Branding Options

What's the best branding for your promotional item?

Marketwrite represents the most modern and efficient promotional product printer in Australasia with some of the best semi and fully automatic branding equipment from around the world. 

This provides an extensive platform of printing and manufacturing processes including Pad Printing, Flat Bed Screen Printing, Rotational Screen Printing, Laser Engraving, Embroidery, Digital Media Printing, Dye Sublimation, Heat Transfer, Direct Digital Printing, Resin Doming, Dye Cutting and Blow Moulding.

Below is a guide that briefly describes each option and its branding capabilities.  We are happy to assist with advice on the most appropriate print method to ensure the best result.
 

Pad Print Pad printing uses a silicone pad to transfer an image to a product from a laser etched printing plate. It is one of the most popular and affordable ways of branding promotional products due to its ability to reproduce images on uneven or curved products and print multiple colours in a single pass. Click here for Pad Printing advantages & limitations.

Screen Print Screen printing involves forcing ink through a mesh screen with a squeegee onto the product or substrate and it is excellent for large print areas on flat or cylindrical objects.  Close PMS matches are possible on white or light coloured products. Screen printing is best suited for spot colour reproduction and is not recommended for logos with half tones in them. Click here for Screen Printing advantages & limitations.

Laser Engraving Laser engraving gives a permanent finish and creates a higher perceived value than direct printing.  It is ideal for metal and glass items and because it is a digital process can be used for personalising products with individual names. Different materials produce different effects when engraved and if you are uncertain about the engraved finish please ask for a pre production sample. Click here for  Laser Engraving advantages & limitations.

Sublimation Print Sublimation print is used for branding products that have a special coating on them or fabrics suitable for the sublimation process.  A transfer is produced by printing sublimation ink onto transfer paper and then heat pressing it onto the product. Click here for Sublimation print advantages & limitations.

	Digital Print This production method is used for printing media such as paper, vinyl and magnetic material used in the manufacture of labels, badges and fridge magnets etc. Both digital inkjet and digital printing presses are used in the production of digital media. It is difficult to reproduce PMS colour matches with digital printing. Click here for Digital Print advantages & limitations.
	Digital Labels Full colour labels are used for products with substrates that are difficult to print successfully with any other method. Full colour labels are either printed with a digital inkjet printer if they are vinyl or a digital printing press for paper labels. Only approximate PMS colour matches are possible with digital printing. Click here for Digital Label advantages & limitations.
	Direct Digital Direct to product digital printing involves the transfer of ink directly from the print head of a special inkjet machine to the product and can be used to produce full colour printing on flat or slightly curved surfaces. It is difficult to reproduce PMS colour matches and some colours including metallic gold and silver are not possible to achieve. One big advantage of direct digital is that these machines can print a layer of white ink under the copy making them ideal for branding dark coloured products. Click here for Direct Digital advantages & limitations.
	Embroidery Embroidery is an excellent way of branding bags, apparel and other textile products. It offers higher perceived value and a depth of branding quality which other processes can’t match and the finished image has a slightly raised effect. Embroidery uses rayon thread which is stitched into the product. Click here for Embroidery advantages & limitations.
	Debossing Debossing is produced by pressing a hot engraved metal plate into the surface of a product with a lot of pressure. This produces a permanent image below the products surface. It offers a higher perceived value than other forms of branding.  The branding becomes part of the product and is permanent.  The product can be shipped as soon as heat pressing is finished. Click here for Debossing advantages & limitations.
	Foil Printing Foil Printing is a printing method that applies a metallic foil onto a flat surface using heat and pressure. This method utilises modern digital foiling, which is more cost-effective and eliminates the need for plates or stamps, allowing for direct printing from a digital file to the product. Click here for Foil Printing advantages & limitations.

PMS Colours and Charts

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a colour reference guide only for colour matching.  It is important to remember that PMS matches on promotional products can vary from almost perfect in some processes to only approximate in others.  The colour of the product chosen is a big factor in our ability to match PMS colours.  For pad and screen printing, close PMS colour matches are best achieved on white products.  Reasonably close matches can also be achieved on frosted clear and silver services but as the colour of the product gets darker the ability to match PMS colours diminishes.
 
Please do not hesitate to ask for more information about PMS colours if you have any concern as to whether the printing process can deliver the level of accuracy you require on the products you order.