SCARF PRODUCTION

Maison Le Callennec is a one-stop-shop for high quality scarf printing, with over 30 different materials: 100% silk, silk mixes and a selection of viscose, Tencel, and wool based fabrics all ready for printing scarves. Materials, dimensions, finishes, all the specifications can be adapted to fit your ideas. And last but not least, our expertise will help you get the best results. Enquire about printing scarves at the Maison.

Scarves are the ideal accessory to bring a beautiful print design to life. It is a special addition to an outfit, an item that finds its space between jewellery and clothing.

For some, scarf and shawls are a sensuous experience, for the touch of the fabric, the fragrance it carries. For others it is the ultimate expression of personality and style. However you value it, it can become a timeless item to keep dearly. For all these reasons, creating scarves is an exercise that deserves the best choice of fabrics, the most beautiful print quality and the right design preparation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foulard "Papillon" by Virginie Riou
Foulard "Papillon" by Virginie Riou

YOUR SCARVES PRODUCTION IN 5 STEPS

At the Maison we have a tried and tested process from design to delivery that makes scarves productions run smoother. Regarding files and designs preparation you can also find information here. Here is how it works:

  1. Share your design(s) with us for feasibility study and explain your project to us. Alternatively you can commission Maison Le Callennec to design your print, or choose designs from the collections.

  2. Choose the right fabric(s) to print, on samples or at the studio. You can book a viewing here. 

  3. Decide on size(s) and finishes. Then receive a quote from us.

  4. Print a proof or a prototype.

  5. Launch your production by signing your quote and paying your down payment.

GETTING YOUR DESIGNS RIGHT FROM THE START

We use digital printing to print scarves. It allows you to print short runs (from one scarf and up), with a photorealistic range of colours in high definition. This technique is ideal to give your creativity free reins. Nonetheless, as with every technique, the best designs are produced by adapting to its particularities. Our Getting ready to print fact sheet will help you do the ground work. However there are a few extra tips you should know when it comes to designing scarves.

Choosing the right fabric

Lighter weight Fabrics are best for scarves as they let the ink penetrate more trough the fibres. As a result your design will show through onto the reverse better and the difference between the front and back will be less noticeable when you wrap it on. Light satin, habotai, light georgette or crepe de chine are popular choices. Silk and coton mixes in light weights give good results too although the reverse may show a slightly more.

 Scarf sizes

You can chose any size you like, within the limits of 5m in length and the printable width of the fabric (between 135cm and 180cm depending on the fabric). Don’t forget to add 2cm in extra to your final scarf size, to allow for border hemming finishes. For instance, if your scarf should measure 65cmx65cm we will need your design to cover a 67cmx67cm area. This can be coloured to give more detail to the edge of your scarves. If you choose to include decorative borders to your design consider this inside the 67cmx67cm size. But it is not necessary to add a decorative border unless you want it.

Your logo and labels

We recommend to include your logo within the design of your scarf and to place it at least 2,5cm away from the edges to avoid it to be caught up in the hemming. 5cm if you fringe hemming. The workshop can sew in your label in if needed. Ask for more details here.

Hemmings

We offer 3 different type of finishes; Machine roll with hand finish, pin hem and fringe. Note that fringe finishes don’t work with straight line borders and that white borders should be avoided with pin hem. Also, you should remember to plan an extra 1 cm around your design to allow for hemming, see the section “2.2 scarves sizes” of this page for more info. Another point to consider, hemming threads always match the design colour unless you request otherwise. Keeping all this in mind, some fabrics are not suitable for hemming. We will notify you when you choose your fabric.

Distortion

Silk is a natural fabric and the weave can contain irregularities, even on finer fabrics. Distortion can sometimes appear within the print process even with the greatest care. The best strategy against this is to avoid designs that rely too much straight lines as they could appear wavy, especially on thiner fabric such as chiffon.

Shrinkage

Some shrinkage can occasionally occur in the printing and finishing process. As silk is woven in traditional ways, it is a naturally occurring effect beyond our control. However when shrinkage happens, we use technics to bring the fabric back as close as possible to the original size of the scarves you ordered. Note that this can increase turn around time by up to ten days.

Layout

Think about the size of your scarves to fill up the width of the fabric and avoid waste. This will help lowering the cost per unit of your scarves. Find out more on the topic here. We use digital printing technology to print your scarves which is not suitable for large blocks of colour or white space as they highlight the slightest faulty ink drop. The rule of thumb is that busy designs will camouflage this and that block of colour will enhance the risk. Find out more on checking your design for print here.

Digital printing allows you to print short runs with photo realistic results and vibrant colours on silk and silk mixes.

USING UP THE WIDTH OF THE FABRIC

Whenever possible, it is best to layout the designs in the way that will use up the material most efficiently, thus reducing costs. 

The fabric width varies from 135cm (on most silks) to 180cm. The maximum length of a design is 5 meters. Once you’ve chosen the fabric you would like to work with, you can layout your design on this area and adjust your sizes to use up as much of the fabric as you wish. 

Certain combinations of item sizes work well and are more cost effective (these are item sizes, add 2cm for the design size to account for hemming). These are a few exemples:

  • 65cmx65cm squares
  • 90cmx90cm squares combined with 40cmx180cm scarfs
  • 43cmx180cm scarfs in a side by side layout lengthwise.

 

To show the cutting line between each scarf, your can include a 1mm space between each design. If your design features white borders, you can use a light grey cut line so that it doesn’t appear in the hemming.

COST, LEAD TIMES AND DELIVERY

Prices per unit vary depending on material, quantities and sizes. We write quotes for each project, taking all the parameters into account and optimising it to reach the best price for your needs. Tell us about your project and the fabric(s) your looking for here and we will happily write a quote for you.

Delivery times are in average around 10 to 15 days for scarves without cutting and  finishes. If you require hemming, lead times vary depending on work load on the workshop. Please enquire here, and note that the months leading up to Christmas are the busiest.

Your scarves are delivered pressed and packed individually in a cellophane bag, ready to sell. If you request it, we can saw on a label containing care information, material and country of origin (made in UK).