For the last three issues, we have discussed what to look for when buying a commercial embroidery machine. It is only fair to discuss the key features to look for when selecting software to go with your machine.
August 16, 2010
In the previous couple of weeks, we’ve looked at the factors involved in selecting a singlehead embroidery machine. While that advice is great for many embroiderers (or potential embroiderers), not everyone needs one or multiple singleheads. As they grow, many embroiderers look for additional equipment, which may not include a singlehead.
August 02, 2010
When selecting a commercial singlehead embroidery machine, it helps to know which options are important and what affects its price the most.
July 19, 2010
The emphasis from multihead machines to singleheads happened years ago. The trend for smaller, more user friendly machines continues as manufacturers narrow the gap between commercial machines and those intended for home use.
July 06, 2010
If you’re an embroiderer, adding direct-to-garment decorating technology to your shop is probably one of the simplest things you can do from an operational standpoint. In fact, it’s akin to adding a singlehead embroidery machine — to put it rather simply, you’re just adding another machine that hooks up to a computer and produces fantastic-looking decorations.
June 18, 2010
Most embroidery supply houses offer some sort of starter kit, a collection of supplies that supposedly includes everything you need to get started in embroidery. Most of these kits come with a variety of common colors of thread, bobbins, several varieties of backing, snips and more.
June 07, 2010
It doesn’t happen often, but you may occasionally get a request to embroider a design that is larger than your largest hoop. Many people simply turn down these types of requests, but learning how to deal with designs that require multiple hoopings can open doors to various types of other jobs.
May 21, 2010
When I was a technician for an embroidery machine distributor, I would take calls for various machine problems. After listening to customers and processing the information, I would offer my expert analysis of the situation. This analysis often would indicate that the problem was not with the machine at all, but rather with the digitizing.
May 10, 2010
I recently had surgery on my neck for a biopsy (don’t worry, it came back negative). As a result, I have a three-inch incision on my neck that was neatly stitched up by the surgeon. Since I need to have the stitches removed in a few days, I started thinking about the fact that my surgeon and I actually have something in common (I hope): We both have had to become experts at stitch removal.
April 26, 2010
Despite the challenges of the economy, the team sports arena remains a healthy market for savvy apparel decorators. But like the players you are outfitting, this niche is competitive and those shops with deep inventory offerings and innovative decorating capabilities are most likely to score big with local orders.
April 21, 2010
Headwear remains in high demand among a variety of markets, from Little League teams to staff uniforms to promotional giveaways. For today's savvy decorators, the sky is the limit to providing your customers cap offerings that can fit any niche or price point.
April 21, 2010
Embroidered shirts are a staple of the embroidery business. As a result, there have been numerous guides published that include information on where embroidered logos should be placed on shirts. This information usually is based on measurements of different reference points on the garment. For example, a typical left-chest logo should be placed about 6 inches down from the shoulder and 4 inches from the center of the shirt.
April 09, 2010
When we talk about embroidering caps, we generally think of the front of the cap. Of course, that isn’t the only place that a cap can be embroidered. With advancements in framing devices over the years, more placements are not only possible, but they're even easier than ever.
March 15, 2010
Caps are a large part of most any embroiderer’s business, but varying opinions and attitudes exist about embroidering them: Some would like to do nothing but caps, while some would be glad if they never had to embroider another one again.
March 03, 2010
Attending your first decorated apparel trade show is exhilarating. Even though the cost of travel is up, I don't think you can afford to miss the trade show closest to your home town. If you are new to the industry, prepare to be astounded by the number of new products and suppliers you will find. If you are an old hand in the industry, expect to find new products, ideas and processes to keep your business innovative and on the right track.
March 02, 2010
In this tough economic climate, it pays to be a good shopper when purchasing goods for your business. As such, your goal should be to find the best-possible price for these goods. Unfortunately, as business owners, our customers want to do the same thing, so the rising costs of doing business is something we have to confront. What can you do when your clients ask for a better price, or tell you your prices are too high?
February 16, 2010
There are several funny things about knit caps, one of which is the correct way to refer to them. In the south, most of us call them toboggans. However, my brother-in-law informed me that a toboggan is actually a long, narrow sled. Some people prefer to call them stocking caps, but that makes me think of the long, pointy things that guys would wear to bed at night. Most vendors call them knit beanies. I really don’t like that term either — it makes me think of those propeller caps that kids wore in the 1950s — but I guess we’ll have to go with it.
February 01, 2010
As our industry continues to show resilience during these challenging economic times, it is evident that art remains at the core of apparel decoration. The 31st annual Impressions Awards competition, which was judged at last September’s Fort Worth Imprinted Sportswear Show, presented a collection of artistic and technical decorating expertise on all types of wearables and even in framed pieces.
January 11, 2010
This time of year brings out some of the most difficult items that customers want embroidered: thick, heavy coats. I embroider lots of jackets of all types this time of year and they can be very challenging. Their thickness makes them very difficult to get framed, not to mention the normal challenges of lining them up.
January 04, 2010
It’s that time of year again, when the weather gets colder and people start to want fuzzy things embroidered. Sweaters, fleece blankets, polar fleece jackets and Christmas stockings all have a nappy surface and are popular for embroidery. They aren’t the only items that have a nap; so do towels, which are popular year round. Winter items, however, make up the bulk of this category of items with nap.
December 07, 2009
Last time, I shared tips on handling customer-supplied goods that are to be embroidered. It is important to have policies in place to handle such situations. After reading e-mails from many customers during the last two weeks, I've found that the best — and most important — solution to this problem is to have a written policy that is either posted in your shop or given to the customer.
November 23, 2009
There is no one set way to embroider a bag, and no one way to create an embroidered patch. Each presents its challenges, but if you find a smooth workflow for each, bags and patches can be nice niche markets.
November 16, 2009
Footwear, especially athletic shoes, is a booming retail market with shoppers readily shelling out big bucks for the hottest styles. The concept of personalization fits in naturally with the consumer mindset, making shoe embroidery a great niche for savvy embroiderers. And using shoe embroidery for branding purposes opens up a world of interesting possibilities including spiritwear, team uniforms, resort wear and private labeling.
November 09, 2009
There has long been a debate among individual custom embroiderers as to how to handle customer-supplied goods. Some embroiderers don’t allow customers to do this at all. Others allow it, but they structure their pricing to discourage it. Still, others treat customer-supplied goods the same as the ones they provide themselves. Contract embroiderers, on the other hand, aren't affected in this scenario because their customers always supply the goods that are embroidered.
November 09, 2009
Embroidering on bags is a pretty wide-ranging topic because in our business, bags could refer to anything from a large suitcase to something as small as a purse. Because of this, there is no set way to embroider a bag. Each type of bag presents its own set of challenges. Some bags, such as drawstring backpacks and some totes, are relatively easy. Others, like gym bags and regular backpacks, can be quite challenging to embroider — especially by conventional means.
October 26, 2009
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embroidery visit us at Impressions mag. Impressions is a valued
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