffee mug away? The chances are that embossed items will last a lot longer and they are extremely less expensive than any other advertising your company may ever do!

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2. What would we use logo imprinted items for?

There are lots of ideas like:

• Trade Shows
• Company Awards & Employee Gifts
• Customer Appreciation
• Sales Meetings
• Company Uniforms
• Company Sponsored Events
• A Company Store
• Personal Gifts

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3. Do you have a minimum order quantity?

Yes! Minimum quantities do apply.

The good news is it's one piece! We price our jobs according to quantity and stitch count so expect to pay a bit more for one piece than for 100 pieces.....that's fair! The good news is that the more you order the less expensive each piece becomes. Why? Click Here

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4. What kind of artwork do I need?

You need the sharpest image of your company logo on the glossiest paper stock that you've got. This is typically called "camera ready art". We can make editing changes to your artwork if you need help for a nominal charge. Although we have completed designs from faxes and even business cards, the best quality of art that you can supply us with makes our job a heck of a lot easier. Complexity of the design plays a role in the final cost of making the design and poor quality artwork makes that effort more complex. In extreme cases where the artwork is very poor we may need to discuss the possibility of an "art charge" to get the image design ready.

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5. What is an embroidery tape?

To embroider a shirt or baseball cap, you need an embroidery file sometimes referred to a tape. This is because the old embroidery machines used punched paper tapes and a tape reader to operate. With the advancements of new technology and the use of computerized embroidery, 3.5" floppy diskettes are now more common in the industry. An Embroidery Disk and an Embroidery Tape are similar references. An embroidery tape/disk contains all the instructions which tell the embroidery machine what to stitch on your garment. If you don't already have one made, it will cost about $60 - $100 to make one of a typical company logo of 5,000 stitches. More complex or larger embroidery costs $15 - $18 more per 1000 stitches above 5,000. This process is called Digitizing or Punching which leads into the next question.

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6. What is Digitizing or Punching?

Digitizing and Punching are universal terms and is the process by which an embroidery artist turns the design of your artwork into thread. This is a fairly complex operation and it takes years of training and practice to become a master of the art. There are many considerations that must be taken into account such as the item to be sewn on...Leather, Cotton, Pique, thin, thick, soft, hard and so on. Each garment has certain properties that will effect the way the stitches will push and pull the garment. A good digitizer must be conscious of these physics in order to produce a high quality design that you and the digitizer will be proud of. It's more complex than just scanning in the image and pressing a button. Some designs are so complex they can take a week of constant work to complete, but the average design can normally be completed in a day or less once it is started.

Digitizing is a process in which we program the design to run on a sewing machine. Sewing is nothing like printing, as every needle penetration and machine movement and function have a reason for being there. Each material pulls and pushes differently, and each design has to compensate for that material. Again, this takes quite a bit of time and effort to create. The best way to describe it, is that we have to sew the design out stitch by stitch with our mouse on the computer screen, as if sewing by hand. Any digitizing costs are a one time fee as once the design is digitized, it can be saved to a diskette for later use on future orders.

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7. When is the best time to embroider?

Embroidery is done all year around. Whenever you have a need we can make it happen!

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8. How much does it cost to have embroidery work done?

There are a few things that we need to know that the costs depend on.

1. Size of your logo.
2. Number of items you need to be embroidered.
3. And if you already have your design Digitized or Punched

Digitizing or creating a "Tape" of your logo usually runs around $60 - $100, which depends on the size of the logo with respect to the number of stitches and the complexity of the design. This is a one time charge as once the design is digitized we can use it over and over. To save costs you might have a design already digitized from a previous job that we can use.

You will need to consider the cost of the garment or item you will need embroidered and also add a shipping cost. Usually about $2.00 per item but it depends on the item and the order quantity and where it is shipped to.

Quality, Service, and Price. We understand the needs of our customers and try to make each customer feel like they are our most important. We will work to give you the best price we can. We are constantly conducting time studies and efficiency tests to keep YOUR costs down. Special terms are available and we have a long history of working with our customers on a financial basis.

To contact our Sales Department, please call us at 252-453-4749 or email us at sales@embroiderymagic.com

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9. How do I know what my exact costs will be?

You can Submit a specific inquiry indicating all your specific requirements by electronic form. Be sure to indicate the quantities required. You can then fax (preferably email a graphics file in BMP, GIF, JPG or TIFF) your logo artwork to (704)549-1554 or (001-704-549-1554 for customers outside of the United States). Or you may email your logo as a graphic attachment to sales@embroiderymagic.com. You will be contacted within one business day with a specific and detailed proposal.

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10. Why is it so expensive?

Embroidery equipment and software costs thousands of dollars to purchase and maintain. Most embroidery machines today sell at prices meeting or exceeding the price of a new automobile. A good Digitizing Software costs as much as a new Honda Accord! It is very hard for an embroidery business to pay for and maintain the equipment working long hours for little to no money. Doctors cost a lot of money because of their knowledge and investment in their tools and education, embroidery is no different.

Quality, Service, and Price. We understand the needs of our customers and try to make each customer feel like they are our most important. We will work to give you the best price we can. We are constantly conducting time studies and efficiency tests to keep YOUR cost down. Special terms are available and we have a long history of working with our customers on a financial basis.

To contact our Sales Department, please call us at 252-453-4749 or email us at sales@embroiderymagic.com

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11. Why does it cost less to do volume as opposed to a one or two piece order?

The embroidery process takes a lot of set-up time. Each individual design or even lettering has its own properties and stitch parameters that must be applied to run correctly and come out with quality results. Then the machine has to be set-up for that particular design or lettering. All of this takes a lot of time to do. If we are to embroider a large order, the set-up time is well worth the effort as we can set-up the machine once for a long run. It costs more time and money by spending more time setting up small runs than the job takes to sew. Going out of business is not our goal, we would like to make every customer happy that we can. Unfortunately there is more of a cost factor involved on small orders.

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12. What is your turnaround time for delivery?

Depending on quantity we can deliver in less than 2 weeks. This does not include digitizing the logo or design which normally takes 1 week or 5 business days. This is all based from the time quote is accepted by you, the artwork is furnished to us to digitize and from the time the items to be embroidered arrive at Embroidery Magic.

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13. My order is not very large, why does it take so long to produce?

The embroidery business is booming, and keeping up with demand is a tough task. Our schedule remains full in 5 to 10 day increments. We would like to do everything we possibly can to accommodate a rapid turnaround time, however other factors are involved. Shipping and availability of garments and materials can sometimes delay an order for up to a week at times. Embroidery machines sometimes break down and need time for repairs. All of this and more are contributing factors. Sometimes everything goes like clock work and we complete orders ahead of schedule too!

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14. Do all embroidery shops operate on the same pricing and production schedules?

Here are some interesting facts:
a. The slightest spark of static electricity stops an embroidery machine from
running
.
b. During lightning and power surges we will shut down all computers and embroidery machines
for safety.

c. There are no schools or facilities in the USA for embroidery education.

d. Gross sales volume for embroidery shops in 1998 according to a survey from
embroidery monogram business magazine:

46% less than $50,000
15% $50,000 to $99,999
14% $100,000 to $1,999,999
6% $200,000 to $2,999,999
4% $300,000 to $3,999,999
3% $400,000 to $4,999,999
3% $500,000 to $5,999,999

e. In the same survey, businesses that offer digitizing services

39% yes
61% no
77% surveyed have only 1-5 employees
56% only have a single head embroidery machine
33% have only been in business for 0-2 years

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15. How does the process of Embroidery work?

The powerful Capital Automation Super EDS embroidery software that we use drives our high tech Embroidery Production line. This software coupled with our State of the art Tajima Embroidery machines is what makes the difference between poor and outstanding excellent embroidery in our workmanship. With this state of the art software and computerized embroidery machines we are able to create your logo from art to thread with excellent results, in any format, which is then saved to disk or diskette. This embroidery machine file is transferred to the machine via diskette which the machines use to stitch the design.

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16. Do you do just Embroidery?

Yes, we most certainly do! Excellent Embroidery as a matter of fact! If you already have a digitized design we would be glad to embroider for you.

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17. Do you do just Digitizing services?

Yes! We do digitizing for many companies across the United States and Canada. We would be glad to digitize your design for you. We have email capabilities and can send a completed design to you as soon as it is finished over the internet. We can also send you a diskette via snail mail (U.S. Post Office) or Fed-X if you prefer for a small charge.

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18. What about guarantees on your work?

Embroidery Magic fully guarantee's it's quality and workmanship. If we are ever responsible for neglect or irresponsible behavior we will offer to replace the item(s) free of charge. There are a few instances which can occur that are out of our control. Embroidery Magic works under the accepted industry average of 3% seconds defect rate. What this means to you is that in instances considered "Acts of God", say, where the electric power goes out or if a needle breaks and damages a garment we will be accountable above 3% of the contract business we have done with you. If this is a first time order then we will be responsible for anything above 3% seconds. This does not include things like wrong placement of the design, wrong color sequence or even the wrong design. In these types of circumstances we will be 100% responsible. Our Quality is currently running at .01% so you can be assured that we don't have much spoilage.

Quality, Service, and Price. We understand the needs of our customers and try to make each customer feel like they are our most important. We will work to give you the best price we can. We are constantly conducting time studies and efficiency tests to keep YOUR cost down. Special terms are available and we have a long history of working with our customers on a financial basis.

To contact our Sales Department, please call us at 252-453-4749 or email us at sales@embroiderymagic.com

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19. What is the ordering process to have something embroidered?

The process is not really that difficult. We have tried to simplify the process here.
Follow this link to read about what it takes to have item(s) embroidered.

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20. How do I know how big I need my design and where should be located?

There are standard sizes for designs depending on where you would like to locate them on an item.
Follow this link to read about how your design is measured.

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21. Do you do contract screen printing?

No, at this time we do not. All of our screen printing is sub contracted out to a local screen printer.

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22. What about shipping?

We ship our goods UPS ground unless we receive different instructions from our customer. In cases where we are drop shipped goods from our customers we expect the customer to ship pre-paid to us. In many instances we receive the goods directly from the distributor which have been ordered by the customer through the customers account with the distributor.

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23. What about garment inspection for defects from the manufacturer?

Embroidery Magic fully guarantee's it's quality and workmanship. If we are ever responsible for occur or irresponsible behavior we will offer to replace the item(s) free of charge. However, we are not a final quality inspection department for the manufacturer of the items. In cases where the customer drop ships us we will maintain an awareness to look for obvious garment defects and if spotted we will contact you for disposition. We will make every effort to see that the drop shipment matches the shipping invoice and purchase order by color and quantity and if we notice any discrepancies we will contact your concerning any disposition. Normally these items are not normally looked at until they are ready for production, we do not have a receiving department.
In cases where Embroidery Magic has supplied the garments or items then we will be 100% responsible for any defective item(s).

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24. How long have you been in business?

Tex's Tapes, (Visit Tex's Tapes, click here)our sister site was first started at The Colony, Texas in 1992. We have been Digitizing and Embroidering ever since. Tex's Tapes moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1998, became part of Embroidery Magic and found a new home. Our combined embroidery experience is over 9 years. We have hundreds of customers and recently picked up contracts with sponsors of NASCAR racing teams. You've probably seen our embroidery on TV!

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25. Where are you located?

Embroidery Magic is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have a map button on our home page that you can click to see a map of where we are. Charlotte is the finance center for most of the major banks in the USA. It is also located in a big textile manufacturing center of the south. Mill towns still exist in this part of the country. Raleigh is the Capitol of North Carolina located about 150 miles north of us. Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the first airplane at Kitty Hawk out at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There is an lot of heritage in North Carolina and this state played an important role in the development of our Country and it's Constitution. North Carolina was one of the original 13 States!

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26. Do you have more than one location?

No, we currently have one business out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Our business has been expanding rapidly and we have been considering opening a second store in the Charlotte area.

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27. Do you have a catalog?

We are a reliable manufacturer and exporter, specialized in the business of custom made embroidered items. Because we are expanding at such a fast rate we have not had the opportunity to make and keep a current catalog available. So at this time there is not a catalog available.

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28. Do you sell blank garments?

Sorry but we do not sell blank garments, but we will embroider your design on them!

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29. Who are some of your clients?

You can check out our Samples here and see for yourself. We are also embroidering for some of the sponsors of NASCAR race teams. You have probably seen our embroidery on TV!

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30. Why are some pages very slow to load?

It's usually the pictures on our pages. We make every effort to minimize the size of the pictures while preserving the quality of them. Some pictures just take a while to load especially when you have a slow connection or there is a lot of internet traffic. Once you have been to our site and traveled between the pages they will be cached (stored) on your computer. Then the next time you visit us these pages should not have to be downloaded again and will appear faster. This can be a problem because when we revise our pages you will not be able to see the newly revised page on the site. So when in doubt just hit the refresh or reload button in your browser. This will fetch the new page from our server and replace the old page in your computers cache.

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