Embroidered Corporate Apparel, Embroidered Clothing at OMD

Customer Relationships

2008-07-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things as Co-owner of OMD Embroidery is getting to know our customers and building long lasting relationships with them.

Since 2003 we have had the pleasure of getting to know Richard Adler and his family. Each year Richard orders shirts or hats to celebrate Dorothy's birthday. In 2003, Dorothy was 100 years old. It is with great sadness that we got an email from Richard in June that Dorothy has passed away at the wonderful age of 105. The image above was sent to me by Rich showing the years of shirts they have ordered. This year, Rich purchased Newport mugs to give to friends and family. His comment was: "The mugs arrived yesterday! They turned out great!"

We will miss our yearly contact with Richard and his family, but we hope he will have other events in coming years when he will contact OMD. It has been a joy to be part of their lives and share in their celebration.

What is Embroidery Digitizing?

2008-03-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

Embroidery Digitizing

Many people often mistake Embroidery Digitizing to Graphic Digitizing. It is completely different so I will explain.

Embroidery Digitizing is the process Embroidery Companies use to turn your graphic logo into stitches. We use special software that generates codes that our Embroidery machines can read and translate to things like, Needle up, Needle Down, Change color, Trim thread, Move up, Move down, Sew Filled area, Sew text, Sew underlay etc. Everything the Embroidery machines DO, the Digitizer has programmed within the design of your logo. Even thickness of letters and spacing is all done exactly or direction of thread...how the threads lay and how thick they are....yes, all done through computer programming.

This is why there is a set up fee to generate an embroidered design from your graphic. Some are mistaken into thinking it is a scanned process like screen printing...but it is far more complicated and those that digitize well have had years, upon years of experience.

Denise first learned to digitize in 1991 under the guidance of Walter Floriani one of the greatest digitizer of all time. He began by digitizing by hand before computers were used. He taught Denise the essential basics to many things newer embroidery companies have never learned. We believe this is why our designs are superior to many in the business. Denise also has artistic ability and enjoys making your logo come to life - putting extra time into arranging stitches so the thread creates a 3D appearance. For instance, if you take a feather that is in a Logo or a tree. Some would simply fill those areas in with a blob of thread. Denise enjoys making that tree or feather look real....layering columns of thread or placing the thread in a way that goes in the direction of the grain makes the object look much more lifelike in appearance. Animals are another creative project. By taking more time in creating your logo, she can use single threads placed by hand to make a project unique. Or if you need hand digitized fonts, Denise can do that too. We don't rely on just computer generated text like many companies today. We care about making your logo the best and most unique it can be.

For best results, it all starts with clean and high resolution images. Although Denise has worked with sketches on a napkin before too. ;-) Sometimes she works with photographs, but prefers clean graphic art when possible. 300dpi or greater is best and 1200 pixels wide is also suggested. We generally say 4X the original size of the finished product is helpful. What we basically do is use your graphic as our pattern and lay the stitches overtop of that image..so fuzzy lines mean hard to see lines and you may not get what you hoped in the end.

As you can see, digitizing is a art form and you will get different versions of your logo with every embroidery company you deal with. This is why we like to keep our customers and encourage repeat business. Our price and service can't be beat. We hope you will choose OMD as your loyal Embroider provider both now and in the future.

Performance & Moisture Wicking Fabrics!

2008-02-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

It has been amazing, the interest we see in the new Moisture Wicking Fabrics this year. I am sure it is due to the huge advancements in brands, styles and fabrics are clearly seen in such brands as Port Authority, Chestnut Hill, Adidas and more. One of our customer's favorites is the K455, by Port Authority:

Put the moisture-wicking secret weapon of our Rapid DryT technology to work for you. Our fabric wicks moisture away from the body to the surface where it evaporates, keeping you comfortable and dry. This soft, breathable fabric is a superstar performer for any situation where you might need a little extra confidence and moisture protection. Fabric/Style: 5.6-ounce, 60/40 cotton/poly baby pique, Rapid DryT; hemmed sleeves, double-needle stitched, side vents. Features 3-button placket with pearlized buttons. Adult sizes: XS-6XL
Embroider your custom logo on the left chest for just $20-25.00 depending on quantity.

We also offer the Moisture wicking T-shirt options as well. Embroidered with your custom logo for just $17.00 in quantity. Combine any of the performance wicking fabric styles and get the volume discount!

Embroidering on these fabrics takes great finesse and expertise. If an embroiderer uses the wrong needles, cheap backing or has tensions too tight...OR digitizes your logo with too high of a density the embroidery will be compromised. Make sure when ordering these garments that you choose a embroidery company with years of experience like OMD.

Moisture wicking caps are also available and another huge hit with our customers.

Inquire today to try them! You won't be disappointed!!!!

Starting with great graphics

2008-02-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

I talked a little bit on our custom embroidery website about quality digitizing but we can even go back a bit more and address the need for putting time into designing a great logo, right from the start. A logo that is not only eye catching but also embroidery friendly. Sometimes logos are beautiful but far too intense to maintain the integrity of the logo for embroidery.

Hiring a professional graphic artist is key to doing it right. My friend, Lisa Boudreau lives in New Brunswick and she has an amazing talent to create graphics that turns heads. She designed our logo and banner for our embroidery website. Go check it out...it's fantastic. She doesn't advertise much, because she doesn't have to, but if you would like to contact her, here is her email address: feed4tht@nbnet.nb.ca I highly recommend her, she is above and beyond any graphic artist I have ever worked with.

We would also like to take a moment to thank a very special man who gave us some incredible tips on creating a search engine friendly website. Our newly revamped site would not have achieved such great success without the help of this man along with my good friend Lisa, my graphic artist friend who helped me turn my mediocre site into something special.

New products will be added weekly and we hope you like it. Any feedback would be awesome. As always, we at OMD Embroidery look forward to serving you.

Embroidery, the absolute best way to promote!

2008-02-08T03:53:00.000-08:00

The business world encompasses many different facets of groups. But it doesn't matter what group you belong to, promoting your business is key to success, growth and longevity. Embroidered Apparel is an excellent way to promote your business! Whether you are in a high pressure Corporate environment, or as in this photo, out sled jouring with your horse and promoting your American Curly Horse, it is all part of the business world and making your name known, making your product stand above the rest. No matter where you are, you are a walking, talking billboard. The quality of your custom embroidery says alot about who you are and what you represent. That is why we take great pride in making you look GREAT! We do all our own digitizing in house and we make sure your logo looks the best! That logo represents YOU and what you stand for -- it sends a very powerful message!

Here at OMD we do alot of Corporate Apparel for both small and large corporate businesses, however we also do a great degree of embroidered clothing for horse farms, breeders, hunter jumper & dressage clinics and as you saw in the below post, family reunions. For events like this, embroidered clothing can bring about a team spirit with fellow employees and teammates...family members.

We especially like to do full jacket backs on our embroidered jackets because we feel it is classy, very visible and shows off your embroidered logo the best. Pricing for a full back is not on our site, you will have to inquire, but we do have many options to choose from - click here: Embroidered Jackets

Come and visit us today and inquire on how you can stand out above the rest with Quality Embroidered clothing for your business!

Embroidered Jackets to Celebrate a Special Lady!

2008-02-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 105th BIRTHDAY, DOROTHY!

The best part about our job is when our customers share their special occasions with us! Here is a happy group who since 2004 have invited us to join them in the celebration of Dorothy's Birthday by having us provide embroidered apparel each year for the event. Way back then, Dorothy celebrated her 101st birthday! 2008 marks her 105th! Rich sends us a picture every year and we enjoy seeing such happy faces, so far away, all wearing their OMD embroidered clothing! It brings us a great deal of satisfaction when our customers return year after year and they become like family, good friends.

Last week we had a really big, major rush order to fill and we were in the midst of a huge snow storm here in Michigan. There was even a civil emergency out, city streets were completely closed in Sault Ste Marie and UPS planes were grounded! It is the first time in 28 years that UPS did not have trucks on the road (which meant to pick up or delivery!) and even our local banks were shut down. We had extremely high winds, icy roads and viability of ZERO. The Mackinac Bridge was also closed most of the day. This huge storm took place ON THE DAY, this rush order HAD to go OUT --- OVERNITE! Our nearest UPS hub is 45 min. away and the only chance of that order having a chance of going out was if we hand delivered it to the hub station....in the middle of the blizzard no less. Well, have 4WD - will travel! So we headed out to get those boxes there --- with the conditions it took 3 hours to get there and back and then we had to wait to see if somehow, someway UPS would be able to fly those packages out later that day. We held our breath. First thing in the a.m. I checked the tracking number and much to my surprise, UPS was ON TIME and the packages DID make it into the hands of our customer promptly and in perfect condition! We were relieved and happy - as was the customer.

Meeting our customer's deadline is really important to Tom and I. If it is within our power, we will do it. Tom and I both come from strong entrepreneur families, so we know the importance of personal Quality Service. My Dad owned his own Construction business in Alpena, Michigan & Tom's Grandfather had his own Meat Market in Farmington Michigan, Tom's Dad started his own private Insurance company....and his Mom owned an Antique gift shop in Farmington, Michigan for years. I guess you could say we believe in the type of service that is a bit rare these days. It isn't just about 'getting' the customer, it is about KEEPING them.

We hope you will visit our website and see what we have to offer. Our site has been a bit revamped with some new drop down menus which is best viewed with Internet Explorer.

Embroidered Shirts , Embroidered Jackets
and alot of wonderful Woven shirts for Corporate Apparel

Contact Denise today for help: omdsales@gmail.com or call 800-485-1766 Today!

Custom Embroidery Logo Guide

2008-01-31T15:27:00.001-08:00

Embroidery Logo Guide

In order to create GREAT embroidery, you first need to look at your logo. If you are just now developing a logo for your business, we will address a few things first that maybe helpful guidelines to follow:

LESS is MORE. Create a logo with great color and simplicity! Some of the best logos are simple, clean and basic. These types are the ones that people remember and they are easy to maintain the integrity of no matter how you use it. ie letterhead, business cards, garments or magnets etc. The best logos work anywhere without modification.

Less also means less cost for you, the company owner. Remember the more detail, the more time to set up for embroidery and the longer it takes to run on our machines...this equals = $$ Also with imprinting, more colors mean more money...so keep your colors to 1 or 2. You will find producing any printed material much more affordable!

Small text is always an issue when creating a nice embroidered logo. On knit fabrics, text must not be less than 1/4 inch or the thread sinks into the knit and looks rough and unreadable. Basically, it will distract not attract. So limit your text to allow for letters that are at least 1/4 inch if possible. On tougher fabrics like jackets, hats or totes, we can go a bit smaller, but not much less than .20.

Eliminate Big filled in areas with your logo. Not only does this just take up time while running on the machines, but it also creates a very heavy, patch like feel to your logo. Instead generate shapes around your logo with simple outlines or fancy lines.

Shadows work OK, but only on large logos. We discourage shadowing on letters for hats in particular because a hat is hooped in a curricular frame and not flat like shirts. When a hat is embroidered, it sometimes will shift in the frame a slight bit...if the shadowing gets off just a slight bit, it will destroy the entire look of your logo. It will be a huge flaw that will be seen easily. We suggest going without shadows as nice as they look sometimes. It allows for a really clean, consistent logo that gets noticed.

Gradients are a no-no with embroidery. Blending threads are impossible so we suggest avoiding this technique entirely. Even with imprinting, your costs go way up and the end result not always the same as you get in a graphic form. Gradients are also more expensive...and we want to see you get your best bang for the buck. Avoid them.

Also avoid narrow text & serifs on small letters. Narrow text on knits will also tend to sink into the fabric and look undesirable. Short basic and thick letters work much better on knits and are much more readable. When using serifs in your text style, be sure to plan on larger size overall. .30+ or again, those serifs will sink into the fabric and cause holes in your garment.

Dos? Always think simple! Remember you aren't a billboard, and you don't want too much information on your shirt. You simply want to state what is important and make your logo MEMORABLE! A good name and simple logo are the keys to getting your logo noticed and embroidered well. City & State can sometimes be added below your logo if desired, or your website address. We don't suggest using your phone number unless it's an 800# and it's on the back of a jacket.

New for 2008!

2008-01-17T08:15:00.001-08:00

This year we are offering some new and exciting deals!!

We have standardized our set up fees to a flat fee of just $20.00 the first time you order with us. (this used to be based on detail of logo/stitch count, ranging from $20-100). This is for a left chest logo. Full backs will still require a quote, so please email those to us and I can price that size for you. omdsales@gmail.com

Secondly, we are now offering NO MINIMUMS!! Wow! This is a huge leap for us because of the volume we are used to putting out with our multi head machines, but we get requests often for smaller orders and we felt it was time to service our customers in this way.

A new price list is featured on our catalog pages, ranging from 1 piece on up to 144. As always we offer FREE shipping and FREE set up fee on 144 pieces.

If you have never worked with us before, we hope you will give us a try in 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2007-12-31T05:11:00.000-08:00

My, how the month of December flew by! Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year to All!

In Michigan, we are seeing our share of beautiful, white fluffy snow - which I happen to love and appreciate. We just got another 7 inches last weekend and the snowmobilers in the area and extremely happy about that.

2007 was a good year for OMD and we look forward to 2008. If you haven't tried us yet, drop us a line and allow us the chance to prove our quality and service to you. ;-)))

Wishing everyone a wonderful new year ahead!!

It's NOT too late to order for Christmas!!!!

2007-12-03T11:41:00.001-08:00

If you are worried that you won't be able to order custom embroidery and have it there by Christmas - worry no more! We are accepting orders right up until the week of the 17th! Turnaround time is 7 days right now -- BUT, it is STILL a good idea to order as soon as you can. STOCK is usually an issue this late in the year.....but contact us and we will check for you!

When you contact us, be sure to mention the item you are interested in and the color and we can do a quick stock check for you.

Contact us TODAY!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
We have some amazing specials this month too! Check them out!

http://omdembroidery.com/specials.htm

2007-11-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

If you stopped by OMD over the past month or so, you would see alot of camo-wear going out the door. Today marks the opening season of Deer hunting and many local businesses purchase camo promo items to hand out to their customers. It's brisk today, but no snow. Slight wind - the hunters should have an Ok day in the woods today.

The holidays are fast approaching and the Christmas rush is already underway. I would like to remind everyone to plan ahead and not wait til the last minute to order. It isn't that we can't embroider your items quickly, it's because stock becomes very limited at the close of the year. SO, keep that in mind and order early!

Two great specials this month - check them out on our specials page. We will continue fast turnaround until the holidays of 7-10 days. If you need it sooner, just let us know. We are always ready and willing to accommodate!

Take care and enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday!

Fall News

2007-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, time has sure flown by! Didn't realize it had been SO long since I posted in my blog.
Been very busy!!

First off, the Fall news is our new fall special! Take advantage of all 3 specials, including free shipping....!!!

Also, we added a new line of Camo Caps to our site. With hunting season upon us, we thought now is a good time. Every year the selection gets better and better. Check them out!!

http://omdembroidery.com/hat_embroideredcamocaps.htm

We also added the Port Authority Easy Care Twill in both men's and womens. What a awesome garment and our customers have noticed!

http://omdembroidery.com/businesswoven.htm#mensS608

Christmas is fast approaching, so be thinking about that too. we can still turn over orders rather quickly, but stock is sometimes depleted...so don't wait til the last minute.

Have a good one! Regards, Denise

Custom Embroidery Articles

2007-06-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

Why Choose Custom Embroidery?

Custom Embroidery is the classiest way to advertise your business. If the logo is done right and created with incredible eye-appeal it WILL make people notice and will reflect on the type of business you are.

Embroidery also lasts a LONG time. Your garment will begin to fray long before your embroidery will show any signs of wear or tear.

Embroidery on the back of a Jacket is probably the most vivid way to advertise your company. It can be noticed from a long way off AND people can read it and take down your information without feeling like they are intruding with asking a bunch of questions.

Embroidery can be done on almost anything, including nylon, fleece, hats and most delicate items. About the only thing we won't embroider is leather, simply because most leather jackets are thick and unable to be hooped properly.

Embroidery above any other form of advertising is by far the best for great exposure. Anyone that has embroidered clothing for their business knows you feel more professional and people take you more seriously.

Embroidery for your Employees is also a great way to invite a TEAM spirit! It unites everyone and makes them feel part of a great team of professionals.

There are times when Imprinting can be useful too, such as on the back of Tees or on lightweight apparel where embroidery would be too heavy. Click the link below and read about imprinting as well. OMD offers both services.

Go back to Helpful Articles to read more about OMD's services.
http://omdembroidery.com/embroideryarticles.htm

New Moisture Wicking Garments!!!

2007-05-31T02:50:00.000-07:00

The HOTTEST garment in the industry today! You may have heard of Dri-Mesh, ClimaCool, Rapid Dry and Cool & Dry -- these are latest blends that help to wick away moisture in the hot summer season. They are also called Performance garments.

SAVE 5% in June on the listed prices and give them a try!

http://omdembroidery.com/drimeshperformancewear.htm

Spring finally arrived!

2007-05-08T03:40:00.000-07:00

Spring is definately here in Michigan. Grass is green although we haven't mowed the lawn yet. ;-) Buds are just starting to come out....wild flowers are blooming. Traffic has increased in our area significantly -- which is always a sign that spring is here.

May Specials!

2007-05-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Here are our may specials:
FREE shipping on your order of 24 or more OR 1 Dozen Caps FREE with your order of 72 pieces or more!! Contact me with any questions.

Been busy here at OMD, turnaround staying steady at 7 days ---

What's new

2007-04-19T05:14:00.000-07:00

We heard the "spring peepers" last nite, which means spring is here. Snow is gone and we are finally reaching 60 deg. this weekend. Beautiful day today.

Windshirts have been extremely popular this year, with the M700 Harriton and the CH800 Chestnut hill being our top sellers. Both are very well made but with different price points. For those sticking to a budget, the Harriton is a great deal.

Many new customers have taken advantage of the FREE setup fee this month and we would like to say Welcome to OMD!

Is this really spring?

2007-04-12T03:22:00.000-07:00

If you were to stop in our shop today, you may be surprised by our weather. We are in the midst of a "Spring" Snow storm, which is the second one this month. Reports of 62 inches fell about 3 hours from here just last week. We had a pretty mild winter over all, I guess it can't be over yet or we would be spoiled.

Production time fell to about 9 days and now we are back on schedule at the normal 7 day turnaround. Remember to take advantage of our Gildan Polos...a super deal this month. Free set up fees to all new customers too. Give us a try, we won't disappoint you. ;-)

New spring items are becoming available and we will feature a few of those in May for specials. Hard to say if those styles will stay, some are new and will be tested first. We also would like to remind you that we have fleece blankets, totes, aprons and other misc. items available. Just ask and we can direct you to those.

Have a super day everyone...and feel free to email with questions about our site or products.
omdsales@gmail.com

HAPPY EASTER

2007-04-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take time out to wish all of you a VERY Happy Easter!!

Have a super weekend!

~Denise & Tom

April Deals etc.

2007-04-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

April specials are posted! http://omdembroidery.com/specials.htm

Awesome deals including FREE set up fee on all new accounts!

Turn around time is stretching to about 8-9 days right now....but if you have a rush, just let us know.

Easter week is upon us and we will be closing early on Friday. Here in Michigan we are getting a BLIZZARD right now...up to 15 inches of snow expected today and tomorrow! Not what you expect for the Easter Holiday. Oh well.

Enjoy and be sure to email if you have any questions at all --- happy to assist!
~Denise

2007-03-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

April specials will be posted tomorrow.

Spring has definately arrived --- turnaround time is still at 7 days but could expand to 10 from time to time as the season gets underway. If you have a deadline, just let us know and we can accommodate.

We've had wonderful comments on the new website...and slowly we keep adding to the products line. Our Cap selection is limited right now - at least online. If you don't see what you are looking for, simply check out our online catalogs or email me (omdsales@gmail.com) and i can help you. We have hundreds of styles available...

Promotional Items

2007-03-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Our site now has 18 new promotional items to make ordering easy!
http://omdembroidery.com/omdpromotionalitems.htm

Stick Pens - $0.44 for 250!

Neat Clothing Line

2007-03-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

We will be adding a catalog link to our site that is quite unique.

http://www.ppd123.com

We like their Jackets in particular but their shirts are one of a kind as well.
Some Corporations may find their garments a bit to rugged, but they are built to last.
Here is another unique style they offer.

Later this week we will be adding a few new golf styles to our Featured items and also presenting new special for april Next week! Stay tuned. ~ Denise

New Product

2007-03-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!
We will be adding a few new products to our line. This one being a Dunbrooke - carhartt type winter jacket. It is the Saginaw 2892. Price: $64.00 with embroidered logo on 12 pieces or more. And it just goes down from there....a great price for an awesome jacket. If interested, drop me an email. Otherwise you can find it on our Jacket page, under heavy styles.

We have added a couple links to online catalogs that will give you more choices for Port authority brands as well. click here: http://omdembroidery.com/embroiderycatalogs.htm

Behind the Website

2007-03-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hi there!
My name is Denise and I am in charge of Sales & Design here at OMD. If you call or email, you will most likely get me and I am happy to help you! My husband, Tom is in charge of Embroidery Production and he takes his job very seriously.

We started our Embroidery business in 1991 when computerized embroidery was just starting to become popular. Tom and I are both strong minded business people and prior to that we ran two separate businesses. But after years of running in different directions, we realized if we joined forces we could accomplish so much more and maybe see more of each other. He was dynamic with production & general business knowledge and I love being creative, while enjoying sales and keeping the books. Computerized Embroidery was the perfect fit for us and we never regretted the change. It is a business that uses our gifts and and we create a product we believe in.

It is really important to us that we build long lasting business relationships with our customers. As Internet sales increase and quickly have become 80% of our business, we missed the personal aspect that is lacking. We want to keep your business here at OMD and we do hope this blog will help give our customers that small town feel and loyal friendship.

We offer Monthly specials that target the season and hopefully bring our customers awesome savings. Year around we run our 144 piece promotion and that is FREE shipping and FREE set up fee on 144 pieces or more. You can combine pieces to reach that quantity discount.

If you don't see something on our site...just give us a jingle or email us. (omdsales@gmail.com) and we will resource it for you. Many items we have available are not on our site - so please don't hesitate to ask!

Spring begins a very busy time here, but we work very hard to maintain our quick turnarounds. Typically 7-10 days. If you need a rush order done, there is no rush fee. We may need to ship items in overnight or ship them out express as well....but OMD does not charge for speedy turnaround.

Well...more later as news evolves. I will be posting on new products as the year continues. Chestnut Hill continues to be the brand in the lead for a great product and awesome prices! So be sure to visit our website (link to the right under articles) for more details!!