# Australian embroidery thread supplier?



## hockings (May 2, 2010)

Does anyone have a good supplier for their embroidery thread in Australia? I'm after a quality brand (like Isacord or Madeira) and wanting to buy ~100 spools in different colours. At ~$6 a 1km spool that's a lot of money! If there's someone I can get a bulk price from I'd love to hear about them!


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

Isacord - SewingThread Specialists 02 8713 1755
1100m cones are around $6.00 and the 7000m cones around $20.00

Maderia - Penguin Threads 03 9529 4400
http://home.pacific.net.au/~lichfield/index.htm

RA Thread - Charles Parsons 02 9910 4100

Other brands include - Royal, FUFU, Kingstar, Marathon, Coats
Google is your friend.


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

If you are just starting out and only have a single head.
I would limit my colours to 20 or 30. Don't spend more than you have to. 

Thread does have a shelf life, it doesn't last forever. I keep it usually around 12-18months from purchase date, after that I bin it.

Also, the suppliers don't carry all colours on the thread charts. A few times I have ordered a colour only to be told it will be a special order and be 2 weeks from Germany as they don't stock it as a regular item.

If you use, Sewing Thread Specialists for example, you should be able to get your threads overnight or even same day if you order early enough in the morning (seeing as you are in Sydney).

I order from them and have it in 2 days. Order Monday delivered on Wednesday, pretty good for where I am. And the rep calls around every 4-6 weeks.

I would only buy the colours you think will be popular colours for your market.

A large cone, 5000-7000m will yield around a million stitches on average.  So they will last a while, so you won't suddenly run out.


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

at $6.00/km works out to 0.6 cent a metre  not really that expensive
at the moment needles are expensive at around 40c ea, now that adds up when you change them every 100 items or so.


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## hockings (May 2, 2010)

I've gotten a lot of help from people on this forum so it's time I can give something back. Woo!
For anyone who reads this thread, hopefully my efforts will help you save some money 

After a lot of searching I sourced the importer for Madeira (SSS Pty Ltd) but they were reluctant to deal with me as I don't have a registered business certificate. I'm a valid business, but as a sole trader trading only on the Internet I'm not required in NSW to register a business name. They've just sent me a mail that they'll look at my website in conjunction with an ABN as proof that I'm a registered business and an embroiderer. I haven't gotten back to them yet.


Apparently the importer for Isacord (according to the US branch of Amann - the manufacturer) is Sewing Threads Specialists in Bankstown NSW. Going to their website redirects to mccalls.com.au - but they don't list Isacord on their website. I'm yet to contact them, but potentially they might do a better price.

Cheapest Suppliers I found (so you can find one near you). All are for 1000m spools.

Isacord : 
Creative Quilting Services - $4.40 inc GST
chapel sewing solutions ($4.19 + GST)
 Punch with judy - $5 inc GST (VERY helpful staff!)
Raymond Traders Pty Ltd - $4.95 + gst

Madeira : (all these are inc GST)
Sewing Selections : $5.45
 penguin-threads - $5.75 (you need an ABN)
Punch-with-judy - $7.50

Hopefully this saves my fellow embroiderers some money!


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

Even though you say you are "internet only", I would still register your business name. Even if it is only to prevent someone else from using it.

Buying a single cone of 100 different colours would not be considered bulk buying by many distributors.

Some of the resellers you have listed will sell you individual cones, others will not as they have a minimum order amount/qty.

Just check with whoever you are going to buy from.


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