Printing vs Embroidery: How to Customize My Graduation Stole?

January 28, 2021

A stole is one of the most popular graduation accessories for its sleek look and versatility. The stoles come in dozens of colors, can be worn over the cap and gown, nice dresses, or suit and tie, and are to be seen at graduation ceremonies, photo shoots, student organization events, award ceremonies, etc etc. They add a bright touch of color and silky texture to your look, and even better, they can be customized to express what's important and memorable to you.

Every year, we are contacted by hundreds of school administrators, student club leaders, greek organizations, parents, and students to create the custom stole of their dreams. School name? School Seal? Class of 20xx Emblems? Mascots? The answer is always:Yes, we can do it!

Custom Stole Order Process

At Cap and Gown Direct, we offer regular 60" Graduation stoles for adult and 48" Graduation Stoles for kindergarten, in addition to a good selection of deluxe stoles and V stoles. Our in-house designers, workers can customize with almost any ink color of your choice using the best machines made in the U.S.A. Here's how it works:

You place an order online. Find custom stole color of your choice, select the customization location, type up some desired text or upload your logo, and select the ink color, then add to your cart- it literally only take 30 seconds!
We work on the art for your order. After your order is placed, it is passed to our art department to design the stole based on your selections.
You receive the artwork. will receive a sample artwork within 1-2 business days to your email. You can reply to the email to approve or request edits.
Stoles are made for you! After the artwork is confirmed, you can expect the order to ship in up to 5 business days with the delivery option of your choice.

Printing vs. Embroidery on Stoles

Another question people often ask is, can you do embroidery work instead of printing on the stoles? We actually can but it is a service currently offered by quote with a minimum of 20 pieces or more.

But why the minimum? It is mainly because the complicated setup of embroidery work will make a small production very expensive, when done for just a few pieces.

It is to be said that not all embroidery works are created the same. Results will depend on the skills, expertise, and time put into the make of the embroidery. She/He will convert your idea into a file telling the digital sewing machine exactly where to start and finish each thread, where using the right path and threads density is key to the final results. With the respect to our customers and a high standard for any product coming out of our production room, we opt to having a minimum of 20 stoles for the custom emboirdery.

On the other hand, the setup for printing on your stole is comparably less complicated, more affordable, and just as good to create the custom piece for you. This also explains the wide popularity of the printed stoles versus embroidered stoles.

Having a large order and want to decide between printing and embroidery? Here's a comparison of the two type of works on stoles to for you to find the right solutions for your dream stoles:

	Printing	Embroidery
Pros	Bright, solid color with a clean look. Most affordable for single color customizations. Fast Turnaround: 1 week standard processing time; rush service available. Stole surface will be left perfectly flat and even. No Minimum Order.*	Sewn with fine threads, the embroidery can demonstrate an exquisite texture and a 3D feel on the stole. More permanent and safer for care. However, please note the satin stoles are dry clean only. Support up to 4 colors in one design.
Cons	Default color option is one-color ink of your choice; If needed, you can select up to two colors per design. Some may dislike the feel and touch of the ink surface. Solid colors only, not suitable for gradient patterns. *For single color designs only	Higher Costs & Minimum Order of 20 pieces per design. Slower Turnaround: Allow 2 weeks standard processing time. Unless the embroidery is done on unsewn satin before they were made into the stoles, the embroidery will penetrate a finished stole and make the back of the stole unusable.

Do you have an idea to create a custom stole for your school, organization, church, or awards, but not sure what's the best way to do it? Let us know how we can help! Leave a comment or email us directly to get in touch.

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