With the school summer holidays underway, it’s officially the start of the back-to-school season. For embroidery professionals, this marks one of the busiest times of year, with high demand for personalised backpacks, book bags and gym sacks. Whether you're working with school logos or custom names, ensuring the right techniques and materials makes all the difference. Here’s how to achieve the best results using recommended supplies from ETC.
1. Understand Bag Structure and Fabric
Backpacks and school bags are often made from robust materials like nylon, polyester, or canvas, many of which are water-resistant and multi-layered. These features can make hooping and stabilising a challenge. Always inspect the bag to find flat, obstruction-free areas for embroidery. The upper front panel is usually the best option, avoiding seams and zips where possible.
Tip: Always run a test stitch on a similar material to ensure the right tension and needle setup.
2. Stabilise with the Right Backing
Stabilising is crucial for clean, long-lasting embroidery. ETC Supplies recommends using either Woven Fusible Backing or Soft & Strong Backing, depending on the bag material.
Woven Fusible Backing is ideal for lighter synthetic bags or where a permanent, iron-on stabiliser is preferred. It fuses securely to the fabric, reducing shifting during embroidery.
Soft & Strong Backing offers excellent support on heavier or more structured bags, ensuring crisp stitch quality and preventing puckering.
Both options help maintain the integrity of the embroidery through daily wear and repeated washing.
3. Needles for Tough Fabrics
For school bags, use a sharp-point embroidery needle. These penetrate tough, coated fabrics more effectively than finer needles, helping to avoid skipped stitches or thread breakage.
4. Durable Threads for Daily Use
School bags see a lot of action, so your thread needs to be both strong and colourfast. ETC Supplies recommends Durak Polysoft threads for all bag embroidery. This high-quality polyester thread delivers a smooth finish while offering excellent durability, UV resistance, and vibrant colour retention – essential for items that will be outdoors and in frequent use.
Note: Always match your bobbin thread weight and colour appropriately to avoid tension imbalance and visibility through the top stitching.
5. Adhesive and Finishing Tips
If hooping is difficult, a temporary spray adhesive can help secure the backing to the fabric before hooping. Once stitching is complete, trim away excess backing and lightly steam the area to remove hoop marks or slight puckering.
Conclusion
Embroidering school bags is a profitable seasonal opportunity, and with the right setup, it can also be highly efficient. By using Woven Fusible or Soft & Strong Backing, pairing them with Durak Polysoft threads, and following proper stabilisation and stitching techniques, you’ll ensure a clean, professional finish every time.
Explore our full range of embroidery supplies today and get ready for the back to school season!