# Thinking of adding Embroidery to my biz...



## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

I need some guidance. I am a small shop in a very small town, I currently only offer plastisol heat transfers, vinyl, and very little inkjet transfers. I started this 8 months ago and I am overwhelmed with the support and busniess I am getting. 
The big screenprinter in the area just closed the doors to focus on the main division of their business. This has left me needing to make some additions to my business before the local groups and schools go somewhere else.
I have had several requests for embroidery over the past couple of weeks and one school told me they hope I start doing this because they do a lot of embroidery each year.
I need to know...how many pieces would I need to do or orders would I need in a month to make it worth investing in a good, but not top of the line single head machine? I know this is a question with a lot of variables, but a general rule of thumb would be great.

I am attending the Long Beach show in a week or so, I want to know what to look for. I am thinking they will be offering deals then and I can make a decision while I am there, but want to be educated before going.

Any help would be great. Also, would anyone recommend the DTG to go along with this.(just noticed one company offered this as a bulk start up deal)
Missy


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## AtkinsonConsult (May 2, 2011)

Missy:

Why not just accept the embroidery business and contract the work out until you learn the ropes? This might make better sense than over investing in equipment that you aren't trained in using and "hoping for the best".

-M


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Hi Missy, I'm in a similar boat so to speak, looking forward to seeing the responses. Also, so as not to hijack your thread I will be posting a similar question though more specific to my location and circumstances as well.
Good Luck!

Larry


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## AtkinsonConsult (May 2, 2011)

Missy & Larry:

One thing that you both can do is to write a business plan that is tailored to this new venture. Sit down at your desk and a cup of coffee and jot down every facet of how this new addition to your business should operate. For example:

1. What are your potential customers paying now? Run charges and digitizing fees.
2. Can you extract the estimated margin from that? Build a price matrix.
3. Turn times. Is it reasonable or are you going to have to add a night shift to keep up?
4. Materials needed? Thread, pellons, tables, carts, steamers, hooping frames, trimmers...you need to assemble a grocery list of stuff and work towards getting pricing lists from your regional vendors. What are you going to need to get started?
5. What about labor? Who's going to do the work? If you are using current staff, who is going to do their work in whatever they were doing before? What is the downside when everything is due at once, and how are you going to plan? How are you going to schedule the work?
6. What could be the estimated amount of sales if you turned this facet on today? Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly?
7. Planning on marketing this new venture? How? What's the plan if "nobody" responds? What's the plan if you are overwhelmed?
8. Do you need to add any modifications to your existing facility infrastructure to use this new equipment? Space? Electrical? 
9. Training expenses? Are there classes you can take to learn how to use the equipment beyond the basic level stuff the manufacturer rep is going to give you?
10. Digitizing - are you learning this too? Sending out? What is it going to cost per stitch? What are you going to charge? Are you buying this software too?
11. Are you going to just do basic embroidery and monogramming or get into applique, patches, and all the other specialty avenues? How are you going to handle that if someone asks?
12. How will embroidery function in your current business computer system? Do you have the ability to add line item charges and price matrix that works for embroidery?
13. Embroidery items are usually very expensive. What is your budget going to be for ruining some pieces as you learn the equipment. Screwing up one jacket could mean the profit for the entire order.
14. What is the downside to getting into embroidery? What's your biggest fear and how are you going to NOT do whatever that is?

I'd sit down and have answers for all that and more before I go shopping for any equipment. Then you will know your true budget and what you are getting into. Do it right and smart and plan for your future.

Good luck,

-M


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We contracted out our embroidery for a year before we purchased a machine. 

Where are you located? If you are in Southern California there are a ton of embroidery shops that take contract work. Suppliers like OttoCap will do your embroidery for you on caps that you buy from them as well. 

However, If you buy an embroidery machine you will make money with it. Embroidery is a premium product and the machines are solid and work well. Tajima, Melco, Happy, Toyota, SWF, Barudan are all good machines with Tajima at the top. SWF will be offering some good deals a Long Beach. You will either need to learn to digitize your designs or send them out. We do our own but hard stuff is sent to www.wickedstitch.com. We send less than 1% of our artwork out though. Keep in mind that a single head machine will get you started but is not enough to make a ton of money with. When you get your first job for 200 pc's that each have 10K stitches you will wish you had a 4 head machine. 

As for DTG, stop by All American and talk to Justin Walker. He has more experience in this industry that you will find anywhere in a single person and he has no problem telling you what the vendors will not. 

Good luck in Long Beach.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

When you go to the show look for vendors of imprintables that also offer decoration in house.....Zorrel, Antigua, Ash City, Vantage, Wear Magic come to mind.....Dealing with a 1 stop shop is a great convenience...But sometimes with that convenience there is extra costs.....

There are lots of blankware suppliers and contract decorators to choose from....But you need to pay attention to shipping charges....Sometimes the cost of blanks and decoration is less than a 1 stop shop but by the time you re-ship your savings might be lost...

You might want to check out Custom Embroidered Apparel | Louisville, KY | Stitch Designers in Lousiville....They do good work and are close enough that freight might not be a big issue...

Good luck...


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## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

Thank you all for the advice. I am located in a small town in WV. You are going to laugh, but what do you mean by digitizing art. Is that the software needed to send the design to the machine? I am so new to all of the lingo and have only learned what I have through this forum and reading all I can from vendors sites. I am please with what I am doing now, but want to grow. I feel that embroidery will open up a lot of possibilities.

Thanks


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Digitzing turns your art into something the embroidery machine can embroider.....There is lots of information our there if you Google "Digitizing Explained"....


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## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

lmcawards said:


> Hi Missy, I'm in a similar boat so to speak, looking forward to seeing the responses. Also, so as not to hijack your thread I will be posting a similar question though more specific to my location and circumstances as well.
> Good Luck!
> 
> Larry


Larry,
What is the title of your message...I would like to read what others have to say to yours. Good Luck to you.


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## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

I went and read some info about digitizing. Does this software come with the machines when you purchase? I am sure just like everything, it would be basic software, but at least soemthing to do basic comapny logos, schools & sports teams, lettering with different fonts. right now that is all I am targeting.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Both embroidery and digitizing are skills that take years to learn.....But when you go the shows the commission sales folks you will run into will make it sound like their equipment is "plug and play"....

Until you have sold embroidery for a few years and know lots about it, I would not buy any equipment......Or you will end up like many others who "dump" their equipment on Craigslist for a fraction of what they paid for it....


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

running the machine takes practice but it is a mechanical device and as such can be learned pretty quickly with a learning curve of 1 to 2 years to figure everything out. you can be up and running with a few days of training though. 

digitizing is an artform and you may get a starter or lettering software for digitizing but if you don't want to learn it you can use one of the many services that can email designs to you.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Hi Missy it's Adding embroidery services to my business, need advice! I'm actually looking to outsource locally until I can justify adding equipment and time for learning a new trade )


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

wedgees said:


> I went and read some info about digitizing. Does this software come with the machines when you purchase? I am sure just like everything, it would be basic software, but at least soemthing to do basic comapny logos, schools & sports teams, lettering with different fonts. right now that is all I am targeting.


 You can get the software with your purchase, but it's not somthing that you can learn overnight (neither is embroidery). You're better off learning to do one thing at a time, as it's never as easy as it may look on the trade-show floor. Even for those who had years of experience in graphics and printing, embroidery and digitzing take several years and a lot of committment to learn. Go to the show and absorb, but don't commit untill you have a plan together and even then, get in by stages that you can keep up with.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

First I would like to say that there is a lot of great help & info in this thread. Now my 2cents.
Take some digitizing classes while you're at the ISS.
Learn about embroidery and digitizing before making a purchase. 
I wouldn't depend on Auto digitizing to be the answer to your digitizing.
Don't jump into your purchase. The great deal will still be there in a month or two if you decide to buy. 
Contact software companies and they will do online demos for you. 
There is so much to the embroidery business and you can't learn it overnight.


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## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

Thank you all for your help. After reading what everyone has said, I am slowing down and going to try to find a great outsource contact that I can trust and work well with. I think by doing this I can see over the next year just how much my business is going to grow in the embroidery. If it does then I may look into it then and that gives me time to learn the shop lingo for embroidery and have a working knowleadge of the ins and outs. If it doesn't then I am not out anything.

I am still wanting to offer more to grow and service my area. The biz that went out of biz in my area was the top screen printer and embroidery place around. I was thinking that DTG would open up more for me than the plastisol and vinyl, but not sure it that is ture. I really like the look I get with what I am currently doing. I just don't like my limitation. THe clipart and vector limitations for cutting a smooth image.
Thanks again for all the help.
Missy


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## Riph (Jan 11, 2011)

I just want to weigh in on the digitizing learning curve. It will depend a lot on what you already know and how computer savvy you are. In my case, I am very computer savvy, but knew nothing about thread and fabric and how they interact. I took me two months to get to a point where I thought my work was good enough to sell. I digitize all my jobs and no one has complained yet about the quality of the work. 

That being said, I had the time to dedicate to it, and you may not. I think your decision to outsource is wise... and if things don't take off you aren't sitting on a bunch of equipment that isn't making money for you. I am adding shirt printing to my business and looking for a good contract screenprinter to handle large opportunities, since I can't take the time now to learn it, nor do I really want to.

Being in a small town myself, I can relate to your situation. I have been amazed at how many people buy embroidery from sources far away, and how happy they are to learn there is a local option. 

Good luck.


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## wedgees (Aug 22, 2011)

yes, you are correct about small towns wanting to buy local, but can't find anyone to do it. I think i will need to work on the verbage so people still understand that I offer embroidery...not that I do it, but offer it. Thank you for your input...I do feel that this is the best route for me to take at this time. It will also allow me to focus on a couple of things that interest me more. The embroidery doesn't interest me as much as some other things, but I felt that I would be missing a huge opportunity if I didn't figure out how to meet the needs of those that are left without an embroidery in town.

Again, thanks and best of luck finding a screenprinter. I would say I could help, but i do plastisol transfers, and vinyl.
Missy


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## drdoct (Jul 26, 2011)

You will also want to study the reasons the other shop went out of business. Was it one careless move or was business just not good enough. Me personally, I wouldn't buy anything I couldn't afford. I have an old machine but it works well. I don't have to worry about making payments. Sure I'd love to go get a nice 4 head Tajima with all the bells and whistles, but there are tons of people who, everyday go in over their heads and crazy with new equipment who never sat down and figured how many $4 embroideries it would take each month just to make the payment. That's not even including everything else like a rainbow of thread, stabilizers, special hoops and clamps, oil, service calls. There are lots of nice used machines out there. I'd rather have a nice used 4 head Tajima and a hoopmaster board setup than a brand new 1 head tajima. After you do your first order of over 100 pieces you will too. I would add about 4 months worth of learning to get up and ready for embroidery. Don't get a job and get a machine. The best time to learn is when you don't HAVE to get something out. Definitely don't try digitizing until you have the machine down. After you get your embroidery experience then it will make you a better digitizer to know what the thread is going to do. There's a lot more to it than just making pretty shapes and objects with autodigitize. 80% of the autodigitized stuff is crap anyway. Good luck. Take your time and spend wisely and not like the salesmen want you to.


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