Which custom apparel method should you use?
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Do you want to start a custom apparel business but don’t know which method to start with? In this Apparel Academy episode, Henry goes over all the methods you can use to create customized goods and explains the pros and cons of each. This episode is perfect for beginners who need advice on where to start. So strap in and get ready for a crash course in all the custom apparel methods and how to choose the best one for you! Start creating custom garments with a Ricoma embroidery machine: https://ift.tt/3bGRZv7 Print designs right onto the garment with the RICOH Ri 1000 DTG Printer: https://ift.tt/31pJR05 Print and heat transfer full-color designs with the Luminaris 200 White Toner Transfer Printer: https://ift.tt/3mMuHuo Cut heat transfer vinyl, cardstock, paper and more with one of Ricoma’s vinyl cutters: https://ift.tt/3FHOTVB Watch this breakdown of the differences between DTG and white toner transfer printing: https://youtu.be/MJDXnkw634w Learn about the differences between heat transfer paper and heat transfer vinyl: https://youtu.be/zYJ29-f0uRk Timestamps 1:25 Embroidery 1:48 Heat transfer vinyl and white toner transfer printing 3:22 DTG printing 3:59 Using both a DTG and white toner transfer printer 4:33 Embroidery part two 6:05 Master one method at a time The top four custom apparel methods you can start with are embroidery, DTG printing, white toner transfer printing and heat transfer vinyl. Embroidery has a higher perceived value because you are stitching the design into the fabric, which gives the finished product a professional look. Because of embroidery’s higher perceived value and durability compared to other methods, customers are willing to pay more for it. When it comes to white toner transfer printing and heat transfer vinyl, they are both cost-efficient ways to get started in custom apparel. They also have a minimal ramp-up time and learning curve compared to embroidery. But it does not have the higher perceived value of embroidery and DTG. Between the two, heat transfer vinyl has a lower cost of entry and is easier to learn than white toner transfer printing. White toner transfer printing has the advantage that you can print out full-color designs and transfer them onto a garment. It’s much harder to do a multi-colored design with heat transfer vinyl because you would need to layer each individual piece of vinyl. When it comes to printing full-color designs, white toner transfer printing and DTG printing are the best methods. White toner transfer printing has a lower cost of entry and can customize more products than DTG printing can, but DTG creates higher-quality designs. When it comes to embroidery, you also have to keep in mind that it is a more involved process because you have to adjust tensions, thread the machine, change needles and more. There’s also the digitizing element that you need to need to consider. Many people outsource their digitizing in the beginning so they can focus on learning embroidery. There are plenty of professionals you can outsource your digitizing to. And you can learn digitizing later on once you have gotten comfortable with machine embroidery. All in all, there is a learning process to embroidery, but if you do master it, it’s very lucrative. There are just so many use cases for embroidery and custom apparel in general that any of these methods are a great way to get started. In the end, the best method for you depends on you and your budget. And whichever method you choose, make sure to master it first. Then, you can expand into other methods to become the one-stop-shop your customers want.
Which custom apparel method should you use?
