Here are some commonly asked questions about the fabric engraving process with some tips that will help improve your experience with Elements Imprint. If your question isn't answered in this section please let us know:
what is fabric engraving?
Fabric engraving is the process in which the laser etches the top layer of the material away with your logo/design resulting in a darker, tonal appearance. Durable fabrics in a medium colour tone are often recommended as it needs to be able to maintain the integrity of the fabric during the process. The final outcome is often stunning, classic + precise. We recommend testing on various swatches of the exact material or a pre-production sample to ensure the outcome has the desired effect.
How do I place a fabric engraving order?
Placing an order is easy, once you have all the order information, artwork ready + you have read through our 'Artwork Guideline, 'Terms + Conditions', simply contact us via email or phone to get the process started. As fabric engraving is a single colour design, half tones/gradients will not be possible, artwork submitted must be in a solid color, preferably black to reach the desired result.
Are there any set up fees?
There is a set up fee of $50.00 for fabric engraving every time you place an order.
How long will my order take?
Our production time is approximately 7-10 working days (depending on the design) upon approval, receipt of goods + complexity of the design. All goods must be in house 3 business days prior to set production date to avoid delays. As fabric engraving is a specialty decorating method + usually etched 1 unit at a time, additional time may be required. However, you will be informed during the pre-production process of the estimated completion time. If your order also requires finishing please allow for extra time, add approx. 2 extra days to the turn around depending on what is requested.
what material works best for fabric engraving?
Fabrics suitable for engraving needs to be durable, flexible + thick enough to withhold this embellishment method. Some of these synthetic fibres such as ultra suede, neoprene, polyester, soft shell work very well as well. Natural fibres such as tightly woven cotton, denim, felt. Although these fabrics are ideal for etching, we recommend testing prior to production.
does my order include shipping?
All orders do not include any shipping, postage or shipping time. If necessary, we can assist you in blind shipping your finished order on your courier account. Unfortunately we will not be able to arrange for Canada Post pick ups or drop offs. Full shipping details + instructions must be provided at the time of ordering.
what is your spoilage policy?
Our spoilage rate is rather insignificant and is based on production events only. Occasionally, unavoidable errors do occur during production as embroidery is an industrial process. As a seller of decorated apparel products you must always consider this cost. Industry standards allow for a 1% spoilage allowance per order rounded up to the next whole piece. Elements Imprint limits its liability per item engraved to $20.00. If exact quantities + sizes are required for your order, we do advise to order extra items in each size. We will only credit accounts for all verified Elements Imprint for our 'At Fault' spoilage over 1% per order. No credit will be given under any circumstances for errors within the 1% allowance. All orders by this definition are allowed one piece spoilage (even an order of one).
what about manufacture spoilage?
Manufacturers defects on customer supplied goods should be addressed with the manufacturer, garment supplier + or merchandise vendor. We make every effort to check your garments received against your Purchase Order for quantity + sizes prior to production. We do our best to protect you against the errors of your garment vendors. On occasion, we can mis-check garments, however, by checking the garments Elements Imprint is in no way taking on the responsibility for other vendor’s errors. If manufacturer defects are noticed prior to production it will not be decorated. It is also entirely possible that garments loaded onto the decoration equipment with manufacturer defects may not be noticed at all due to the method of decorating.
What is the minimum amount of pieces I can engrave?
You can engrave as little as 1 unit with a minimum invoice amount of $25.00.
How do you price out Back order charges?
Back orders are billed as new orders, based on applicable quantities for each separate production run.