Promotional Glossary

Since almost all websites have to minimize their loading time, any images that are displayable on the Internet are usually of low quality / resolution. Therefore, such images are not useful in the imprinting products.

Word Documents are powerful text processors; therefore, they're useful in imprinting products only if you want to imprint typeset text as opposed to images.

BMP stands for low resolution BitMaP images. This format is not good for imprinting promotional products.

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. Just like JPG files, GIF images are quite common on the Internet due to their small sizes and faster load times. Also, they are not good for imprinting promotional products.

One of the most famous image formats, JPG images are widely used on websites on the Internet due to their main feature of compressing image graphics and colors to reduce size, and hence load time. Since much of the finer image details are lost due to the compression, these files are not good for imprinting products.

AI stands for Adobe Illustrator. Such files deliver the finest quality of images and designs that ensure excellence in imprinting promotional items.

EPS stands for Encapsulated Postscript file. This is yet another image file format that permits the storing and editing of PostScript data. Moreover, EPS files can easily be exchanged between different operating systems (such as Macintosh, Windows and others).

TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format file. This file format is useful for exchanging bitmapped image files between different systems.

PDF stands for Adobe® Portable Document Format, and are produced by Adobe. PDF files protect the originality of files and are more legible than HTML files. Moreover, since they have a defined structure, PDF files are clean and easy to print. Any machine with Acrobat Reader or Adobe installed on it can read PDF files. We currently prepare all our e-proofs in the PDF format and they are best viewed in Acrobat Reader version 7.0. * Some PDF format files can be accepted as artwork, contact the art department for details.

These basically define the page's layout characteristics in terms of font styles and sizes as well as the distribution of items on the page. To ensure that the supplier has all the fonts you wish to use in imprinting, it is always better if you send him these documents.

From their name, bitmap files are images formed by a collective map of individual bits. Bits – as computer people already know – are the smallest unit in the digital world. As a matter of fact, only very high resolution bitmap images (i.e. over 600 DPI) could be useful for imprinting products.

Derived from its geometrical connotation, most images created using tools like Adobe Illustrator have defined coordinates (X and Y), and are called vector or geometric files. Since they're not just plain images, but rather have calculations embedded into them, vector files are easier to update than other (raster) images files. Therefore, it is sometimes more feasible to convert raster files into vector ones to facilitate modifications.

Some artwork have specific standard that they ought to abide by. For instance, the standard for acceptable mechanical artwork is the "camera-ready black and white" material.

If your request is to have a paper imprinted until its edge, then the printers used will have to a paper sheet larger in size than your requested one. The printer then prints further than the edge of your document and cuts the rest off.

A particular promotional product may be represented in an image formed of small dots of varying intensities of gray across the scale from white to black.

Drop shipment is when your order of imprinted products is directly shipped from the factory to your planned event's location. There is a minimal fee for each drop ship location. Contact customer service for details.

Just as in any business, and up to a certain level, the more you order the slightly less you pay per item. Quantity pricing is the price to which the items are discounted as the order increases in number. The prices per quantity of imprinted promotional items ordered are posted on our website for you to have a look at if you so wi

This is an extra charge incurred if you change the copy to be imprinted on the promotional product, usually at the time of original proof approval or while re-ordering.

Overruns are the number of excessive imprinted promotional items. Underruns are the number by which the output imprinted promotional items are short of the number ordered. Since there's always a margin of error, the imprinting industry standard is a +/-10%, except for paper and plastic bag imprinting. Actually, the margin of error in paper and plastic bag imprinting can range between 10 and 25%.

From its name, it is the time it takes Superior Promos to process and prepare an approved order for shipment. The exact production time depends on the promotional item to be imprinted. For instance, it takes single color product imprints between 7 and 10 business days to be ready for shipment. On the other hand, it may take longer to imprint custom promotional products with multi-colored imprints. Each product has its own production time. If not sure about production times please contact customer service at 888-577-6667 to make sure your order is possible

After running the trial on paper, the actual promotional item is imprinted as a physical sample of the output. This sample is then sent to the client for approval. Actually this is a costly process, incurring between $30 and $200 per item, as the whole factory production line has to be stopped in order to produce the samples.

From its name, this is a step taken to ensure that the design and quality of the promotional material selected are correct by trying it out on paper. As mentioned earlier, this step may be skipped in rush orders.

This is the adjective used to describe designs that have sharp clear edges and are in black and white. Images manufactured to this level are easy to reproduce though scanning as well as photography.

Actually, some colors are more costly to manufacture to be able to imprint your products with. If you select some of the regular manufacturer's colors, rather than choosing a custom blended special color, then your costs will not be higher.

We usually charge you this particular fee dependent on the number of workers and amount of materials required in order to complete the transfer of your selected design onto your promotional product. For instance, in silk screening, every (i.e. ever screen) color used will bring upon extra charges. Using the deboss or hot stamp methods, the metal plate that is used will cost you an extra some of money. If you wish to avoid or go for the most expensive imprinting method, then we might as well tell you about it; it is the digitizing for embroidery. In this method, a digital image (digitized tape) is created with your chosen logo in order to be used by the computer-controlled sewing machines. Please note we keep your screens on file for 2 years in most cases set-up charges for reorders are waived or greatly reduced depending on the product and the facility..

From its name, this is the process of imprinting products with its owner's (or future owner's) name. There are several ways by which this may be achieved, such as mechanical or laser engraving, hot stamping, sublimation, screen painting, debossing, etc.

An index or chart of standard colors used to match, maintain and transfer colors correctly while and onto the imprinted promotional products. Each standard has its own unique numeric code and set of instructions on how to mix the ink in order to attain that specific color. If you would like to have a look at this index, have a look at our published PMS chart.

For high quality promotional products, this method is used as it transfers the designs onto the item’s surface though transferring the ink from the metal plate onto a cylinder covered in rubber.

Transparent sticky labels with the imprinted designs are used to decorate the promotional giveaway.

Promotional mugs, pens, T-shirts, caps and other promotional giveaways can imprinted with text and graphics using this method. The imprinted image consists of a permanent dye entrenched into the promotional giveaway’s surface.

From its name, the laser beam engraves the material with the design via the exposed sections of the applied template.

Four separate different color values (cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black) are applied onto the promotional product’s surface using mostly digital filters and screens. When the output 4 images are input into the printing press to be applied onto the promotional product’s surface, they will imprint the desired image in any colors. In fact, the combination of only these 4 master colors can form thousands of colors.

From its name, a surface with some buried areas (forming the design) is covered with ink and cleared at the flat end. Then a silicone filling is depressed onto the surface at the buried areas which draws out the ink. The silicone filling is then applied onto the promotional products surface to imprint it.

This method first uses the screen-printing method and then applies the deboss method onto the promotional product’s vinyl surface to imprint it.

This method can be used to create both symbolic and flat promotional products by hitting the metallic sheet with a die filled hammer in the shape of the design.

A carving or cavity is done on the promotional item’s surface into which molten metal is injected to fill up the design.

If your business promotional item’s surface is made of vinyl, leather or paper, then this method is suitable for it. Basically, a metallic or colored foil imprint is pressed on the surface, which usually forms a deboss.

This is the process of exposing some areas of the metal in order to imprint the image on top. First, the image is covered with an acid-resisting shielding coating. Second, the image is then uncovered which leaves the some unprotected metal and some protected. Third, the applied acid attacks the unprotected metal with the image. Hence, the image is left engraved onto the promotional product’s surface.

From its name, this method creates a deboss by placing the design onto a metal plate, heating it and then pressing it onto the promotional giveaway’s surface.

Through this method, the images are emphasized on the promotional products (promotional giveaways) in relief; hence creating an elevated surface.

Designs are imprinted below the promotional product’s surface through intense pressing of the image into the product’s surface.

Embroidery uses high-speed microcomputer controlled sewing machines that sew designs into the fabric. Since computers are involved, digital designs are utilized. Hence the first step in this process is to digitize the designs into a format these special computers will understand; i.e. not regular jpeg’s, tiff’s, eps’ or bmp’s. This special digitizer converts the two-dimensional designs, through recreating them, using stitches. After the digitizing process is over, and once you specify the colors and type of stitch used, the computer then programs the sewing machines to sew the design (with all its details) into the fabric. .

Puff Imprint is mostly used on Koozies and Can coolers. Recommened on simple logos, a puff imprint provides a raised feel to the ink. However puff imprint ink tends to bleed a little, so only solid and low detail logos can be used for this imprint.

You logo (or image) is ink printed onto your selected surface: 1)The ink is pressed onto the surface via a template/patterned screen. 2)A light-sensitive suspension is applied onto it. 3)Screens are overlaid with film positives and exposed to light. This light hardens the uncovered light-sensitive suspension and leaves the covered areas soft. Then squeegees are used to press ink though these soft areas. Since imprinted designs may be multi-colored, it is important to screen each color separately and to allow enough time for each color to dry in between screenings.