| VIDEOS |
Dear Stitches: Sitting on the Sidelines
In this third installment of "Dear Stitches," watch Stitches Editor Nicole Rollender offer advice to a small decorating firm that has been losing sports bids to its larger competitor, a sporting goods store. See what tips the Stitches Editorial Advisory Board gives this business to get its foot in the door.
Click here to watch the video.
Industry Update
In this episode, Stitches Staff Writer Dave Vagnoni talks about a major apparel market acquisition. Plus, could a new piece of legislation mean rising prices in the ad specialty industry?
Click here to check out the trends. |
| BUSINESS VIEW Health-Care Market
One market decorators will continue to successfully sell into is the health-care market. "Medical professionals are always going to need garments," says Shannon Gorman, owner of Olney, MD-based Embroidery Express. "For many of them, they're required to wear uniforms or scrubs. My advice: Keep plenty of scrubs in your inventory and work to get your business name and products in front of the buyers at local hospitals and medical centers.
"
Another tip: Send members of your staff to local hospitals or medical offices to make face-to-face contact. For example, Gorman sends her employees with catalogs and decorated scrub samples to give to the receptionist. "By greeting potential customers in person, you're making a better connection than you would over the phone or e-mail," she says.
Finally, if you want to get more involved in the medical community, learn what charity or other events your local hospitals or medical offices are participating in, and offer to donate some embroidered T-shirts or hats. It requires some of your time and dollars to get involved, but once you do, you'll get noticed for your donation. See if you can get your business name and logo displayed as a sponsor for the event. That's a way to get in front of more potential buyers – and free marketing to show your charitable side. |
Stitches Golden Needle Awards Call for Entries
Enter the 2010 Stitches Golden Needle Awards™ and show off your embroidery and digitizing skills and creativity! Finalists will be selected by a panel of veteran embroiderers and digitizers – and then we're opening the voting to Stitches readers. Winners will be featured in the November 2010 issue of Stitches and online. So, select the entry category that fits your skills, and show us your talent.
Click here to learn more. |
| EMBROIDERY ALERT: Solar Thread |
Hot Markets for Decorated Apparel
How can you add an exciting new dimension to your embroidery projects? Look no further than solar-activated thread, which changes color in the sunlight.
"I'm surprised more embroiderers don't realize the benefit of using this type of thread," says Robin Burch, owner of Girard, PA-based Robin Burch's Sewing Nest. "I did a job for a client who owned an ice cream stand. I decided to embroider a hat with a cone in standard embroidery thread, but put two different colors of solar thread in the ice cream scoops. Every time an employee wearing the hat would walk outside, the ice cream would change colors."
The color change effect normally lasts for at least 2,000 cycles, which is usually the lifespan of a garment. "I've never had a complaint from a customer who said the colors no longer change in the sun," Burch says. "Although that may happen over time, the embroidered design will still look just as good."
Embroidery Tip
Where to Get Solar, Glow-in-the-Dark & Other Specialty Threads
Madeira USA: www.madeirausa.com
Robison-Anton:www.robison-anton.com |
See You at the Stitches Roadshows!
We had a great time at the Stitches Roadshows in Atlanta and St. Louis! Visiting one more key market this year – Denver (May 12) – the Stitches Roadshow is geared to help decorators become more successful, find new suppliers and grow your businesses. The Stitches Roadshow brings Stitches magazine to life for our readers by giving you the opportunity to meet equipment, software, supply and service providers face-to-face, see new wearables vendors, enjoy valuable education and network with other decorators. Visit www.stitchesroadshow.com for more information. |
Tip of the Day
Did you know that you can get a new Tip of the Day every day on Stitches.com? Here's just one of the business-building tips you'll find online:
"You wouldn't want to use a garment printer to print on nylon jerseys or even polyester. Since the ink is water-based, it won't adhere to the fabric."
Tommy Martin, digital sales and support manager for Hirsch International |
| QUICK HIT |
Wandering Star Specialty Printing
Colleen Leonard, owner of Montague, TX-based Wandering Star Specialty Printing, is based in a rural area, so many of her customers are individuals and small businesses. "We've been out here 10 years, and one new thing I've seen is that people want more and more vinyl lettering," says Leonard, who provides clients digitizing, embroidery, vinyl design/lettering and sublimation services, and has kept profits up by offering a non-minimums policy.
Stitches: How do you market your business?
Colleen Leonard: Most of our business is word-of-mouth. Customers know we have a fast turnaround. If there's a job we can't finish in a timely manner, we'll let clients know beforehand. Also, every year we attend Second Monday, one of the largest flea markets on the North Texas Circuit – it's a three-day event. We set up a booth and show off plenty of samples to visitors. If we get an order on a Friday at the event, most customers are local so we can finish it by Sunday, the last day of the event.
Stitches: What's a big trend you're seeing in decoration?
CL: Definitely vinyl lettering. Before, I'd receive a lot of request for standard embroidery, but I think that because vinyl lettering is so cheap, it's more appealing to buyers. It's probably 50% less expensive than embroidery.
Stitches: Have you had any business challenges you've figured out how to deal with?
CL: I actually need more time to get things done. If I can't finish in order in less than a week, that's a problem. In order to keep myself on schedule, I document all of my orders. For example, I used to have paper folders with individual clients orders in them, but now I've got everything online. You have to be organized if you want to keep your business going.
Stitches: Any advice you'd like to give to fellow embroiderers?
CL: When you're working with thinner fabrics, such as mesh, spandex or performance cloth, use a lighter-weight thread so the fabric doesn't pucker. Shirts made out of those fabrics are extremely delicate, so make sure the thread is light enough for the wearer to enjoy what he's wearing. Also, don't be afraid to sew out designs with fewer stitches on these types of fabrics. |
Get on Stitches' First Ever Top 20 List
Are you doing something wow-worthy in the decorated apparel industry right now? Or, do you know someone who is? Stitches is looking for nominations of people for its first-ever Top 20 List, which will be published in August. We're looking for anyone in the industry who's decorating apparel in a far-out way, a decorator salesperson who's selling large apparel programs right and left, a decorator who's working a really unique niche, a machine tech who's on the road 24/7 fixing your machines, or a digitizer or artist whose techniques have that "leave-you-speechless" factor. We're in search of the people who are the movers and shakers in the decorating industry – a community of artistic, passionate and profitable people who are changing the way that people look at logos and design.
Send an e-mail by Friday, April 30 to Nicole Rollender at nrollender@asicentral.com explaining in 50 words or less why your nomination should be recognized on Stitches' first-ever Top 20 List in August. And, please make sure to include a picture of the person you're nominating. |
| NEWS BRIEFS |
A4 (asi/30121) recently coordinated with World Vision and Food For The Poor to send more than 62,000 new garments to Haiti.
Boxercraft (asi/41325) has announced a new charity contest, allowing decorators and distributors to nominate a community organization to receive a donation of spiritwear. Beginning April 2, for more information, go to: www.boxercraft.com/liftspirits.
Floriani Commercial Embroidery has released a new digitizing software program called Floriani Total Control, specifically designed for commercial embroiderers and digitizers.
Heritage Sportswear (asi/60582) is asking its clients to celebrate Earth Day's 40th anniversary by wearing an Anvil Knitwear Inc. (asi/36350) sustainable T-shirt (style 450) that's made of 50% ringspun traditional cotton/50% post-consumer P.E.T. recycled polyester and weighs 4.8 ounces. The shirt is available in multiple colors in sizes S-3XL.
Stahls' Hotronix offers a new fusion designed to make heat printing as goof-proof as possible. Its new machine can be used as a swing-away or draw press and features an EZ-On platen that provides 360-degree access to the bottom platen for easier garment loading.
Tri-Mountain (asi/92125) has just released an apparel line with one or more performance characteristics, such as moisture-wicking, UV-ray protection and anti-microbial. The Groove (235) is made of 100% polyester and features Tri-Mountain Ultra Cool moisture-wicking technology. A women's companion style (232) is also available. |
WEBINAR CALENDAR
ASI Education has great new Webinars every week to increase your knowledge. Here's our schedule for April:
Wearables University
Top Money-Making Niches for Decorated Apparel
April 8, 2-3 pm EST
Get the skinny on the hottest niche markets buying decorated apparel and accessories right now.
Register here.
Wearables University
Green A-Z: Become an Eco-Apparel Selling Expert
April 14, 2-3 p.m.
Get a crash course in natural and recycled fabrics and eco-friendly decorating techniques and processes.
Register here.
Hot Niche
Sell More Made-in-the-USA Products
April 20, 2-3 pm EST
Learn how red-white-and-blue products can get you the green.
Register here.
Hot Niche
Improve Revenues and Margins With Green Products
April 29, 2-3 pm EST
Become well-versed in green terminology, know what products to sell and how to pitch them to the right buyers.
Register here. |
| ASK PHIL |
Phil,
I'm searching for a wholesale supplier of organic baby shirts and accessories. I've found a couple with one or two items but need a supplier with more products than one or two. Do you have any suggestions?
Nancy
Nancy,
Not a problem! Try American Apparel (asi/35297); (213) 488-0226; www.americanapparel.net/wholesaleresources; product 4009ORG. This 100% combed organic cotton hat is soft, stylish and adjustable; it's available in six colors. The company also has a 100% organic combed cotton one-piece (4001ORG) that features short sleeves. Or, try Royal Apparel (asi/83731); (866) 769-2517; www.royalapparel; product RA2031ORG. This infant lapover T-shirt is made of 100% certified organic; it's available in seven colors.
Got a question for Phil? If you can't find what you're looking for in the Embroiderers Sourcing Guide, write to: Stitches, Attn: Phil Stitch, 4800 Street Road, Trevose, PA 19053. Or fax your question to: (215) 953-3107. For the quickest response, e-mail askphil@asicentral.com. For RN inquiries, visit www.stitches.com for the RN Database link. Although I try my best, I can't always answer every request, so please continue your search on your own. Remember, if you call the companies that I mention, tell them you heard about them here! |
EMBROIDERY TERMS
Knowing these terms will make new embroiderers seem like they've been in the business for years.
Martingale: A loose half belt or strap placed on the back of a garment, such as a coat or blazer
Nankeen: A durable brownish-yellow cotton fabric originally loomed by hand in China. Also, trousers made of nankeen.
Organzine: A raw silk yarn used for warp thread in fine fabrics |
| |
CALENDAR
MARCH 2010
March 23-26, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Ft. Lauderdale
Advantages Roadshow
(800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
APRIL 2010
April 2-3, Knoxville, TN
Floriani Commercial Products Educational Workshop
(865) 719-0838; www.rnkdistributing.com
April 12-16, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, Concord
Advantages Roadshow
(800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
April 16-17, Charlotte, NC
The Embroidery & Direct to Garment Extravaganza
(877) 793-3278; www.embroideryextravaganza.com
April 18-21, Marlboro, MA
New England Apparel Club Show
(781) 326-9223; www.neacshow.com
April 19-23, Van Nuys, Ontario, Newport Beach, San Diego, Phoenix
Advantages Roadshow
(800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
April 23-24, New York City
Vintage Clothing & Antique Textile Show and Sale
(518) 434-4312; www.manhattanvintage.com |
|