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Ricky
04-06-2013, 09:43 AM
Hi

After reading a lot of posts about investing in an embroidery machine, I am still no clearer what to do.

The reason for me wanting to know a little bit more info is that a local secondary school would like to go into a bit of a business deal with me (basically I will supply them with there PE kits, jumpers, badges etc.) the idea of this would be to eventually branch out to other schools in the area.

Can any one recommend An embroidery machine which will be able to do large runs? I Have little/no knowledge of anything like this but I think it could end up quite beneficial, and I am hoping the pros would outway the cons.

i am hoping for a machine around (or ideally under the £10,000 mark)

thanks
Ricky

Earl Smith
04-06-2013, 11:08 AM
Hi Ricky.
There is a big learning curve with embroidery and you dont earn as much as you think, at least not when you start up.
I wont go into the pros and cons but before you go any further, look at the post made recently about Tescos and schoolwear embroidery. It might make you rethink your plans.

Ricky
04-06-2013, 11:23 AM
Hi Earl

i have read that post about Tesco, the thing with schools, especially around my area is that they all tend to use the same company when ordering products - I'm guessing this is only happens up in the North East of England

Earl Smith
04-06-2013, 11:35 AM
If thats the case then go for it.
To get the digitising done you could use a digitising firm and save yourself from buying expensive software. Digitising is not easy to learn.
Machines? There are plenty out there. Mine are Barudans and I cannot fault them. A few others are just as good.
Its probably best to go to a fair and have a löook around. But make sure that you have support for the machine, especially on how to use it.
Without support you are buying and expensive door stop.

Good luck
Earl

Ricky
04-06-2013, 10:34 PM
Thanks Earl I will have a look at a few machines. can you send me the model number of yours and I will have a look at them as well

cheers
Ricky

Earl Smith
05-06-2013, 10:49 AM
Hi Ricky,
I have two single head Barudans. Elite Pro 2. Z1501 CB2. http://www.barudan.de/67/Neumaschinen/Barudan_Stickmaschinen/1-Kopf_Stickmaschinen.html
I wanted a four head but my shop is too small. (37qmts) .
Ive had one for 6 years and the other 5 years. Never had a fault with them and they are now running 7 to 8 hours a day.

But you will need support so make sure you have good contact with the supplier.

Software to make the digitising is another facet of embroidery you need to look at. I have Wilcom Embroidery studio. Level 1. It will do anything I want but cost 4,000€. ( not a typing error).
You could buy software that will just do text and get the logos made by a profi digitiser.

Anymore questions, please ask and I will try and help.

Earl.

smo
06-06-2013, 10:42 PM
We use Amaya XTS single head machines, they can be used individually or together but have many advantages over a multi-head machine as if one thread breaks just one machine stops, on a multi head setup they ALL stop.

I'd suggest that unless you have more than one big client and enough work to keep it running properly then forget it. Embroidery is a whole lot more complex than getting a machine and running jobs, thread tensions, bobbins, thread types, needles, stabiliser yada yada and then there's digitizing as Earl mentioned! You're better off subbing it out tbh.

Ricky
06-06-2013, 11:07 PM
The school who wants the work done has over 1400 pupils (the average intake for students who go there from primary is about 225) initially each of these students needs a badge on the blazer, PE kits (shorts,Tshirts,jogging bottoms, rugby tops etc) not to mention the other students in different year groups will also require any additional kit.

The current person who does this subs it out, hence the price going up every year. The main idea of the possible venture into embroidery would be to do the work on site. I haven been in disscusings with the head who would be interested in me supplying his school and other schools in the area with there embroiled ununiforms

I do understand its going to be a massive learning curve but for the amount of business I 'should' get surly its worth a little bit of a risk?

smo
06-06-2013, 11:26 PM
Badges on blazers are a different kettle of fish to normal embroidery.

Shorts, t-shirts, jogging bottoms wouldnt be embroidered or even logo'd normally. Rugby tops and Polo's would normally be but then from 1400 pupils your market just shrank massively for rugby tops unless its a boys school and rugby is compulsary.

Just because the head of one school is interested and suggests you could supply others doesnt mean they are also interested.

I'd recommend you tread very carefully, margins are small, learning curve is big, mistakes can be very expensive and to prepare a job like that all for august when kids get new uniforms is a massive task which probably leaves you sitting the rest of the year with little or no work. I dont think £10K would touch the sides to do that volume in what will be a very short time window.

logobear
07-06-2013, 12:33 AM
Hi Ricky,
if you try to get into this market now you will fail.......... I love enthusiasm, and want to encourage you, so my advice is to chase the margin, not the volumes at first.
Embroidery is an ok place to be, but do not think for 1 minute you can take on a school of 1400 cold start.
Logobear have done embroidery for over 20 years, single head, and even with our knowledge, and money to buy (say) a 16 head machine I would not go down this path.
my 2p worth

ASLCreative
09-06-2013, 07:34 PM
I agree with logobear.

I think you need to do your calculations on this.

Who is going to buy the clothing that will be embroiderd?

What happens for the rest of the year? How will the machine pay for itself then?

I suggest you work out how long it will take to embroider each logo and then do your calculations.

Andrew

PS What you should get and what you actually get are normally two different things.

socialgiraffe
09-06-2013, 08:26 PM
Also, presuming there is no actual contract, who will stop them deciding a year later to go to someone else like schoolblazer for example?

Happened at my daughter's school a few years ago. Apparently there used to be a local shop that supplied. In the run up to the new term beginning the shop ordered all the stock that they normally require (all embroidered etc) only to find out a few weeks later that the school had changed to schoolblazer and had also changed the uniform. End result is that local shop is left with stock that they can not sell anywhere. It almost put them out of business apparently.

I am not saying do not go forward with this, but tread very carefully.

markt1513
18-03-2014, 09:14 PM
If you want a good machine that will
do big runs for schools you need a 4 head with production in mind a single head is okay for starting out but when you want to do lots of school wear you need a machine that will do what it's says try to choose tajima or Barudan But remember to work out your budget there are a lot of good second hand machines tga
t would suit you I would try to get more schools but most have there own school shops so if you can supplie them is good be very lucrative

guarddog14
18-03-2014, 11:18 PM
tajima are the best machines you can get but very pricey AJS embroidery in nottingham are fantastic for there support ,

smo
18-03-2014, 11:20 PM
tajima are the best machines you can get but very pricey AJS embroidery in nottingham are fantastic for there support ,

Based on what??

I wouldnt say Tamija are the best at all!

markt1513
19-03-2014, 06:50 AM
Based on what??

I wouldnt say Tamija are the best at all!
i use tajima and have done for years quality work but expensive compared to copy's there double the price of cheap machines to me they are the best

Stitch Up
19-03-2014, 08:43 AM
Tajima are the best, just coz I got one :wink: Brother are the best too, I got a 4 head one :wink:

The learning curve is big and you'll tear your hair out but the satisfaction of getting it right is great. I'd target the low volume niche market with quality embroidery rather than the schools.

JanetWebster
19-03-2014, 04:20 PM
I'm on our school's PTA and we have now ditched the old system of embroidered blazers. An embroidered blazer badge costs us £1.50 and we have a secondhand Adkins Beta Swift press that we use to heat seal the badges in place. None of the traditional school wear suppliers can come close to the cost of a supermarket blazer or the flexibility we now have.

Stitch Up
19-03-2014, 04:26 PM
Interesting post, thanks.

What sort of quantity of badges do you have to order to get that price? We've thought of doing the same with ETC.

John

socialgiraffe
19-03-2014, 04:29 PM
Tajima are the best, just coz I got one :wink:

Love that :wink:


I'm on our school's PTA and we have now ditched the old system of embroidered blazers. An embroidered blazer badge costs us £1.50 and we have a secondhand Adkins Beta Swift press that we use to heat seal the badges in place. None of the traditional school wear suppliers can come close to the cost of a supermarket blazer or the flexibility we now have.

School uniforms are a total rip off and I am glad you have broken away, the cheap one for my daughters school is £85.00 for the blazer. There is a company in North London that specialises in blank school uniform stock, if i can think of it I will post on here for you. Also, when Jason and I were looking round FESPA last year there was a company selling what looked like embroidered badges but were actually transfers. The look and feel was superb and very close to embroidered. We both got very excited at first as we thought they were selling the material, unfortunately they were only selling a printing service. Again I will try and look for the company name for you as they really were perfect for the school market.

JanetWebster
19-03-2014, 04:35 PM
We get our badges from a local company. They are proper embroidery not a print. We ordered 500 and I have to say they don't look like a separate badge once they are in place. We're thinking of doing PE tops as well.

Stitch Up
19-03-2014, 04:37 PM
I'd be interested to know who they are. Cheers

Stitch Up
19-03-2014, 04:43 PM
Hi Janet

Thanks for the information.

Does your 'local company' digitise the design too? I'd be prepared to buy in quantity if they'd be interested in accepting business from afar :)

JanetWebster
19-03-2014, 04:46 PM
They did everything for us we sent them the artwork and that was it.