This is how we finish your embroidery and keep it looking beautiful for years to come.

The machine is ready, the design is in place, and then comes the least spectacular but most crucial part: the finishing touches. Here’s what we do before your parcel is on its way, and how you can keep your embroidery looking great.

What do we do once the embroidery machine stops?

After embroidery, every item passes through our hands once more. It’s painstaking work, but it’s exactly what makes the difference between embroidery that looks professional and embroidery that looks messy.

• Trimming loose threads. The machine jumps from one area to another and from one colour to another. Each time, it leaves a thread behind. We trim these by hand, on the front and, where necessary, on the back too.
• Removing the stabiliser. We tear away tear-away stabiliser. With cut-away stabiliser, we trim the excess, leaving a small piece behind the embroidery. That’s how it should be: it keeps your design in place, even after years of washing.
• Dissolving the film. We place a water-soluble film on top of terry cloth, hats and knitwear. If you notice any residue when your order arrives, it will disappear in the first wash, or you can rinse it off yourself.
• Final check. Is the embroidery lying flat? Is the thread colour right? Have we missed any loose threads? Only then do we seal the parcel.

How does your parcel get to you?

We ship with DPD. As soon as your parcel is on its way, you’ll automatically receive the tracking link by email.

Live in Ghent? You can also collect your order from our studio at Rooigemlaan 437. We’ll email you to arrange a time. We can also deliver your order by bike within Ghent, and in that case, it can even be completely packaging-free.

For larger orders, we use reusable boxes instead of disposable packaging.

How do you wash embroidered clothing?

Embroidered clothing doesn’t need any special treatment. The threads go through the fabric; there’s no layer on top that can crack or come loose. Follow these four habits to keep it looking neat for years:

• Wash inside out. This stops the embroidery from rubbing against the drum or the zips on other clothes.
• Wash at 30 °C. That’s how we wash our sweatshirts. For other garments, follow the care label and never wash them at a higher temperature: this can damage the fabric itself.
• You can iron it, but not over the embroidery. Iron on the inside or place a thin cloth over it. Direct heat flattens the stitches, making them lose their sheen.
• Tumble-dry if the care label allows it. If you want to be extra careful, hang it up to dry.

A thread is sticking out: what should you do?

This can happen, even with neatly finished embroidery. A thread sticking out after washing doesn’t mean your embroidery is damaged.

The safe option: trim it

Take a small, sharp pair of scissors, such as nail scissors, and trim the thread as close to the embroidery as possible. This works on any garment, and nothing can go wrong. At most, a tiny stub of thread will remain visible.

The closer-cutting option: singe it, with care

Our embroidery thread is made of polyester, which melts when heated. A very quick touch with a small flame will melt the thread neatly right up to the embroidery. But read this first:

• Never do this on fleece, velour or other synthetic fabrics. They melt too, so you could burn a hole or leave a shiny mark. Always trim threads on these fabrics.
• You can do this on cotton, but cotton does burn. Hold the flame by the thread for no more than a fraction of a second, don’t touch the fabric and never do this while wearing the garment.

A tip from our studio: Not sure what the fabric is? Just trim it. Nobody will notice a tiny thread stub, but they will notice a scorch mark.

What is that circular mark around your embroidery?

Do you notice a faint circle in the fabric around the embroidery when your order arrives? That’s the mark left by the embroidery hoop, which held the fabric taut while we embroidered it. This is completely normal: it will disappear in the first wash.

Frequently asked questions