Choosing an embroidered shirt should be approached with caution and knowledge. An embroidered shirt is a symbol of our culture and is often quite expensive. That is why we have compiled a mini-guide on the criteria you should know when buying an embroidered shirt.
In order to understand how to choose embroidery, you need to consider several factors that affect pricing:
- cost of fabric;
- manufacturing method – factory or handmade;
- the amount of embroidery, its technique.
Fabrics
We prefer products made from natural fabrics. All of them are based on linen or cotton. These fabrics include linen, cotton homespun, cambric, blended shirting fabrics, homespun cotton-polyester blends, and gabardine.
The most expensive are rightfully considered linen and cambric, natural homespun linen is slightly cheaper, and the rest of the fabrics with polyester admixtures are much cheaper. The less natural the fabric is, the cheaper it is. Therefore, naturally, the most expensive are absolutely natural and environmentally friendly embroidered shirts.
Linen fabric has always been considered a luxury material and was equated in cost to silk. Its advantages include absolute environmental friendliness, antisepticity, and hygroscopicity.
Batiste is a very thin cotton fabric. The threads in batiste are woven very tightly, but due to their lightness they form a very delicate, mostly summer, translucent fabric. Batiste, along with satin, is one of the most expensive cotton fabrics.
Homespun cloth is a fabric created using the plain weave method. Previously made at home, today homespun cloth is woven in factories from various raw materials - cotton, hemp, linen, polyester and their mixtures. The cost of such cloth depends on its composition - the more artificial fibers, the cheaper it is.
Shirting fabric is the general name for a group of fabrics that are quite thin and hygroscopic, made from blends of cotton and polyester, cotton and linen, viscose and polyamide, and other combinations.
Gabardine is a twill weave fabric. Originally, gabardine was dense and woolen, but now it is produced in different densities from different materials. For embroidery, gabardine is used from a mixture of cotton and polyester. This fabric is inexpensive and resistant to deformation, but with low hygroscopicity.
Manufacturing method
Everything is simple and clear here. Embroidered shirts are divided into two types: handmade and factory-made. However, it is not so easy to trace a direct connection with the price here.
At first glance, handmade embroidered shirts are more expensive than factory-made ones. But in fact, it is worth considering each specific model. For example, a handmade embroidered shirt with a small area of embroidery and on artificial fabric can be significantly cheaper than a factory shirt made of linen or cotton fabric, generously decorated with embroidery.
And vice versa, a piece of embroidery made from a mixed composition of raw materials, with a restrained minimalist ornament, factory-made, will be a budget purchase, while a piece of handmade embroidery with several embroidery techniques that cover a large area, made of, for example, cotton homespun cloth, will be a rather expensive purchase.
ETNOHATA collaborates with several talented craftsmen who make fantastically beautiful shirts. Such embroidered shirts can most often be purchased only by prior order, which means that the craftswoman will make the embroidered shirt just for you. The embroidery can be done with cross stitch or satin stitch and, almost necessarily, is complemented by openwork lace - a decoration, the quality and quantity of which craftsmen demonstrate their talent.
Factory-made embroidered shirts, as a rule, compete in the variety of ornaments and floral patterns that amaze even experienced buyers. In addition, factory embroidered shirts can boast a variety of cuts: from a classic wide shirt to a modern fitted model.
The amount of embroidery, its technique
The amount of embroidery, the complexity of the ornament, and the variety of colors of the pattern directly affect the cost of the embroidered piece.
Embroidery techniques can be diverse – cross stitch, smooth stitch, netting, richelieu and their variations. As a rule, they do not significantly affect pricing and you should choose them only based on your own taste. However, the amount of embroidery is directly proportional to the cost of the product.
There are three types of embroidery according to the method of applying ornaments.
The first , the most expensive and labor-intensive, is embroidery on a solid piece of cloth. For such an embroidery, a "coupon" is first made - an ornament is embroidered on the prepared fabric, then the piece is cut out and sewn according to the required measurements.
The second method is used along with the first and allows you to slightly reduce the cost of production by reducing the cost of fabric. In this variation, the embroidered element is embroidered on a separate piece of fabric, close in size to the embroidery area. Subsequently, this fragment is sewn into the cut-out model in the right place - usually on the chest. This reduces the cost of fabric, because the details of the embroidered garment must be cut out without allowances for size selection.
And the last – the cheapest – is a decorative braid patch. Often such stripes are made in a woven way, only imitating embroidery. The wear resistance and practicality of such a shirt are close to the usual everyday clothes. And the price will definitely please any wallet.
Colors, ornaments and their meanings
Another important aspect when choosing an embroidered shirt can be the symbols and colors of the ornament. They do not affect the cost, but their meaning can also be one of the criteria when choosing.
You can always dress simply and beautifully, in the embroidered shirt that you love. But if you want to choose a symbolic item that could become a talisman for you, you should pay attention to the symbolism and colors of the shirt.
Typical for Ukrainian embroidery in general are considered floral - resembling flowers, leaves or plants in general; geometric - rhombuses, zigzags, crosses, circles, etc.; and zoomorphic ornaments - depicting birds and animals. But apart from them, each region of Ukraine also has its own traditional techniques, colors and patterns.
Write a comment