WORLD-CLASS QUALITY
MADE LOCALLY
We use only the best materials, equipment, and people.
Japan | Italy | Philippines
Japan | Italy | Philippines
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OUR MANUFACTURING PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES
Crafteli is following two principles in manufacturing:
Why Italian-inspired?
Manufacturing is an art in Italy. That is why all employees, including the owner, view themselves as artists. This is the artisan concept that guides Crafteli in its day-to-day operation as a manufacturer of custom sublimated sportswear. As artisans, Crafteli employees try to visualize perfection even before the first stitch is sewn.
Why ethical manufacturing?
The sad thing about the garment industry is that there are still companies who operate as sweatshops. This practice may be cost-effective but the downside is that it does not provide good working conditions and may result to poor quality, as the main focus is on quantity. Sweatshops may be considered unethical manufacturers.
Crafteli Company strongly supports the Fashion Revolution and upholds ethical manufacturing. Crafteli put up his own factory and now employs regular workers who are paid with basic salaries, overtime fees, holiday pays, and enjoy medical benefits. Crafteli sewers also work inside air-conditioned rooms for comfort.
Now, Crafteli has proven that following a more ethical manufacturing set-up makes good business sense as it resulted to better quality and higher productivity.
- Italian-inspired manufacturing concept
- Ethical manufacturing set-up
Why Italian-inspired?
Manufacturing is an art in Italy. That is why all employees, including the owner, view themselves as artists. This is the artisan concept that guides Crafteli in its day-to-day operation as a manufacturer of custom sublimated sportswear. As artisans, Crafteli employees try to visualize perfection even before the first stitch is sewn.
Why ethical manufacturing?
The sad thing about the garment industry is that there are still companies who operate as sweatshops. This practice may be cost-effective but the downside is that it does not provide good working conditions and may result to poor quality, as the main focus is on quantity. Sweatshops may be considered unethical manufacturers.
Crafteli Company strongly supports the Fashion Revolution and upholds ethical manufacturing. Crafteli put up his own factory and now employs regular workers who are paid with basic salaries, overtime fees, holiday pays, and enjoy medical benefits. Crafteli sewers also work inside air-conditioned rooms for comfort.
Now, Crafteli has proven that following a more ethical manufacturing set-up makes good business sense as it resulted to better quality and higher productivity.
UNDERSTANDING THE SUBLIMATION PROCESS
Sublimation process starts with a white fabric, which is printed using wide-format sublimation machine. The fabric is then cut into shapes and into several panels using manual or digital laser cutters before the parts are sewn into one piece of apparel. The process requires meticulous graphics and color management, rigorous fabric selection, and precise machine-man coordination. Its main advantage over the other system is its being lightweight and having unlimited graphics. It is ideal for sportswear, compression garment, or even fashion apparel.
a. What is sublimation?
In layman's term, sportswear sublimation is the process of printing a white fabric with the desired color or graphics. In making full-body sublimation sportswear, the fabric is usually in roll form (or unsewn) when printed, and later sewn into the desired apparel. Because there is almost no limit in color and graphics details that we can do with sublimation technology, we can also eliminate the need to cut and sew several colors of fabric for a specific color combination.
In technical terms, sublimation is the process of changing a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid phase. In sublimation printing, the solid here is the dried ink printed on a paper. When the ink is heated at a certain temperature, it changes into a gas. The gaseous ink transfers to the surface or substrate that it comes into contact with. The best substrate that absorbs the gaseous ink is something made of or coated with polymer.
Polyester is a category of polymer and it is the basic material used to manufacture sportswear fabric. Polyester is a thermoplastic material, which means that it becomes rubbery at its glass transition stage (Tg) when heated at around 160 degrees centigrade. At this stage, the polyester molecules open up to absorb the gaseous sublimation ink. The effective transfer of the sublimation ink into the polyester happens when the printed paper and the substrate are pressed together using a flat or roller heat press set at 190 to 200 degrees centigrade for about 1 minute.
When the heat press is released and the polyester is cooled, the gaseous sublimation ink turns into solid again and is embedded inside the molecules of the polyester. This process makes the print much more vibrant and longer lasting compared to other printing processes like screenprinting, film transfer, and DTG.
b. What is full sublimation?
Full sublimation is printing on the entire white fabric panel or roll using either a direct printing or transfer pressing. The color of the garment and the graphics are printed at the same time from edge to edge and sewn as garment with minimal seams. Because the seams are usually located at the sides, full sublimation is highly advisable for tight fits as the wearer will not feel any bulging or protruding seams inside the garment. Below is a singlet printed with full sublimation.
c. How many colors can we print? Practically unlimited colors.
d. Why is sublimation considered the most durable, vibrant, and high-performing printing system for sportswear?
Sublimation does not fade and crack unlike silkscreen, vinyl transfer, and DTG printing. Sublimation printing is high-performing because it does not alter the moisture-wicking properties and breathability of sportswear. In addition, it is lightweight unlike silkscreened and appliqued jerseys.
Only sublimation can retain the moisture-wicking properties of dri-fit fabric
a. What is sublimation?
In layman's term, sportswear sublimation is the process of printing a white fabric with the desired color or graphics. In making full-body sublimation sportswear, the fabric is usually in roll form (or unsewn) when printed, and later sewn into the desired apparel. Because there is almost no limit in color and graphics details that we can do with sublimation technology, we can also eliminate the need to cut and sew several colors of fabric for a specific color combination.
In technical terms, sublimation is the process of changing a solid to a gas without passing through the liquid phase. In sublimation printing, the solid here is the dried ink printed on a paper. When the ink is heated at a certain temperature, it changes into a gas. The gaseous ink transfers to the surface or substrate that it comes into contact with. The best substrate that absorbs the gaseous ink is something made of or coated with polymer.
Polyester is a category of polymer and it is the basic material used to manufacture sportswear fabric. Polyester is a thermoplastic material, which means that it becomes rubbery at its glass transition stage (Tg) when heated at around 160 degrees centigrade. At this stage, the polyester molecules open up to absorb the gaseous sublimation ink. The effective transfer of the sublimation ink into the polyester happens when the printed paper and the substrate are pressed together using a flat or roller heat press set at 190 to 200 degrees centigrade for about 1 minute.
When the heat press is released and the polyester is cooled, the gaseous sublimation ink turns into solid again and is embedded inside the molecules of the polyester. This process makes the print much more vibrant and longer lasting compared to other printing processes like screenprinting, film transfer, and DTG.
b. What is full sublimation?
Full sublimation is printing on the entire white fabric panel or roll using either a direct printing or transfer pressing. The color of the garment and the graphics are printed at the same time from edge to edge and sewn as garment with minimal seams. Because the seams are usually located at the sides, full sublimation is highly advisable for tight fits as the wearer will not feel any bulging or protruding seams inside the garment. Below is a singlet printed with full sublimation.
c. How many colors can we print? Practically unlimited colors.
d. Why is sublimation considered the most durable, vibrant, and high-performing printing system for sportswear?
Sublimation does not fade and crack unlike silkscreen, vinyl transfer, and DTG printing. Sublimation printing is high-performing because it does not alter the moisture-wicking properties and breathability of sportswear. In addition, it is lightweight unlike silkscreened and appliqued jerseys.
Only sublimation can retain the moisture-wicking properties of dri-fit fabric
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
There are 6 types of graphics works divided into 3 categories depending on their stages in the business process. The 3 categories include:
(1) Pre-Sales Graphics, which are done prior to actual selling and manufacturing as they form part of the standard business database. These include Design Catalogue and Patterns/Sizing.
(2) During-Sales Graphics, which are needed when there are actual sales already as these graphics are dependent on the customer who placed the order. These include Design Request, 3DViewer, and Digital Proof.
(3) Manufacturing Graphics, or Nesting Graphics, which is needed for manufacturing purposes.
PRE-SALES GRAPHICS
1) Design Catalogue. The design catalogue maybe in the form of 2-dimensional static drawing or dynamic 3D inside the 3DWEAR software.
2) Pattern & Sizing. The pattern and sizing graphics include the vector drawing of all templates ranging from the smallest to the biggest size being offered by the company. Most dealers or manufacturers have different sizing standards and these are usually customized according to the standard offerings in their market or country of origin.
DURING SALES GRAPHICS
3) Design Request. The design request normally comes from the customer's idea from all sorts of inspiration. It may be coming as standard offering in the design catalogue or totally different coming from patches of inspiration from the internet.
4) 3DViewer. This is a unique free offering of Crafteli Company as other manufacturers don't offer it yet. The rotating 3D view aims to inspire the customer to see his chosen design in 360 view. Dealers and buyers can also do this on their own using the 3DWEAR Viewer.
5) Digital Proof. The digital proof is the summary of all details as agreed between the customer and the seller. It serves as the comprehensive plan. It shows the CMYK colors or the Color Chart reference, the fonts and sizes, the logos and sizes, the stitches and thread colors, etc. Dealers usually do this and submits them to the manufacturer.
MANUFACTURING GRAPHICS
6) Nesting Graphics. The nesting graphics is the final vector layout of all sizes and designs drawn out of the approved digital proof. The vector files are submitted to the printing department as input to printing and laser cutting. This is offered free to all dealers and customers of Crafteli Company.
(1) Pre-Sales Graphics, which are done prior to actual selling and manufacturing as they form part of the standard business database. These include Design Catalogue and Patterns/Sizing.
(2) During-Sales Graphics, which are needed when there are actual sales already as these graphics are dependent on the customer who placed the order. These include Design Request, 3DViewer, and Digital Proof.
(3) Manufacturing Graphics, or Nesting Graphics, which is needed for manufacturing purposes.
PRE-SALES GRAPHICS
1) Design Catalogue. The design catalogue maybe in the form of 2-dimensional static drawing or dynamic 3D inside the 3DWEAR software.
2) Pattern & Sizing. The pattern and sizing graphics include the vector drawing of all templates ranging from the smallest to the biggest size being offered by the company. Most dealers or manufacturers have different sizing standards and these are usually customized according to the standard offerings in their market or country of origin.
DURING SALES GRAPHICS
3) Design Request. The design request normally comes from the customer's idea from all sorts of inspiration. It may be coming as standard offering in the design catalogue or totally different coming from patches of inspiration from the internet.
4) 3DViewer. This is a unique free offering of Crafteli Company as other manufacturers don't offer it yet. The rotating 3D view aims to inspire the customer to see his chosen design in 360 view. Dealers and buyers can also do this on their own using the 3DWEAR Viewer.
5) Digital Proof. The digital proof is the summary of all details as agreed between the customer and the seller. It serves as the comprehensive plan. It shows the CMYK colors or the Color Chart reference, the fonts and sizes, the logos and sizes, the stitches and thread colors, etc. Dealers usually do this and submits them to the manufacturer.
MANUFACTURING GRAPHICS
6) Nesting Graphics. The nesting graphics is the final vector layout of all sizes and designs drawn out of the approved digital proof. The vector files are submitted to the printing department as input to printing and laser cutting. This is offered free to all dealers and customers of Crafteli Company.
OVERVIEW OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
