Embroidery on bags

Embroidery on bags is not for everyone it’s a difficult operation that requires a different set of skills. Jas Purba, managing director of ETC Supplies, provides some tips on how you can achieve better quality embroidery on bags.

The setup for embroidering bags is also different and requires a heavier industrial embroidery machine that has the power and build for such work.

It is not suited to domestic embroidery machines.

So, the first thing to look at is how you’re going to frame up the bag standard plastic embroidery frames won’t do the job as they will just keep popping out.

You really need to have a specialist frame either something like the Mighty Hoop magnetic frame or a clamping system such as one from EMS Hoop Tech and probably the other option is the Durkee Quick Frames that use the adhesive style backing on the underside.

Subject to wear and tear

Once you’ve decided how you going to frame up the bag the next thing you need to decide is what type of thread to use.

Again, bags are outside weather products they’re going to be subject to wear and tear and wet weather so you probably be better off using a polyester embroidery thread that is more resistant to water and the elements, this will give you longer lasting finish on the product.

The next thing you want to consider is the type of backing to use on bags. You would normally think that because the bags are quite a strong fabric or material that they don’t really require a backing but depending on the stitch count and the type of design it may be that you would require a specialist backing for this type of embroidery.

You could consider a standard tear away backing but the problem with the standard tear away is that it will not give you anything better than what you are achieving without using backing, so really you want to be looking at special products either something like the Strong & Stiff backing range from ETC Supplies or even something like the Soft & Strong  or the Cotton Rigid Soft Tear Away Backing.

These are all specialist types of backings that have different advantages and it really is a matter of trial and error to see which type of backing works best for the type of bag material and design.

The next thing

The next thing to look at is the needle, again you would not use a standard needle as you do for garment embroidery.

The regular embroidery needles tend to be round pointed and they’re intended to separate the yarn sideways. But with bag material you need something that will pierce the material without cutting, so you’re not looking for cutting needle but you’re looking for a piercing needle.

In this case I would suggest that you use Schmetz SD1 point needles in a heavier size. This is a ballpoint needle that has a pyramid head on the top which allows the needle to perforate the material without resistance this will avoid breaking and bending the needles.

The other option that you can look at is to lubricate the actual fabric off the bag and lubrication is widely used in industrial sewing factories so the product to consider here is the ETC Fablube Spray. This is different from silicon in so far as that it stays wet longer which allows your machine to get a lubricated passage and then by the time you finish your embroidery the product is dry and you don’t see any residue.

These are a few tips on how you can achieve better quality bag embroidery and I hope this will help you.