# Starting up Embroidery Business?



## xxflyingricexx (Aug 22, 2010)

Hello everyone I am looking to start up an Embroidery business. I have around $20,000 to invest in. I plan to make custom jerseys (football, baseball, hockey etc) for a local high school my father works at. I just have a few questions...

I found a machine locally a 4 head.

I was wondering is there a machine that cuts out letters and numbers so you can sew them on with your machine? For example if I want to put a name on the back with the number, is there a separate machine that cuts out the fabric then the machine sews on the letter? Or can i order the letters and numbers from another supplier? Is there software for this type of job? Where can I get these fabrics and supplies?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

you can use a flatbed cutter (about $2K), a laser ($25K and up) or a service like dalco athletic or stahls that supplies them to you with the sew files.


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## abknight (Feb 20, 2012)

Hi - I'm far from an expert - but there are a WIDE array of cutters/plotters out there that will do what you're asking. Check out a few different retailers like Imprintables, USCutter, etc and look at their vinyl cutters - they'll cut vinyl - twill... I know that (probably) the most popular, reliable, name to go with for your application is the Roland 24" cutter - and that runs for less than $2000 - but they have a lot more with prices of a couple hundred $$ to thousands of $$...


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

i forgot to mention scissors. sew an outline and then cut it out. free except for your time


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## xxflyingricexx (Aug 22, 2010)

So a vinyl cutter cuts twill also?


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## xxflyingricexx (Aug 22, 2010)

could you purchase something like this?

Walmart.com: Brother Project Runway Sewing and Embroidery Machine with Tote, LB6800PRW: Appliances


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## abknight (Feb 20, 2012)

xxflyingricexx said:


> So a vinyl cutter cuts twill also?


According to them it does...

Vinyl Cutter

(btw, I am by no means affiliated with imprintables)


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

i don't know what you would do with it but you could purchase it.


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## AlisonB (Sep 26, 2010)

xxflyingricexx said:


> could you purchase something like this?
> 
> Walmart.com: Brother Project Runway Sewing and Embroidery Machine with Tote, LB6800PRW: Appliances


If you are wanting to do commercial work then this would be a waste of time. The ONLY advantages I can think of is that this is portable and cheaper. Otherwise you will find that - compared to industrial machines - it is slow, a pain to change threads on each colour change, can't hoop garments as easily, is not made to run for long periods of time, the list goes on..............


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## xxflyingricexx (Aug 22, 2010)

I found a Brother PR620 on c/l I was wondering is it hard to line up the names that were cut out from the plotter and be able to stitch them on the jersey?


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## holcomb (Dec 5, 2007)

You should start out having another company laser cut your appliques. Try Apex they are who we use. If you only have 20K to start with you are "bare bones", remember you will need to buy thread, backing, topping, etc. Thread will run you $10 a cone, so minimum cost is going to be around $1500.00.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

$10 is a little high.


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## Stitches (Oct 2, 2006)

Get a loan, buy all the equiment you need, and pay the loan back. That is what we did. We got a loan for our 4 head Tajima (brand new), the GX-24 cutter, heat press, and all the stuff that goes with the above mentioned. Then a year later we bought all of our screen printing equiment, no loan needed for that.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

+1 on the loan. We just did one for less than 6% and it is a great way to get up and running with volume in a hurry.


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