My simple guide of how to Start an Embroidery Business in the UK is based on 40 years of supplying embroidery machines to embroidery businesses, large and small. It also includes supporting hundreds of embroidery businesses on their journey over many years.
Brief Overview
Some already had customers waiting; they had one of the Cricut machines, or something bigger, and their customers asked about embroidery.
Others had already identified their market – schoolwear, workwear, sports clubs, babywear, promotional clothing, horse wear, pet wear and the list goes on.
Unfortunately, I have also met some people who spent a small fortune on an embroidery machine before they had any idea of which direction they were going to take.
The embroidery machine alone won’t create customers. You need customers – phoning, emailing, knocking on your door and ordering.
How to Start an Embroidery Business in the UK – Quick Guide
Identify your market
Identify the garments for that market
Social media is your selling platform; learn how to use it, not just browse it.
Work within your budget
Selling Platforms
Years ago, everyone had to have a website to sell their products. They could be very pricey and often took months to complete. A website is still a valuable selling platform, but I’ve also seen hundreds of our embroidery customers sell huge numbers of products using nothing more than social media.
So in my experience, your embroidery business will sink or swim depending on your ability to sell on the internet –
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
You may of course be someone who already has many contacts, through work or school etc. This will often lead to an initial boost in orders. Just make sure you learn how to use your new embroidery machine before you promise 1000 Polo Shirts….
Budget
A good quality single-needle embroidery machine can cost £1200, or slightly less depending on offers etc. Whereas a six-needle Brother PR680W will cost £6999, and £9999 for the ten-needle Brother PR1060W. As you can see, there’s a big gap between models and their prices.
Single-Needle vs Multi-Needle Embroidery Machines
The differences between a single-needle embroidery machine and a multi-needle model are, Speed and Flexibility.
On a single needle embroidery machine you must unthread and then rethread at every colour change of your design.
With a multi needle machine, such as the Brother PR68W, the machine will automatically change the thread at each colour change of the design.
Also, because of the shape of a single-needle embroidery machine, small and circular garments are often difficult to embroider.
Whereas, the Brother PR680W and PR1060W have a long and thin arm. This makes embroidering small and circular garments much easier.
A Middle Ground
After pointing out that the Brother PR models have the advantage of the long thin arm tat makes embroidering small and tubular garments easier. I must point out the Brothers VR and PR1x. These are both single needle models, but they are a slightly smaller, less robust version of the mighty Brothers PR680W & PR1060w.
Garment Choice
No matter what you plan to embroider – sportswear, babywear, polo shirts etc., you need to be careful about your garment choice. For example. You take six polo shirts, each one looks the same as the others, but each one is from a different brand. Now you embroider the exact same logo on each Polo shirt, some will turn out poor, others ok, and some look far better.
This is often due to the garment’s quality, stitch density, and weave structure.
So before you order 500 T-shirts, test the brand first and make sure it will embroider well.
Embroidering other people’s garments
I’d just thought I’d add this as a caution.
If someone asks you to embroider their garment, beware. Especially if you are a beginner. What happens if, for some reason, you ruin their garment? Or the design you embroider is, as far as they are concerned, not centred properly or level.
Also, if you embroider someone’s coat, polo shirt, etc., you can only charge for the embroidery. If on the other hand you are also selling the garment you are embroidering, you can charge more.
Final Thoughts
Starting an embroidery business has never been easier.
Social media enables you to reach customers quickly and easily, and embroidery machines are more capable than ever. And there are huge opportunities still to be had from embroidering schoolwear, babywear, workwear and all the rest.
However, you can easily waste your money on both machinery and garments. In my experience, not every secondhand embroidery machine you see advertised is worth the money – or will last more than six weeks before it requires an expensive repair. And 500 T-shirts at a ‘bargain price’ may be horrible to embroider.
The conclusion is to first identify your market. Identify the best garment for that market. Remember, you are not just offering an embroidery service; you are also selling a garment. And identify how and where you are going to sell your embroidered products.
Contact Bambers
Come along to Bambers to discuss your requirements. We can show you a range of embroidery machines. From a simple single needle model right through to the Brother PR six and ten needle models.
We can help you decide on the best machine for your needs with no pressure or persuasion.
Bamber Sewing Machines
445-449 Liverpool Rd
Eccles, Manchester
M30 7HY
0161 707 7786
www.bambersew.com
Alan Bamber
