Growth Opportunities for Apparel Decorators

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If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that diversification and flexibility are key operational functions to remain in business. In recent years, apparel decorators have begun to consider the idea of convergent (or adding new products and services). It’s clear that to survive today’s consumer buying habits, decorators need to offer more than T-shirts. There are good and bad ways to expand.

The Right Way

“Diversification is important,” believes Dan Neto, president of Canada-based Print Geek. “By diversifying, [apparel decorators] can add more value to their customers, acquire new customers, and become that one-stop shop that clients may be looking for.”

Decorators should also be able to control themselves. “Having [a process] in-house, you can dictate the turnaround time, quality, and customer experience,” says Tom Rauen, founder and CEO of 1800Tshirts.com, co-founder of Shirt Lab based in Texas, and Apparelist advisory board member.

Consider what you have already and whether adding services is the right fit before purchasing new inventory or equipment. “Make sure it is something your customers want to buy, and you will have the volume to keep that piece of equipment running,” Rauen advises. “Focus on what you are good and efficient at, and contract everything else out. Once your volume increases high enough in a specific item, then weigh out the cost and margin difference of bringing that production in-house versus outsourcing it.”

Some products fit naturally while others don’t. “Mugs and other flat dye-sublimation products, stickers/labels, and direct-to-film (DTF) transfers are easy products to introduce,” he states. “The saying ‘build out and they will come’ doesn’t always apply, and can lead to stress on the business. Existing clients should be informed about new service offerings to gauge interest. Once the interest is there, then you can start thinking about equipment and workflow around it all to make it happen.”

Where to Go

There are several places where those who want to expand can ask questions and find products. Trade shows in person are a great way to view equipment and products. “Bring your own art file and have [manufacturers/suppliers] print a sample with your file to compare apples to apples across various equipment,” says Rauen. “If you see other attendees in the booth, ask if they have the equipment and get feedback.”