How to
Tips on the use of the E-ZEE backing materials
®
The backing materials are used to stabilize the background fabrics and help to improve the look of the
embroidery. It is customary to frame fabric and backing as tight as a drum.
The decision about which backing is selected is very individual but should depend on the fabric and on
the design to be embroidered.
For your convenience, Madeira can offer a few helpful tips on the use of backing materials:
Black backing materials should be used only to stabilize dark fabrics, otherwise a black backing might
show through light coloured or flimsy fabrics. MADEIRA offers backing materials in both black and white.
The weight of the backing material should match/fit the quality of the fabric. For fine fabrics lighter
backing material should generally be chosen, whilst for heavy fabrics, thicker backing or a couple of layers
of a thinner one are both acceptable. A backing which is too heavy can cause unsightly puckering.
After embroidering the backing materials can be cut away or torn away from the reverse of the
embroidery. The choice of a cut-away or a tear-away backing material depends on the embroidery work
to be done (i.e. caps, badges, shirts, etc.)
To better stabilize stretchy knitwear it is recommended to use fusible or self adhesive backing material.
Using these types eliminates the necessity to frame, therefore frame marks on fabrics will be avoided,
so this method is especially useful for velvet or velour.
The following overview shows which backing materials from the E-ZEE range are suitable for which
fabrics and usages. These tips are only to be considered as rough guidelines:
Fabrics to be embroidered
Wet-laid backings
CMX
SMX
Blouses / shirts
Light fabrics (i.e. fine cotton
and viscose, etc.)
35 g
35 g
Medium fabrics (i.e. cotton)
40 g, 50 g
42 g, 50 g
Heavy fabrics (i.e. denim)
75 g, 80 g
80 g
Polo-shirts / stretchy knitwear
(i.e. pullover)*
WEB
Standard backings
PES
Cotton Soft
40 g soft
50 g
50 g
80 g soft
60 g, 80 g
50 g
80 g soft
50 g (fusible)
40 g soft
50 g
T-Shirts
35 g, 40g
35 g, 42 g
50 g
Sweatshirts
75 g, 80 g
80 g
50 g
50 g, 75 g, 80 g
80 g
80 g soft
Caps
80 g
80 g
80 g hard
Badges
80 g
80 g
80 g soft
Coats / trousers
* self adhesive Stick On can also be used
MADEIRA Garnfabrik - Rudolf Schmidt KG - Zinkmattenstr. 38 - D-79108 Freiburg
Tel: +49 (0)761-510400 - Fax: +49 (0)761-508456 - www.madeira.com - [email protected]
50 g (fusible)
60 g, 80 g
80 g