There are many ways to decorate apparel with some being more conventional/ common than others. Typically the more difficult / trendy the decoration process the larger the markup is for a retail fashion product. Each custom decoration process has different demands within each market it reaches. For instance, rhinestones and glitter are extremely popular with younger girls and women, especially cheerleaders and dancers.
With such similar names and looks rhinestones and rhinestuds are often used interchangeably. However, they are not the same thing. Rhinestones are translucent, and they are available in almost any color imaginable. More specifically, rhinestones are small pieces of glass or acrylic that are meant to imitate diamonds. They can be used in place of ink to create a design or even to outline one. Rhinestones can be applied to a variety of products, from pants and shirts to bags and hats. Rhinestone designs are typically created using a setting machine that places the stones onto a transfer backing that then can be heat applied using a heat press. Contrastingly, rhinestuds are solid. Rhinestuds can be applied to a variety of garments just like rhinestones, but because of their opaque look they often appear as bits of metal, and are typically applied to jeans.
Sequins are small plastic beads shaped like donuts, though they sometimes take other shapes as well. Apparel and accessories decorated with sequins are highly valued among girls and women. Thousands of sequins may be attached to a single piece of clothing or accessory to create a glamorous look. Sequins are either heat pressed onto a garment or partially stitched onto a garment so that they hang off and easily reflect light to make the object shine.
