New Directions, New Ideas IV Embroidery Project

Another blast from the past, multimedia has seen resurgence in recent months. By combining embroidery with other forms of embellishment such as screen printing, heat transfers, sublimation, appliqué, etc, embroiderers are able to create unique designs that are distinctive and exciting. One huge plus is that many of theses designs are much cheaper to produce, yet command a reasonable markup. For example, a full jacket back design that included a school mascot and lettering could easily run over 100,000 stitches. The cost to produce it could easily exceed the customer’s ability (and desire) to pay for it. By combining a heat transfer, appliquéd or screen printed mascot with embroidered lettering, the design could still be created, but at a much lower cost. Low enough that a reasonable markup can still be obtained, while keeping the overall price within the customer’s budget.

Heat transfers and appliqués are a simple and low cost addition to your shop. The transfers will require the use of a heat press, but this also expands your capabilities by allowing you to offer athletic numbers and letters for uniforms, as well as a multitude of heat transfer design possibilities. This process will open the doors to the lucrative athletic uniform marketplace which rarely requires embroidery applications except for headwear.

Appliqués require no investment, as the cut materials can be created by outside sources and supplied to you with a stitch file. As an alternative, you can bring the cutting process in-house by investing or you can invest in a cutting device and performing the entire process yourself.

Regardless of the methods you incorporate, multimedia is a simple and cost-effective way to expand your products and services on a large scale.