A tradition for a lot of businesses at the end of the year is a post about the great things that are coming in the next year.   We’ve done our share of those in the past,  but I thought I’d change it up this year.   As 2019 comes to an end, and we look forward to 2020,  I don’t want to talk about what’s new with us,  I want to talk about what’s new with you,  and how EnMart can help you with the new opportunities and challenges you may face.

If your challenge is to reduce your production downtime,  one culprit may be the thread you’re using.   If you’re experiencing a lot of thread breaks or birdnesting,  it might be time to investigate a different brand of thread.   It could be that you’re paying a lot of money for a premium thread that isn’t behaving in a such a premium way,  and your thread cost isn’t keeping pace with your income.   If one of your goals for 2020 is to reduce your thread expenditures or to eradicate production downtime,  we would like to recommend you take a look at Iris UltraBrite Polyester thread.    The Iris Thread is durable,  elastic,  colorfast and runs smoothly at high speeds.  A trilobal polyester,  it also has a great shine which makes it a standout where ever it’s used.

Another common cause of embroidery issues can be stabilizer.   Some embroiderers are using stabilizer that isn’t adequate for the job they’re asking it to do,  which means they have to use more to achieve the desired effect,  which impacts their budgets.   Other times,  an embroiderer may not be aware of a stabilizer which is specially designed to work with a material or type of embroidery,  and so are doing a lot of extra work to get the desired finished look.   If you’re not aware of all the types of stabilizer EnMart carries,  check out our “Supply Spotlight” posts to learn more about how stabilizer can be used.  If you are interested in samples of the stabilizer we offer,  contact us and we’ll be glad to send you a stabilizer sample pack.

If your goal is to increase your profits in 2020,  an area you might wish to investigate is blank patches.   Patches are very versatile and can be added to a large variety of options.  People also tend to think they’re more complicated to make or to embroider than they actually are.  If you’re looking for patch blanks which you can embroider,  we supply those,  as well as instructions on how to embroider them.   If you want to make your own patches,  we offer multiple types of water soluble backing,  and merrow floss as well.  Finally,  if you’d prefer printed patches (a great option for hats,  for instance)  we can supply those quickly and for a great price.

If you sublimate,  you already know it’s a versatile decoration discipline which can be used on fabric and on hard goods.   Part of what makes sublimation fun is the fact that it offers possibilities for a lot of different decoration options,  and has less of a learning curve than some other decoration techniques.    If you’re new to sublimation,  or have only stuck to using sublimation on one particular type of item,  you may not be taking advantage of the full spectrum of what sublimation can offer.   Switch up your sublimation routine by trying some of these options in 2020.

1. Patches –  Whether you want to sublimate the patches yourself,  or buy them already sublimated,  sublimated patches can be a great profit center.   They’re a perfect way to add decoration to items that otherwise wouldn’t be easy to decorate.   Patches can also serve as the cornerstone for a hat or garment line.
2. Wrap it Up –  Want to try mugs or shot glasses,  but not sure you want to invest in a press (which wouldn’t work for shot glasses anyway)?  Invest in a mug wrap or a shot glass wrap and a convection oven.  This method is likely to cost less than most quality mug presses and gives you a way to investigate your market without committing to a press you may not need or continue to use.
3. Ornaments:  Not Just for Christmas – If you’re interested in entering the souvenir market,  ornaments may be a great way to start.  Not only are they available in a variety of shapes,  like states,  they’re also fairly easy to sublimate and something people are likely to buy as keepsakes and mementos.    They’re also easy to display and don’t take up a lot of valuable retail space.  Sublimated ornaments are also easy to personalize.
4. Take Your Show on the Road – One of the advantages of a sublimation system (certainly a SG400 at least)  is that it’s portable and doesn’t require an elaborate set-up or electrical options.  There are also plenty of stock designs that can be queued up to be printed on demand.  Take your system to a craft fair,  a sporting event or a festival and print unique, personalized items that fit the theme of the event.
5. Create your own personal, freeform sublimated designs – If you don’t have a sublimation system,  you can still create sublimated designs.  Artesprix Permanent Thermal Sublimation Transfer Markers are the perfect way to preserve children’s artwork or to give the adult artist in your life free reign.   The markers can be used on plain paper, and the drawn designs can be added to your item of choice with an iron (although a heat press is recommended for best results).  Make hand turkeys for Thanksgiving.  Preserve your child’s first handwritten notes.  The possibilities are endless.

EnMart will be closed Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25 in honor of the Christmas holiday.  We wish all our customers and friends a safe and happy Christmas. 

Christmas is coming soon, so I figured it was a good time to share this.   It’s a parody of T’was the Night Before Christmas with a sublimation theme.  I first wrote it in 2011 and it’s become something of a holiday tradition.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the shop
All the printers were printing and going non-stop
The pressers were pressing with all of their might
For presents, for Christmas, were needed that night

The t-shirts were folded up neatly and boxed
And dreaming of sublimation transfers that rocked
And mamma in her apron and I in the same
Were printing sports jerseys with numbers and names

When out front of the shop there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my work to see what was the matter
Away to the entrance I stumbled pell-mell
Threw open the door and screamed out “What the … bell?”

I clung to the doorframe, exhausted and drawn
Wondering where all the daylight had gone
A miniature sleigh, and Santa, plus eight
Reminded me quickly that orders were late.

The little old driver, that lively St. Nick
Cried, “Bring me those orders, and move them out quick!”
Bring mousepads, bring mugs and t-shirts galore
Bring bookmarks and puzzles and tote bags and more!

Now Printer, you know this, stop looking so ill
There’s children, world over, with stockings to fill
Bring jerseys; bring car flags, and maybe a plaque
But hurry, please hurry and fill up my sack!

I’d never made claim to being an elf,
But found, by St. Nick, I could not help myself
The printers sprayed color, the heat presses pressed
And presents were finished for Santa’s great quest

The last transfer was printed, the last item dyed
When I turned to find Santa smiling by my side
“Printer you’ve done it!” he said with a grin
And his sack started bulging as the last gift went in

Whether mugs for a latte, plain coffee or tea
A puzzle, a clipboard, a box for jewelry
A key chain or shirt with a logo so bright
There’ll be happy children with gifts made this night

How Santa’s eyes twinkled, his belly it shook
As he gave me the kindest and nicest of looks
His laughter was merry, his praise much desired
My gifts had passed muster and were much admired

As I stood in my shop, all the gifts finally made
The stress of the holidays started to fade
Personalized gifts, sublimated, jolly and fun
Would delight gift recipients, every last one

With a wink and a nod Santa sprang to his sleigh
Gave a flip of the reins and was flying away
His bag bulging with presents, his sleigh loaded down
He set off to being joy to every city and town

I laughed as I saw him, that jolly old elf
Flying off with gifts made by my very own self
With his bag full of pet tags and beer mugs and all
I waved as he flew off and then heard him call

Hey Printer, keep working, there’s always next year
And I’ll be returning now never you fear
Until then, keep printing, with colors so bright
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

One of the fun things about garment decoration is the fact that there are so many methods of decoration from which to choose.   Two of the popular methods for which EnMart sells supplies are sublimation and heat transfer vinyl (HTV).  These methods share some of the same characteristics,  they both need to be applied with heat, for example,  but they’re also offer many different options when it comes to decorated goods.   Given that,  how do you know which option is the right option for your project?  Here are some guidelines that may help you with that decision.

First of all,  while both decoration disciplines work with heat,  the heat required for sublimation is much higher.   For polyester shirts or poly coated hard goods,  that won’t matter and sublimation is a great option.   If you’re working with fragile fabrics or items that have a low melting point,  you’re going to want to work with the EasyWeed Vinyl, which seals at a lower temperature.

Second,  what color is the item in you’ll be decorating?  It sounds like a silly question,  but sublimation works best on light colored garments and items.   HTV,  on the other hand,  is not effected by the color of the item onto which it is put.  So,  if you’re working with a dark or strongly colored item,  you might want to opt for heat transfer vinyl as opposed to sublimation.  (Although, side note,  tone on tone sublimation can be a very attractive option,  and works well as long as the fabric is lighter than the print. )

Third question,  what sort of fabric are you using,  or what type of coating does the item you’re decorating have?   As stated earlier,  sublimation only works with polyester fabric and poly coated items.   If it isn’t polyester or poly coated,  it can’t be sublimated.   For other fabrics,  or items without a polyester coating,  HTV is your option.

Fourth,  does the decoration you’re adding include a photo?   While vinyl cutters are great for cutting out designs and silhouettes,  and there are such things as printable vinyls,   the sort of vinyl EnMart sells is probably not the best option for photos.   When you want to add a photo realistic image to something,  sublimation is the decoration discipline with the major advantage.   You can print your exact photo on to the sublimation paper and transfer that directly to your garment or hard good.

Don’t forget,  there’s always the option of using heat transfer vinyl and sublimation together,  either by sublimating the vinyl,  or by combining the two disciplines in a mixed media decoration.    The effects offered by some of the vinyls,  like Holographic or Glitter,  can be very complimentary to the sublimation and add a little extra eye catching glamour to the design.

As many of you may already know,  EnMart has started selling heat transfer vinyl.  We’re excited about this new product line because it gives our customers yet another decoration option,  and the opportunity to fill all their decoration needs in one place.   We do know,  however,  that we now offer an embarrassment of choices when it comes to decoration options and sometimes it’s hard to know what you want to do.   To help you deal with this problem,  we decided to create some blog posts talking about the various things you can do with the particular products we sell.

Let’s start with the EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl.  EasyWeed applies at a lower temperature than other vinyls,  can be hot or cold peeled and is slightly thinner than other vinyls on the market.   That makes it ideal for things like this cute set of his and her pillowcases.  If pillowcases aren’t your jam,  a blaze orange beanie for the hunter in your life might do the trick.  Keep him or her safe and stylish all at the same time.

A fun way to change things up when it comes to vinyl is EasyWeed Electric,  which offers vibrant colors and a pearlescent metallic sheen.   This is the perfect vinyl for when you want to attract a little notice, without being too over the top.  Using this vinyl,  you can show your eco-friendly cred and make this upcycled Earth Day tote bag.  Or,  if baby’s first Thanksgiving needs a little more sparkle,  you can create this adorable bib and onsie set.

We all know a little sparkle is the spice of life,  and EasyWeed Glitter is a great way to add visual interest without creating a mess.   No small pieces of glitter ending up anywhere,  no sequins to shed,  just pure,  unadulterated attention getting sparkle.  Jazz up the most boring of items, an elbow patch,  with a little extra glitter. Decorate a canvas with HTV Glitter and create your own work of shiny art.

You can also take your vinyl to the next century with the Holographic HTV.  This vinyl has color changing chips which give designs an extra bit of dimension and depth.  It’s perfect for celebrating a milestone,  like a graduation,  by decorating your mortarboard.   You can also add bling to almost any item by creating our own glitter rhinestones.

The one thing to remember about vinyl is that it’s very adaptable and not just for garments.   You can put the vinyl products EnMart sells on wood, on table runners made of burlap,  or even on faux leather.   The only limit is your imagination.

And remember,  at EnMart,  we want you to have it your way when it comes to vinyl.  That’s why we sell vinyl by the yard,  so you can orders as much or as little as you need for your project.   We are also always open to ideas for products we should stock.   If you’re looking for a particular vinyl you don’t see on our site,  contact us and let us know.

For those who are new to Artesprix Permanent Thermal Heat Transfer Markers,  let’s first start with what they are.    Basically,  this is sublimation ink in a marker,  which means you don’t need a printer to create sublimated products.   These markers are a great option for preserving children’s artwork,  creating a one of a kind craft project and personalizing almost anything that’s polyester or poly coated.    If you’re a great free hand artist,  these markers would allow you to create original works of sublimated art.

Unlike using a sublimation printer and sublimation ink cartridges,  these markers allow art to be drawn on any type of paper and then sublimated on to the polyester garment or poly coated item of choice.  The first step is to make your drawing,  it can be line art or colored in as you prefer.   The next step is to press your drawing onto the item you want to embellish.    You can use an iron (making sure not to use steam and have the iron on its highest setting)  but the best results will probably come from using a heat press.

One little quirk of the process is that the final product is a mirror image,  so any text will need to be reversed in the drawing if it is to come out properly in the completed version of the product.  Stencils or light boxes might be helpful for this part of the process.

Once you’ve completed your drawing,  secure it to the item you want to sublimate with thermal heat tape.   The tape will secure the drawing and ensure it doesn’t move during the transfer process.  Heat tape, rather than regular tape, is necessary since sublimation requires a fairly high temperature.   Make sure to remove any protective covering on the item you’re sublimating as well.

Place the securely taped blank and drawing under a heat source.   For best results, the manufacturer of the markers recommends using a heat press.  As stated earlier,  the temperature,  time and pressure used with the press will vary based on the item being decorated.    If using an iron,  use the highest heat setting with no steam.   You will need to press (hold the iron on the transfer and keep it stationary) for anywhere from one to five minutes.    Mugs can also be put in an oven using a mug wrap.   Remember that you should never leave a transfer under a heat source unattended.

Once the press is complete,  allow your item to cool and carefully remove the transfer.   You should now have a unique decorative item or garment customized with your hand drawn artwork.   Artesprix Markers come in a 10 pack and include the following colors: yellow, magenta, orange, red,  light blue, green, dark blue, purple, brown and black.

Sometimes it seems like deciding how your order should be shipped is the hardest part of placing an order.   How fast does it need to get there?   How much money do you want to spend?  Does one carrier operate a little more efficiently than another in your area?  There are a lot of details that need to come into play to make sure the shipping option you select is the best one for you,  and today I wanted to answer some common questions about shipping from EnMart,  in hopes of making that decision a little easier.

What shippers does EnMart use? Currently our primary shipping option is Federal Express.   We also offer shipping via USPS for package ten pounds and under.  We do have the ability to ship via UPS as well,  although that must be requested.  We can also ship on a customer’s account number.

How do I request you ship on my account?  “Use my Fedex/UPS Acct #” is an option on the pull down menu where you can select shipping.   If you select this option,  we will ship on your account.  Please make sure your account number is either included in the notes on your order or listed in the designated spot in your account record.

Who determines if a location is business or residential? That determination is made by the carrier,  usually based on USPS zoning tables.   EnMart has no control over how a business is classified.  The carriers charge us based on those classifications and that is how we charge you.

Is USPS always the cheapest shipping option? Not always.  USPS can be a great option for things like blank patches,  but it isn’t always the least expensive way to ship.  Make sure to check out all your options and compare prices when deciding how your order should be shipped.

How quickly do items from EnMart ship? Most items that are in stock and on the shelves will ship same day. Larger orders may take an additional day.  Orders placed later in the day may also ship next day.  Items,  like blank patches,  that need to be made,  will ship based on the posted production times.

Can I pick up items at your facilities? We do have a local pick-up option which is available for customers who are near one of our locations.   Polyester Thread and stabilizer are available for pick-up at every location.   Other items may only be stocked in certain locations.   You will be notified if you elect to pick-up locally and the item is not available.

Does EnMart offer free shipping? As a general rule we don’t offer free shipping.  We do occasionally have a special where free shipping is offered,  but those are rare.  Our problem with free shipping has always been that it isn’t really free,  the cost is generally just passed on in the cost of the items purchased.  Rather than raise our prices to provide “free” shipping,  we decided to keep our prices and shipping costs reasonable.

Remember,  if you have questions about the best way to ship the items you order from EnMart,  you can always contact us and ask.

For those who may not have heard one of my rants regarding how valuable a tool Pinterest can be for decorators,  I thought I’d recap.   Because Pinterest is about aspiration and ideas,  it’s a great place to sell the work decorators do.   It’s especially great for sublimation because a lot of people don’t know what dye sublimation is or what can be done with it.   Creating boards on Pinterest allows you to essentially create a lookbook or a gallery where your customers can browse,  learn about sublimation,  and get ideas for products they may want to buy for themselves.   If you’re a sublimation business and don’t have Pinterest boards,  you should set some up immediately.   Here are some tips to get the most out of your Pinterest account.

#1 – Set up a business account –  A Pinterest business account will offer anyalytics and other tools that a regular account won’t offer.  It’s also something you need if you want to offer buyable pins.    Business accounts also allow for advertising,  something a basic account does not do.

#2 – Follow strategically – You’re setting up the accounts to draw in new business and to educate your customers,  so you want to be sure you’re information is getting to the right people.   Figure out who your target market is and where they are on Pinterest and then make sure your information is in those places.    You can have the best boards in the world,  but if they’re not seen by the right people,  it won’t matter.

#3 – A picture is worth a thousand words – Pinterest is all about the visuals,  so make sure you have the best pictures you can possibly take.   While captions and informative descriptions are helpful,  it’s the picture that’s the first introduction to the product.  Make sure that introduction is a good one.

#4 – Educate your customers – A lot of people don’t understand what sublimation is,  so make sure your boards do more than just showcase the products you can create.   Give glimpses of the process and behind the scenes.   Help potential customers understand what dye sublimation is and what it can do.   The more your customers understand what can be done,  the more likely they are to ask you to do it.

#5 – Create boards around a specific theme – If there’s a particular product you like to make,  or a particular market to which you’d like to sell,  create boards that target that theme.   One of the things people do on Pinterest is try to get ideas,  for a party,  for a gift,  for an event and so on.   If you want to do items for family reunions create a family reunion board where you show pictures of families using and wearing your work,  showcase new ideas you have for family reunion themed merchandise,  and maybe even include tips about planning a reunion.   Same for schools or clubs or whatever you might want to target.  Specific boards tend to sell better than general boards,  as you’re narrowing in on a target and providing the info your potential customers need all in one place.

One thing that many embroiderers overlook,  or may not be aware of,  is the fact that using the correct stabilizer can have a huge impact on the success of failure of a stitch-out.   Yes,  there will always be that one embroiderer who uses one type of backing for everything and does well  but,  for the most part,  a good marriage of stabilizer and fabric and design is required for embroidery to appear at its best.    The correct choice of stabilizer can make your sew-out smoother,  faster and provide a finished piece that is of a higher quality.   Because this is such an important decision,  we wanted to offer some things to consider before you choose.

First,  as we already know from this post backing/stabilizer comes in different types.  If you take it down to the most basic level,  you’re dealing with either cutaway or tearaway stabilizer.  Even the specialty backings will most likely be one of these two types,  so knowing when and why you might want to use a particular type is crucial.  Tearaway stabilizer is easier to remove as it tears away,  so it might be a good option for jobs where there are time constraints.  Cutaway stabilizer generally has less stretch to it,  so it may be a better option for performance wear or other stretchy fabrics.   When choosing which stabilizer to use make sure to take into account all the qualities of the fabric,  requirements of the design,  and things like time and effort expended when making your decision.   The right stabilizer choice will improve both your sew-out and your production time.

Second,  stabilizer weight matters too.   Nothing is less attractive than a stitch-out that is weighted down with a wad of backing.   Or a design that is so dense that it’s like a lump of wood attached to the fabric of the garment.   As a general rule,  light weight fabrics should be stabilized by a light weight backing,  and heavier fabrics with a heavier backing.   The goal is to find a backing that will stabilize the stitch-out without weighing down or distorting the fabric.

Third,  don’t forget backing does have a color palette.   Granted,  it’s not much of one,  generally being confined to black,  white and beige,  but there are color choices available.   If the item to be embroidered is thin or if there’s a chance at all the stabilizer might be seen,  it’s best to try to use a stabilizer that is close in color to the item being embroidered.

Finally,  don’t forget that specialty backing can have a huge impact on how well the finished design works.   Poly mesh is a great option for polos and lightweight fabrics. R2000 (a polypropylene stabilizer) is an ideal option for performance wear.   Adhesive backing comes in very handy when there are items like socks of blank patches to be embroidered.  Water soluble topping helps monograms and other embroidery stand out on fleece or towels.    It is entirely possible that you could go your whole embroidery career using only a standard cutaway or tearaway,  but why would you do that?  The specialty stabilizers can offer a variety of qualities that will help make your jobs easier and the execution of the design much smoother.   While specialty backings may,  in some cases,  be a slightly pricier option,  they will pay for themselves in speedier production time and quality finished products.

Remember,  stabilizer is the foundation on which everything else is built.  Just as you wouldn’t build your house on a sinkhole,  don’t build your embroidery on a stabilizer that can’t do the job required of it.   Choosing your stabilizer with care and after thinking about the requirements of the fabric and the stitch-out will ensure that you make a choice which will stand up to the needs of your embroidery and help create a finished product that will delight your customers.

Earlier in June we announced the debut of our new website.   We decided, in part,  to revamp the old site because we wanted to make it easier for our customers to shop with EnMart.   One way to do that,  we thought,  was to add some tools that would help streamline the shopping process for certain products.   I’d like to introduce a few of those tools to you today.

The first tool is our Patch Designer. One of the main issues for people who buy patches has always been figuring out border and fabric color.   Our new Patch Designer tool allows you to do that in real time,  since it adds the colors you pick to a graphic of the patch you want to buy.   That way you can see if purple really does work with aqua,  or exactly what shade of gray you need.  Obviously monitors may skew colors a bit,  but the Patch Designer offers as true a color representation as we could provide.

The Patch Designer tool also walks you through every step in the purchase process,  ensuring you don’t forget to select a backing or don’t leave off a border or fabric color.   Once you’ve added all the necessary information,  this tool for designing blank patches gives you the option to add everything to your cart.   No fuss,  no muss and you can add all your patch details in one place.

Another useful new tool we’ve added is the Thread Color Selector.   This tool offers a color grid on which you can select your desired shade.   Once the shade is selected,  the tool will show you the Iris Thread color numbers that most exactly match your selection.  If you have an RGB number for the color you need,  you can select anywhere with that color area and then use the slider bar to reach the RGB color number needed.    The Color Selector will always show the closest matches available.

The next tool is an update of our Thread Cross Reference Converter.  This is the tool you can use to convert from another brand of thread to Iris.   Currently you can convert from Madeira, Robison Anton,  Isacord and Gunold,  as well as search for a thread color based on a Pantone color.  The goal of this tool is to make thread conversion easy and painless.

All the new tools can be found under the Resources tab in the top menu on the website.

Have you ever had that experience where you redecorate your house and for the first few days you bump into the coffee table because it isn’t where it used to be?  Things are familiar, yet different.   That’s a bit what creating our new website has been like. All the things you love about EnMart are still here, some of them just may be in different places.     And we’ve added some new features that are designed to make shopping with us easier and more fun.

One new thing is the Patch Designer, a tool that allows you to see your color choices in real time before you make your purchase.   Wondering if aqua and pink works better than navy and red?   This tool will tell you.    Another tool we’re excited about is the Thread Color Selector.   You pick a hue from the color chart and the selector shows you the Iris threads that are the closest match.   If you want to purchase, you simply click the color chip for the color you want and it adds to your cart.   Add in our redesigned Thread Conversion Engine and you’ve got a great system for finding or converting thread colors, all created to make your shopping experience more stress free and streamlined.

You may notice that the website navigation is different too.   Our menus have been redesigned to assist our customers in quickly finding what they need.  Also, did we mention we’ve added vinyl to our product offerings?  We know a lot of our customers are multi-hyphenates, embroiderers-sublimators-quilters or sublimators – crafters or some other combination.   Adding vinyl to the products we offer means we’re that much more of a one stop shop for our customers who work in more than one decoration discipline.

Finally,  there’s the new logo.   A more modern take on the EnMart name,  while still keeping a bit of the flavor of the old logo.   We think it’s a great fit with the new look of the website and for the way EnMart has evolved.

Welcome to the new EnMart.   Thank you for shopping with us.

Images and sewouts provided by Carolyn Cagle of Strikke Embroidery.

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If you want to duplicate this project –  You can find Cubbies or Remembears here!  Also,  don’t forget your Iris Thread to create those colorful embroidered patches!

As one of the most popular of all sublimation blank items, mugs are available in a variety of styles and rim, handle, and/or interior colors.  But the most common of them all is the omnipresent 11 ounce white “C” handle coffee mug.  These are available from a wide range of manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, in almost as wide of a variety of quality levels.  All of these mugs are not created equal, and if you find some bargain mugs and have problems with image quality, soft coatings, or shape irregularities, any cost savings go out the window.

So just how do you go about the task of choosing mugs to sublimate?  Here are 5 basic tips that will ensure you pick the right mugs.

1. Buy from a reputable supplier. First and foremost, you want to buy your mugs from someone who has a reputation for selling quality products at a good price, with great customer service in case you do have questions or a problem.   Someone like us here at EnMart.  Yes, I am admittedly biased, but to be fair, there are some other reputable suppliers out there as well.
2. Mugs should be perfectly round with straight and smooth sides. All mugs have a slight taper or curve to the top rim and bottom edge.  This is to assist removing the mugs from the mold when they are made.  That curve should be very minimal though, with the area between the top and bottom of the mug as smooth and straight as possible, and perfectly round.  That lets your press provide even pressure and heat to produce the best image quality, with full top-to-bottom printing around the entire mug being easily achievable. Lower quality mugs can have uneven sides, larger curves and tapers on either the top or bottom, and can even be out of round.  All these things can make it challenging to get a good print, and nearly impossible to print full top-to-bottom.  If this happens to you, then you are buying the wrong mugs, and should definitely give our high quality mugs a try.
3. Mugs should always have a hard coating. All coatings are not made equal either, and there’s a big difference in how a hard and soft coating sublimates.  Soft coatings typically require lower temperatures to sublimate, or you’ll wind up softening the coating up so much the paper will stick to the mug to where you may never get it off. Hard coatings, on the other hand, don’t get soft until a much higher temperature, so your paper isn’t likely to stick at all.  Another huge plus is that hard coatings are dishwasher safe, and the images you put onto these mugs will last for years – much longer than any softer coated mugs.
4. Mugs should always have a smooth, even coating. Inferior coatings may have visible blemishes, or even thin areas in the coating.  You may even see spots where there is no coating, and no coating equals no sublimation.  You want to see a smooth, glossy finish with no imperfections.
5. Mugs should sublimate with full, rich color. Even if you follow all of the above tips, there is no substitute for sublimating a mug and seeing what it looks like.  Assuming all of your settings are correct and there are no issues with your sublimation system, you should see rich vibrant color similar to the image on your monitor.  If not, you might have mugs with a lower quality coating.

The bottom line is that if you are using the correct settings, proper sublimation ink, quality sublimation paper, and a well made mug press, then you should expect no less than great results when you sublimate your mugs.  If you have light areas of thin color, can’t print all the way to the edge, have poor and dull colors, or any other quality issue, then it might be time to look for a new mug.  After all, the price difference between a soft coated economy mug and a high quality hard coated mug usually isn’t more than a few cents anyway, and that can easily be recouped by eliminating wasted mugs and time, along with gaining a reputation for selling quality products.

Tom Chambers is EnMart’s sublimation guru,  the guide and mentor regarding all things sublimation.   Tom was instrumental in introducing inkjet sublimation to industrial laundries, and has been working with the process since the early days of thermal ribbon sublimation. 

One of the more mysterious things about stabilizer,  for some people anyway,  is weight and what that means when it comes to selecting and using stabilizer for a particular job.   On the surface,  backing weight seems pretty simple,  ounces are a familiar weight measurement,  so saying a type of backing is 2.5 ounces seems fairly easy to understand.  What complicates things is when you start factoring backing weight into the success or failure of an embroidered project.   Will using a 2.0 oz. backing rather than a 2.5 oz. backing mean the doom of your design?  Does the weight you choose to use really have that much impact on the success or failure of your project?  Manufacturers go through the bother of weighing stabilizer so the weight much have some impact on the function.

The first thing to understand about stabilizer weight is how manufacturers determine what that weight should be.  The weight of a piece of backing is measured by the square yard.  This means that,  should you have 1.5 oz. backing of the same type but from different manufacturers,  each square yard you weigh should weigh 1.5 oz.   Heavier weight backings,  a 3.0 cutaway for instance,  will be thicker and less flexible.   A lighter weight backing,  say a 1.8 oz. tearaway,  will be thinner and have more flexibility.

Obviously,  the weight of the backing will impact the functionality of the backing as well.  If,  for instance,  you’re sewing a sweatshirt, and the design is dense,  a heavier weight backing will pair with the fabric better and be more suited to holding a dense design.   Suppose,  however,  that you’re sewing on a lightweight polo shirt,  with a bit of a drape.  Then you’ll want a lighter weight stabilizer that is able to move with the drape of the fabric and not interfere with the lines of the garment.  Weight impacts drape and flexibility and the ability to hold a certain number of stitches or a dense design.   All these elements can impact the success or failure of your finished design.

The construction of the backing also has a little bit to do with the weight of the backing,  and a lot to do with the quality.  Machine embroidery stabilizer is typically made up of polyester fibers which are held together with viscose or wood pulp.  High quality backing will have more poly fibers and less viscose,  in lower quality backing the ratios will be the reverse.  What determines the quality of the stabilizer is the length of the poly fibers and the amount of polyester versus filler that is in the material.

A quick and easy test to determine quality is the light test.  Take the piece of stabilizer you want to examine and hold it up to a strong light source.   If the piece you’re examining is high quality,  the stabilizer will have even density and feel smooth when you run your hand over it. A lower quality backing will have thin spots and dense spots making for a more uneven sheet.   This uneven density can impact the quality of your sew-out significantly.

Keep in mind that the sheerness and weight of a backing does not always determine the number of stitches that can be stabilized. Take,  for instance,  the poly mesh backing that EnMart sells.  This backing is embossed,  which means if you hold it to a light source,  you’ll see a textured pattern in the material.   The texture allows the poly mesh to hold substantially more stitches than an unembossed piece of the same weight would be able to hold.

In the end,  weight is just one factor that impacts how a stabilizer will perform for a particular job.   The make-up of the fibers and the construction of the backing can also be critical.   And whether or not the stabilizer has any added features like embossing or texture can also make a difference in the density of the designs that can be used.  When deciding what stabilizer to use for your job,  make sure you take all these factors into account.

Sublimation paper can be the bane of the sublimation decorator’s existence if it doesn’t work right and fails in some manner.  Having a good quality paper is critical.  But the most expensive papers don’t always give you the best results, and the cheapest papers can leave you wanting something better.  Other issues can arise if your trusted paper brand suddenly and inexplicably changes their formulas, or wink, wink 😉 gets the paper from a different, i.e. cheaper, upstream supplier.

Here at EnMart, we know what it’s like when that happens; it’s happened to us in the past, and I’ve had to go on a quest for a new paper on more than one occasion.  I’ll spare you the long detailed stories and just tell you that one of the most important things you need in a sublimation paper is “stability”.  In other words, the paper you buy next year needs to have the same properties as the one you like to use today.

EnMart only uses and sells sublimation paper with the brand name of MPRÉS-II.  You know, kind of like “iMPRESs” which can mean “iMPRESsing” your artwork onto something, or maybe you’ll be “iMPRESsed” with how it works, and “iMPRESs” your customers with the quality of your finished products.  At any rate, we thought it was a clever name for a product that we were impressed with.  (Also, the “M” is a nod to our Merlin sublimation system that is used by rental uniform companies to create their own sublimated emblems for uniforms.)

MPRÉS-II is our brand name, but we don’t make it – and it is sold elsewhere under various other names for a variety of prices.  We try to sell it for a fair price relative to its cost though, even though we could probably package it in fancy boxes with full color labels and sell it for more money.  Instead, we’d rather pass along the savings to our customers, and even though our packaging is rather generic looking, it doesn’t mean the paper is generic at all.

So what’s with the “II” (2) in the name?  Well, years ago, the paper we called MPRÉS stopped working the way it was supposed to because the manufacturer changed something.  Remember those paper quests and long stories I mentioned earlier?  At any rate, about a decade or so ago upon finding our current paper, one which closely mimicked the best properties of the original MPRÉS, we named it MPRÉS-II.  And that paper is the same today as it was last year, and the year before, and the years before that, all the way back to when our parent company, Ensign Emblem, began using it for making thousands of sublimated patches every day (which they still do).

What I’m saying is that MPRÉS has that required stability, and if someday it changes (which is VERY unlikely with the current manufacturer), then we’ll either find or make a paper that has similar properties and call it MPRÉS-III.  In other words, you don’t have to worry about sublimation paper stability when you buy MPRÉS from EnMart.

Ok, stability schma-bility you say, but what about quality, and how does it perform?  That’s a fair question, so let me tell you.

MPRÉS-II is what we call a hybrid sublimation paper, with some properties of a high release paper and some of the best properties of a quick drying (low release) paper. Because it is a hybrid, it isn’t quite as fast at releasing the sublimation dye as high release papers, where you have to worry about the ink remaining wet, smudging, curling, or even blow-out due to too much dye on the surface of the paper having nowhere to go when it releases so quickly.  At the same time, it still dries quickly and gives you a quicker release than low release, fast drying papers that take longer in the heat press, which can affect image quality.

MPRÉS-II is really the best of both worlds.  And that makes it a great choice for the only paper you ever need to use for sublimation – whether it’s fabrics, ceramics, glass, or metal.

For more in-depth reading on MPRÉS-II and sublimation paper in general, check out these two Sublistuff articles I wrote on this very subject all the way back in early 2010:

The Quest for Fire… er… Sublimation Paper, Part 1

The Quest for Fire… er… Sublimation Paper, Part 2

If you would like to try a sample few pages of MPRÉS-II paper, email us at mpres@myenmart.com and include your name, complete address, phone number, and mention this article.  We can’t send it to you without an address, and while this may seem like stating the obvious, you’d be amazed at just how many people just send an email saying “I’d like your sample pack” and nothing else.  We’d love for you to try our paper, but we aren’t psychic, so unless you tell us what to send and exactly where to send it, we have no idea.  After you try it, we’d appreciate it if you drop us a note letting us know what you think of it too.

Every once in a while,  someone will tell me that they don’t go to trade shows,  either as an attendee or an exhibitor,  because they simply don’t have the time.  My response to that is that time spent at a trade show is always worth it,  both as an attendee and as a vendor.   I admit,  I’ve spent more time as one than I have the other,  but I feel like I also have some insight into what attendees get from a show because I’ve met and talked with so many of them over the years. So,  if you haven’t been to a trade show yet,  or haven’t been to one recently,  here is my short pitch for why you should be attending trade shows,  either as an attendee or as a vendor.

If you’re an attendee,  a trade show is a great place to make connections,  both with fellow decorators and with employees of the suppliers with whom you want to work.  A trade show will almost always have a robust slate of seminars,  so it’s also a place where you can learn more about disciplines you already do,  or get a start on trying something new.   It’s also a place to brush up on your business skills,  be it sales and marketing,  using social media,  or figuring out how to communicate your pricing.

If you’re a vendor,  there’s no better place than a trade show to connect with new and current customers.   Depending on the show,  you may be able to sell on the show floor,  which has the potential for the dispersal of a large amount of inventory in a short amount of time.  A trade show can also be a terrific way to establish a presence in a part of the country where you may not have a facility.  It’s also a place to meet industry media and establish connections with industry stars.

Attending a trade show is definitely worth the time and money, whether you’re an attendee or a vendor.  Shows like DAX Chicago and NNEP EmbroideryMart look for venues that offer affordable accommodations for attendees.   Some shows will also offer load in methods for vendors that minimize the cost of bringing a booth and product to sell to the show.  The first thing to do is to take a look at the shows you might want to attend or vend at,  and then compare pricing with what’s being offered.   Your aim should be to find a show that will allow you to accomplish your goals without breaking your budget.

If you’re wondering where EnMart will be in the next few months,  we will be at DAX Chicago May 3-4 and highly encourage everyone to join us in booth 701.   We will also be at the NBM Meadowlands Show in New Jersey in July.

So you’ve decided to enter the world of sublimation.  Now what?  Where do you start?  What do you do first?  And most importantly, how do you make it a success?

There is so much information on the internet about sublimation these days that it can be overwhelming.  In fact, it’s much easier to be overwhelmed and confused than it is to just do it.  Yes, it really is that easy – and it’s fun too.

The purpose of this article isn’t to tell you how to create a business plan, how to go out and sell sublimation, or specifically what to charge for it.  It IS however a general guide to using your system to create a successful business.

A good starting point once you understand just what sublimation is (and isn’t), is to ask yourself these 6 questions.  But what if you’ve already done all your research, purchased a sublimation system and blanks, and now you are wondering where to go next?  In that case, here are some tips that will help you on your way to success.

1. Set up your system. Yes, first, you have to take the system out of the box and set it up.  While that may seem obvious, you’d be surprised at the number of people that let it sit unused for months or years, whether from subli-timidation or some other reason.  But if you don’t set it up, you definitely won’t be successful, and the sooner you do it, the sooner you will succeed.
2. Understand your equipment, and how to operate it. Realistically, if you are even slightly tech savvy, you can probably set up your sublimation system, turn on your heat press, and start sublimating something all without reading a single word.  But those instructions contain details that are important, like turning off color management in your chosen graphics program for example. So for the best results, read the instructions, follow them in order, and understand what you are doing – not just on your printer and computer, but your heat press(es) as well.
3. Learn to use your chosen graphics program. There are several graphics programs available, but these 3 are the most common in sublimation.  A little study and practice will pay off many times over with better quality artwork, which ultimately translates into better looking products and hopefully more money for you.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Experiment on your chosen blanks, and make sure you always have extra.  Don’t assume that you will never make a mistake or ruin something – you will.  And don’t be afraid to make mistakes either.  It’s ok, and all part of the process.  No matter how many settings charts you manage to obtain, depending on the exact mix of equipment, blank products and manufacturers, you will likely have to do some troubleshooting and make a few adjustments that only reveal themselves with practice.
5. Make samples. Whether you are selling on Etsy, Amazon, at a fair or trade show, or in your own storefront, you will need samples to make photos of and to show people.
6. Sublimation is best suited for smaller orders and custom work. While that doesn’t necessarily mean you should turn down that order for 1000 mugs of the same design, most people expect a price reduction when ordering larger quantities.  Since sublimation costs you virtually the same amount of money per item to produce no matter the quantity, any price breaks come directly out of your pocket.  Sublimation is especially well suited for doing small orders and custom work.  As a result you can charge a premium price for it, and increase your profit margin.  So unless you have a wide format system and a large shop devoted to mass sublimation production, focus on smaller and custom orders for the most profit.
7. Know your market. Simply put, know who you are selling to, what they want to buy, and how much they’re willing to pay.  That’s easier said than done though, and will likely require some research on your part – but this step is very important to your success.  Just because you have 3 other people doing sublimation on your block doesn’t mean there isn’t room for you too – especially if you are doing something they aren’t.  And if everyone you know is doing performance apparel – that doesn’t mean you should too (unless there’s more business to go around than your competition can handle).
8. Don’t compete solely on price. Ah, the price trap.  Many people make the mistake of falling into this pit of constantly lowering prices until there really isn’t any incentive for you to do sublimation any longer.  Here’s the thing – there will ALWAYS be someone that will beat your price, somewhere.  Set your prices for the item you are selling and area you are in and the amount of profit you require.  If you can’t compete on service and quality in this case without losing on pricing, then consider making other items that aren’t as highly competitive on price.
9. Offer good service and quality. Service and quality go a long way to make up for price differences.  There will always be those people who buy solely on price, but chances are that whomever they do wind up buying from will wind up sacrificing either or both service and quality in the process, and sooner or later that customer will most likely wind up back at your shop or website.

Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list, but the 9 basic principles here will create a sound foundation for you to build on.  Or maybe you have already created a successful business doing sublimation, and if so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments with your own steps to success.

Tom Chambers is EnMart’s sublimation guru,  the guide and mentor regarding all things sublimation.   Tom was instrumental in introducing inkjet sublimation to industrial laundries, and has been working with the process since the early days of thermal ribbon sublimation.