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Screen Printed Transfers, DTF Transfers, & More

Embroidered Looks With Direct To Film Heat Transfers? Simbroidery is Here

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Hey friends! Dave here from Transfer Express. Today, we’re talking about how you can achieve embroidered looks with zero effort, embroidery machines or even thread- all with just your heat press.

That’s right, there’s no digitizing software needed, by using the free Easy View online designer at TransferExpress.com and one click you can match that embroidered look with any full color heat transfer option.

Ready? Let’s get to stitching!

Today, we’re talking about Simbroidery, which is essentially a faux, or simulated, embroidery effect. We’ll take your file, digitize it as if it’s going to be embroidered, then add some shadows to the thread to give it a realistic 3d effect, and bam - your artwork is transformed with an awesome embroidered look. This works on pretty much any file type - Easy Prints artwork or your own uploaded art.

This effect is perfect for emulating the embroidered look for a fraction of the cost, adding texture to designs and even for some of those hard-to-embroider options, like backpacks, specialty totes and anything else that’s not fitting in an embroidery hoop.

Ordering heat transfers with this embroidered look couldn't be easier. Let’s click on over to Easy View online designer and I’ll show how you can make it happen.

Be sure to have a full color transfer type selected. As cool as this effect is, it’s not available with our screen printed, plastisol ink transfers. Be sure to have the correct transfer type selected here on the bottom left of the screen. We’ll click on print method here, select full color and switch us over to our UltraColor Max transfers in the product type selection.

Once we’ve got our transfer type selected, we can add our artwork. Here, for my example, I’m just adding a whole bunch of stuff to my gang sheet. You can build your designs using the thousands of pieces of customizable layouts and clipart, or simple upload your own vector or raster files - jpegs, svgs, pdfs, psds, tiffs, etc, we pretty much take them all.

Once we set all of our sizing and colors, along with quantity, we’ll click our next button on the bottom right. In our options step, right at the the top of the left side menu, we’ve got a button for Simbroidery. One easy click.

Now, if you don't want the whole sheet to get the Simbroidery effect, you can specify which designs on your gang sheet you want the embroidery effect on. For example, say “Simbroidery only on the eagle”. You can also note that you want the effect applied to all of the art on your sheet.

With UltraColor Max transfers selected, you’ll notice when we click next, the Order Now automatically switches over to a proof with “approve for artist” selected, and now the price adjusts down here at $22.

One tip to help save you money, include any art you want digitized for the Simbroidery effect here all on one sheet with UltraColor Max, so you can avoid multiple art charges.

Speaking of these art charges, this is exclusive to UltraColor Max. UltraColor Pro, Soft and Stretch do not have any art fees. Any art time is included in the price of the transfers. To help keep costs low at just 6 cents a square inch, any fixes to UltraColor Max artwork, or adding this rad embroidery effect, are available for a small fee.

For our UltraColor Max order here, once we Add to Cart and Checkout, we’ll keep an eye on our email for the proof. Once it arrives, we can review and approve for it to be printed. Proofs will be ready for review within 1 business day, if the order is placed before production cutoff.

Once we approve our proof, it’s off to printing. UltraColor Max turnaround times are the next business day. So it’s just a short wait.

While we’re waiting, it’s worth a note: for ordering the Simbroidery effect with UltraColor Pro, Soft or Stretch transfers, your order will ship with the date shown in the designer when you order. No added time to your order’s turnaround!

Now that our transfers have arrived, let’s go to printing and take a look at this Simbroidery.

Using our UltraColor Max direct to film transfers, we’ll press at 290°F for just 15 seconds. No need for a second press or covering and repressing - one press with a quick and easy hot peel, our transfers are applied.

This effect looks awesome on everything from headwear, to work shirts, tees, hoodies, accessories and more. It’s never been easier (or cheaper) to get the embroidered look, all without threads or needles.

Thanks for watching! As always, be sure you’re subscribed to our Transfer Express YouTube page to stay up to date on all of the t-shirt business tips, tricks, and inspiration we’re dropping every single week! But, until next time, I’m Dave, happy pressing!




To learn more about Simbroidery, you can view the Special Effects in the Help Center.




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