With so many new fabrics, styles and of course, branding techniques we were like kids in a sweet shop.
One such technique that really caught our eye in more ways than one was this Silicone Embossed design, which gives a raised finish to the fabric without the need for external 3D embroidery or rubber printed badges.
In terms of how this effect is created, it is relatively simple. With your chosen design the factory CAD cut a piece of silicone to the correct shape. With this completed they then place it between the main fabric of the cap and the internal buckram, essentially sandwiching it between the inner and outer structure of the cap.
The final stage is to steam and stretch the fabric over the silicone, giving the raised 3D finish you can see from the images. Little touches like the running stitch border help highlight the finish and keep the silicone in place.
As with all branding techniques there are limitations. By keeping the logo bold and chunky the finish will be more noticeable than small fiddly details, which are likely to be lost in the finishing process.
Also, the choice of fabric will play a big part in how the effect works. Heavy fabrics such as acrylic, brushed cotton and melton wool won’t work. Thinner jersey cotton, washed chino cotton and polyester work great and can be stretched easily over the design.
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