For people who have been in the embroidery business for a reasonable amount of time, switching to embroidery digitizing is the next natural step to take. This is a process through which you are likely to offer more services and better monetize your embroidery skills than you are already doing.
In the next paragraphs, you will know more about embroidery digitizing and how it works. In addition to that, you will be given some reasons as to why outsourcing such an activity could be beneficial.
The art of embroidery digitizing
An original artwork can be scanned with a digitizing software and turned into a digital file usable by an automatic sewing machine. This process is known as embroidery digitizing or computerized embroidery. The original artwork can be a picture, a drawing or a design. In more technical terms, embroidery digitizing is the process of transforming an image or a text into a stitch file. This file will later be used by an embroidery machine and finally sewn into fabric.
Though that is basically what embroidery digitizing is all about, there are other elements that are involved. For instance, you will not say that anyone who types words into a word processor is automatically an author. So, if you can open a digitizing software on a computer, you are far from being an embroidery digitizer. In other words, embroidery digitizing is not just a process through which you sit back and relax after clicking a button.
Digitizing an image for embroidery is an art. It requires from the operator a wide range of skills to see the smallest details and the big picture. This is the reason why embroidery digitizers are highly regarded. For a fact, these are individuals who are able to dissect an image mentally and break it out into layers and sections. In addition to that, they note the relation between each section or layer and the blending and merging of the colors. They even understand how shadows play alongside light to produce the atmosphere the image actually expresses.
Why should you outsource embroidery digitizing
Do you know that outsourcing embroidery digitizing is more beneficial than doing it in-house?
Indeed, outsourcing the digitizing of images for embroidery purposes will help you save a considerable amount of money. Notice that outsourcing is a process known to convert fixed costs into variable. It also frees up capitals that could be invested in the purchase of embroidery machines and in the advertising and the promotion of your business.
The outsourcing aspect of digitizing services can help your business being focused. Usually, embroidery is a low-scale type of business and the resources available are mostly limited. As for managers, they have certain limitations in terms of attention and time. By outsourcing your embroidery digitizing business, be sure that every work that is carried out is intended for the customers’ needs. Managers can now clearly set their priorities.
Outsourcing also plays a big role in the growth and survival of small embroidery firms. In normal circumstances, such small firms are no match for larger firms with their in-house embroidery digitizing facilities. However, outsourcing offers a very big opportunity for these smaller firms, as they can enjoy the same efficiency, expertise and economies of scale just as larger companies.
Comparing manual machine embroidery and embroidery digitizing
Machine embroidery is a sowing process that consists of two specific techniques. One of these techniques is embroidery digitizing, while the other involves using exclusively a sewing machine manually.
The machine embroidery technique that involves a sewing machine mainly deals with quilting projects and fiber arts. The sewing machine is used to create a specific design on a piece of cloth or fabric.
On the other hand, computerized embroidery is the most popular machine embroidery technique around. This is due to the fact it is a process that requires less effort and costs less. Indeed, it greatly lessens the use of manual embroidery.