Decorating Guidelines

Team Wraps^® have been designed to support a number of different uses. Sports teams might want their team name on the back and their player names and numbers on the front. Fans in the stands may want something across the shoulders or perhaps even on either side of the hood. The outsides of the pockets also hold possibilities. A Team Wrap with a quote from the Bible on the back would make a great church fundraiser.

It is important to consider the intended use and user of the Team Wrap before you make a final decision as to method for decorating. Is this Team Wrap for an adult or a child? Will it be washed frequently?

Cuddle Capes^® and Sleep Silkies™ are perfect for personalizing with a baby or child's name and/or birth date. They become a gift that will be remembered a lifetime.

The following guidelines will help you achieve the highest quality results.

Scale and Placement

For customizing across the back of the Team Wrap, it is important to consider the size of the blanket. The shoulder width of a medium sized adult will be almost double the shoulder width of a child. The image should center across as much of the back as possible with out wrapping too far around the shoulders to be seen. You might want to consider different sized images or fonts for use on Youth versus Adult sizes. An image on the back must be high enough up to be seen while the person is sitting, but not so high as to be covered by the hood when it is down. On the chest, you need to stay below the folds of the gathers at the neck.

Our Material

Kideapolis uses custom woven and custom dyed 270 gsm fleece (13.5 ounces per linear yard) that is made out of 100% polyester and is two sides brushed with an anti-pill finish on the outside for our Team Wraps. This is a mid weight fleece that is often used in throw blankets.

Cuddle Capes are made of 100% 240 gsm polyester fleece two-sides brushed. Sleep Silkies and the trim that defines the features of the characters of the Cuddle Capes are made of 100% polyester satin, woven. The embroidery that creates the features of each animal is done in 100% polyester thread.

Polyester fleece and satin is inherently fire resistant, and our products have been specifically tested against both blanket and apparel flammability standards, and have met requirements.

Embroidery

You can achieve detailed designs, with incredible color combinations, but the scale and density of those designs need to be watched. Be sure to choose a moderate design or font style that has enough substance to show through the nap of the fleece. Embroidering a baby or child's name and/or birth date on a Cuddle Cape or Sleep Silky works beautifully. Using embroidery to add the player name or number to the front chest of the Team Wrap looks great combined with another customization option on the larger segment on the back.

Heat Transfers

Heat transferred letters or graphics provide a great option for personalizing Team Wraps in a small quantity at a low cost. It is important to remember that polyester fleece stretches during wear. Gorilla Grip by Stahls' and Miracle Flex by Dalco offer a wide variety of stock graphics and fonts available for small quantity purchase and they wash and wear very well. You can also have custom images or words cad cut from the same material. It is important to follow the manufacturers application instructions.

If you want a more detailed or multi color look, Crystal Backed Cold Peel heat transfers using plastisol inks are an excellent choice. This is the decorating option we use for our Collegiate Licensed Team Wraps. CBCP's can hold fairly fine detail and they are very opaque. They are applied at 325°-360° F for 8-12 seconds in one press, which lowers the risk of scorching and saves the labor of a double press. Do not peel until cooled.

Screen-Printing

Yes, it is possible to screen print polyester fleece. In fact, if done correctly, it looks absolutely great. As the ink soaks into the porous fabric, an almost three-dimensional effect is created. Screen-printing is a terrific option to use for large projects requiring anywhere from low to medium quality detail. And, it is low cost.

The key to successfully printing your Team Wrap is how you design your image. In order to get sufficient ink coverage on fleece you will need to use the widest mesh screen possible. A count of 100 or less is advised. This means that your image must be fairly simple. No sharp corners or tight registrations. Try to keep both inked and open spaces at least ¼ inch wide. Block style outline fonts such as Princeton and Jersey, or bold script fonts like Brisk are best. Graphics also look good, as long as the design is not overly detailed.

Sewn on Lettering or Appliqué

Single-color or two-color sewn on poly twill lettering is a great way to add team or player names to the back or front of a Team Wrap. Small jobs are quick and easy, and the result is very high quality. The downside to lettering is that it interferes with the softness of the overall blanket, and can get in the way of folding the blanket into the hood. Another challenge can be cost, especially if the name requires many small letters.