How to Create a Faux Embroidery Look with Heat Transfers
Thanks to the latest release in Photoshop Beta (hello, parametric filters!), it’s easy for garment decorators to achieve a realistic embroidered effect using Supacolour heat transfers. This opens up new opportunities for you – in a way, you can offer embroidery, without embroidery.
But Why Faux Embroidery?
This effect replicates the look of real stitched designs without the need for digitizing software, embroidery machines, or long production times. This means:
Faster Turnaround – Skip the embroidery queue and create intricate designs in a fraction of the time.
Cost Savings – No need to outsource stitching services.
Design Freedom – Achieve intricate, multi-color embroidery effects without worrying about stitch count or thread limitations.
Soft-Hand Feel – Unlike traditional embroidery, which can be stiff and heavy, Supacolour’s heat transfers offer a soft, lightweight finish.
How Can Garment Decorators Use This Technique?
Whether you’re a screen printer, a heat transfer specialist or a promotional product decorator, adding faux embroidery to your services can help you:
Expand Your Product Offerings
With faux embroidery, you can now offer an embroidery-like finish on a wider range of products, including:
T-shirts & Hoodies – Traditional embroidery doesn’t always work well on lightweight fabrics, but faux embroidery transfers solve that problem.
Caps & Beanies – Create detailed, textured designs without the setup required for traditional cap embroidery.
Bags & Accessories – Print a stitched look on items that may be difficult to embroider because the material’s too thick. With Supacolour’s Promotional heat transfers, it’s easy.
Serve Clients Who Need Quick Turnarounds
Faux embroidery heat transfers allow you to offer:
Rush Orders – No need to schedule machine time; just press and go.
Small-Batch Customization – Ideal for businesses that need personalized apparel without high setup fees.
On-Demand Printing – Reduce inventory by creating designs only when they’re ordered.
Recreate Detailed Logos & Artwork More Accurately
Some logos and designs are too intricate for traditional embroidery. With Photoshop Beta’s embroidery filter and Supacolour’s heat transfers, you can:
Preserve fine details that would be lost in traditional embroidery.
Accurately reproduce shading and gradients.
Offer embroidery-inspired designs in full color without thread count limitations.
Get Started with Faux Embroidery and Supacolour
Adding this technique to your business is simple. All you need is Photoshop Beta, a Supacolor heat transfer and a heat press. It can help you land new clients, improve efficiency and elevate the perceived value of your products—all without investing in new equipment.
Ready to try it out? Check out the tutorial at the top of the page and get started with Supacolour heat transfers —no needles required!
