The Truth About Embroidery Foam (3D Puff): Comparing Walmart VS AliExpress VS Gunold & More

Is embroidery foam the same as craft foam? Which brand of foam is the best for 3d puff embroidery? Find out with me today!
This video was not sponsored by any of these brands. I purchased them all at full price for my own testing. Let me know if you have found a brand or type of foam that you prefer in the comments below.
Thanks for watching my video. Hopefully, this was either helpful or entertaining to somebody out there!
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🛠️ Products Used in Video (Non-affiliate links):
Go Create Craft Foam 5.5” x 8.5” Rainbow Sheets (50 Sheets)
www.walmart.com/ip/Go-Create-...
Gunold - Dense Puffy Foam Assortment 3MM (6” x 9”)
www.gunold.com/embroidery-sup...
AllStitch - PuffyStitch Embroidery Foam (12” x 18”)
allstitch.com/collections/puf...
Aliexpress - 4MM EVA Foam Square (10” x 10”)
www.aliexpress.com/item/32568...
Hab + Dash - Puffy Foam (12” x 18”)
www.habanddash.com/stabilizer...
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Neewer Ring Light - amzn.to/3QbpPKP
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🕛 🕛 VIDEO CHAPTERS 🕛 🕛
00:00 - Introduction
02:19 - Test File & Acti-feed Explanation
03:13 - Setup & Embroidery
04:16 - Removing Excess Foam
08:05 - Final Results & Opinions
📝 Final Summary:
Although craft foam can get the job done for 3d puff machine embroidery, I have learned that embroidery foam (specifically the denser foam options) provide a cleaner overall result.
Moving forward, I will likely be using Gunold for my projects unless I need a specific color that they do not carry. Both AllStitch's and Hab+Dash's embroidery foam worked great as well and I would use them as an alternative. Walmart's and AliExpress's craft foam works in a pinch but requires more time to clean up the design afterwards.

[@warpathclothing]

Great vid man, really helpful

[@LovesBranding]

Happy to help! Thanks for watching

[@jlynch877]

Wow! What a great demo of the different foam sheets available for embroidery.

[@LovesBranding]

I was always curious myself so I figured I'd test and share! thanks for watching

[@kennethhariston6947]

thanks for your videos real helpful great job

[@LovesBranding]

Happy I could help! Thanks for watching

[@rosanne7804]

⁠@Loves Branding, THANK YOU FOR THE COMPARISON VIDEO! I ordered Sulky embroidery foam yesterday and it should arrive today. Several years ago, I used craft foam on sunhats and items that will not be washed. I recently saw a video that stated if you’re using foam for an item that will be washed, you need to make certain that you use embroidery foam that is designed to be washed. Also, I noticed some people lightly and carefully use a heat gun to “shrink the foam” where it peaks out after clean up.

[@LovesBranding]

I love Gunold foam but this video is older and I know a few other companies have a dense foam option that I didn't get to test out.
Definitely worth investing into a heat gun to clean it up after. Its a minimal difference but these small things will make it look better! I personally like this tube style heat gun I got: amzn.to/3wWFc67

[@DianChapman]

Thanks! I haven't tried foam yet, so this was the type of info I needed.

[@LovesBranding]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RaeDanaeDesigns]

Thank you! That was really helpful! I am new to the foam embroidery so do we need to buy a special font to do foam or can we use one of our Block fonts that we use for regular embroidery?

[@LovesBranding]

Thanks for watching, glad it helped! For foam, the embroidery file needs to be digitized in a specific way to make sure it comes out properly. Hatch has a great brief article explaining it (link below). Some basic digitizing programs may have pre-digitized fonts in their library for puff such as the one I used. If yours doesn't, you may need to purchase a font pack or pay to have it custom digitized for you.
blog.hatchembroidery.com/how-to-digitize-for-3d-puffy-foam-machine-embroidery/

[@trinawidders3535]

Thanks for the video. Would you say that the Gunold high density is the only foam that was “high density“? So all the others are regular?

[@LovesBranding]

Out of the ones I tried, I would say so!

[@Innovativeicons]

thanks for the video. Did you try washing any of them?

[@LovesBranding]

I haven't, most of my 3d puff that I do is on hats so they don't get washed often but this would be a great idea to test them. I would still bet the Gunold foam comes out on top after a wash test though. Thanks for the idea!

[@echanesdesigns]

Have you ever tried Sulky's?

[@LovesBranding]

I have not. Honestly, once I found the Gunold foam, I haven't found another one that compares as well to it. It would definitely be worth checking out though since I like having alternatives for suppliers in chase someone runs out

[@isaacdial7]

Do you know who makes the gunold foam looking to buy wholesale

[@LovesBranding]

You can buy it directly from Gunold: www.gunold.com/embroidery-supplies/embroidery-puffy-foam/dense/
There are manufacturers on Alibaba/Aliexpress but I have not found one yet that sells a denser foam like Gunold.

[@randesavage]

Can you use 6mm

[@LovesBranding]

It is possible! you just have to have the file digitized dialed in for it