Decoration method against product type: 284 combinations

Every page puts one decoration method against one product type and sets out what that technique does well on that substrate, where it fails, from which quantity the setup pays for itself, and how many working days production takes.

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How to read this half of the matrix

The matrix has two halves and this is the one about substrates. Each page crosses a decoration method with a product type and explains why that pair works: what the technique solves on that material, which condition has to hold before production can start, and which quantity turns the setup from a cost into a rounding error. The other half, product type against sector, starts from the buyer rather than the material, and the two are meant to be read together.

Every page carries the same set of figures, precisely so that the rows can be compared without moving between documents: recommended technique, MOQ by tier, lead time in working days counted from artwork approval, reference price in EUR ex-VAT, and shipping terms from the Lisbon hub. The only thing that changes from row to row is the method and substrate pair.

The reading order depends on what is already settled. With the merchandise fixed, because it was ordered elsewhere or because it is left over from an earlier run, start at the product block and read the methods that product accepts. With the item still open, the path runs the other way: settle the sector first in Product type against sector, then come back here to choose the technique.

The substrate decides before the method

The same one-colour logo behaves differently on every surface. What holds ink in cotton is penetration into the fibre, what holds it on acrylic is a reaction with the surface itself, and what sits on board is a film that needs more pressure and a different curing window. The practical rule follows from that: settle the material first and pick the method second.

Screen printing remains the route for volume, from 25 to 50 units per artwork, with Pantone colours holding on cotton and on polyester. Computerised embroidery answers at a similar threshold and is the natural choice for chest and sleeve logos, because the digital machine keeps the stitch and the colour stable on heavy knits. Laser engraving comes in when the run is small and numbered, with an MOQ from 100 to 500 units, since each piece needs individual preparation.

Sublimation pushes the ink into the inside of the fabric and only works on polyester and on coated surfaces, so it does not replace screen printing on a cotton t-shirt. Heat transfer looks similar in the result and differs in the process: it lays a film on top of the fabric and it suits small quantities when the date is the binding constraint. DTG prints straight onto the fabric and accepts gradients and colours outside Pantone, with an MOQ from 10 to 25 units; DTF transfers an already printed film, works on cotton, polyester and blends, and it is the quickest route when the deadline is tight.

UV printing cures the ink with light and it serves rigid materials such as acrylic, metal and PVC. Pad printing stays the answer for curved surfaces and small quantities. Embossing and debossing add no ink at all: they press the material and they leave a tactile finish that survives many washes, which is what decides the project when the piece travels between customers.

MOQ, lead times and prices

The published figures are in EUR ex-VAT, and a business customer in Portugal receives an invoice with 23% VAT issued through the Portal das Finanças. A single number on a matrix page is always the starting rate for the simplest version of the product with a one-colour decoration, never a closed offer. The unit price moves with the quantity, with the number of colours and with whatever the artwork preparation requires.

The MOQ decides most programmes. The usual entry points sit between 25 and 50 units for a one-colour screen print on a light garment, between 50 and 100 for DTF and for embroidery, and higher when the method has to open a production line of its own. Below the minimum production is still possible, at a higher unit price, and it pays to run that one sample on the item you are least sure about before sending the whole range through.

Lead time counts in working days from artwork approval rather than from the order date. Standard production runs 5 to 8 working days when the method joins an existing line, and 10 to 15 when the order opens a new preparation. The 48 or 72 hour rush carries a 20 to 30% surcharge and needs the artwork closed at the first proof.

What to send with the artwork

The file decides the response time as much as it decides the price. A vector with the brand in one colour and the garment white marked out removes the font conversion, which is the most common cause of a late proof. For embroidery, lettering needs about 5 mm of height and fine needles impose a minimum stroke width, so the drawing has to be simplified before it reaches the machine. For DTF and DTG, a 300 dpi image at final size is enough and more than enough.

Always say where the piece will be worn and what surrounds it. An event t-shirt spends the day outdoors and goes through the wash often; an office sweatshirt stays indoors and rarely sees 60 degrees. The same brand, the same logo and the same budget can lead to different techniques depending on that context, and this is the detail that lets us answer with the option that lasts.

Mistakes that cost money

The most expensive mistake is ordering the wrong technique and finding out late that the substrate will not take it. The second is picking the cheapest option and losing the programme: a print that cracks after ten washes costs the programme more than a flatter embroidery that lasts for years. The third is closing the order with quantities per item that do not justify the setup the technique needs.

There is also the quiet file mistake. Artwork approved on screen with a background colour and then applied to a garment of a different colour changes the result without anyone noticing until the goods reach the street. And there is the calendar mistake: a Christmas order placed in November, on a technique that needs 10 to 15 working days, arrives after the event.

The 284 method and product type combinations

The list below is the full index of this half of the matrix. Every entry carries the title of the source page and opens the sheet that describes the combination in full: accepted substrates, limits, MOQ, lead times and prices. The combinations a programme uses first tend to sit in two or three methods, so start there and use the list to compare the rest.

FAQ

What does one entry in this matrix tell me?

That a decoration method and a product type fix a substrate, a method and a set of conditions. The page explains why the combination works, which quantity makes it worthwhile and how long it takes, so that the buying decision does not depend on anyone's memory.

Does a combination listed here guarantee availability?

No. Availability depends on the stock position and on the production route at the time of the order. The matrix says whether the combination makes sense; we confirm stock and dates when we quote.

Can we order a combination that is not on the list?

Usually, yes. The matrix covers the combinations we repeat most often, and we can quote almost any other one. If the method and the product type both appear in the other half of the matrix, the combination can almost always be produced.

Request a quote

Tell us the product, the quantity and the date the goods need to be on the street. We reply within one working day with the technique we recommend for that substrate, the MOQ that applies and the price in EUR ex-VAT.