madeira threads and sustainability in custom embroidery

Sustainability and Custom Embroidery

Embroidery vs other forms of Branding

As a branding tool embroidery will last longer (essentially it will outlast the garment) and it is less damaging to the environment and more durable than alternative such as screen-printing, direct-to-fabric printing, sublimation and direct-to-garment vinyl printing.

The rag trade in all its incantations is not renowned for its environmental awareness or its sustainability.

As a member of this industry, we at ACE Embroidery/Patches are doing everything we can to be as sustainable and environmentally aware as possible.

To that end we re-use, refurbish and recycle wherever we can: 

Paper and Printing

  • We use only recycled or bamboo paper.
  • Wherever possible every piece of paper is printed on both sides before it is disposed of.
  • Our printers are as environmentally friendly as possible and use re-fillable tanks.

Postage and Couriers

  • All outgoing courier bags are compostable.
  • Incoming courier bags are turned inside out and re-used.

Threads

  • For all our most used colours we used Madeira Polyneon 40 thread which are made from recycled plastic bottles and is Oeko-Tek® certified
  • Our other threads are rayon and also have Oeko-Tek® certification.
  • Thread spools are donated to kindergartens to use as resources for the kids.

Backings / Stabilisers

  • Wherever possible we use 100% cotton backing.

Packaging

  • Most apparel comes to us in individual plastic bags – every item of apparel that arrives in a plastic bag is re-packaged into the same bag for delivery to the customer.
  • Every delivery that arrives in a cardboard box is similarly re-packaged and dispatched in the same cardboard box.

Apparel

  • Customers are encouraged whenever possible to choose from a large selection of sustainable items, often made from Hemp or recycled plastics.
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