Stabilizers

Stabilizers are a critical component for good embroidery. Proper use of a good stabilizer will keep your embroidery work always looking good.

The thing to look for in a high quality stabilizer is how it is made. Wet-laid, non-woven, delta-formed stabilizers are made to be stable in all directions without lumps or thin spots. This eliminates the need to have multiple layers of stabilizer.

Despite what you may hear or read, almost all stabilizers are manufactured by only 4 companies worldwide. These stabilizers are manufactured in huge rolls which are sent to companies called converters who take those huge rolls and convert them to the smaller, more usable rolls which are sold in a number of different industries - machine embroidery, garment construction, etc. These manufacturers have to make such a large quantity of any product that few if any custom products are ever made. Different finishes may be applied to a stabilizer (such as the fusible finish that allows a stabilizer to stick to a piece of fabric). Stabilizers are then packaged and sold under a wide variety of brand names.

We encourage you to focus on how the stabilizer is made. That will make more difference to your final results than anything else.