Category: Blogs

Upside!

Wearable tech–mobile electronic devices worn on a user’s body or attached to their clothes–is upon us. Or so analysts at Morgan Stanley believe (and companies like Apple, Google and Samsung hope). The Morgan Stanley group is convinced it will become a $1.6 trillion industry in the near future.

“Wearable devices will far surpass market expectations, and become the fastest ramping consumer technology device to date, in our view,” the group wrote. The analysts figure that wearable devices will have “far-reaching” impacts by creating a new class of products and disrupting or accelerating change within industries outside of technology, such as watches (with the Apple Watch), apparel (health/wellness devices, or the creative Social Fabrics social networking t-shirts), payments (if Apple Pay gets integrated with the Watch), and healthcare.

In the apparel sector, wearable fashion tech is taking off in some places. “Smart clothing” is the new buzzword, but it may come down to price–how many people are willing to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for a shirt that glows when you run or a jacket with solar panels that charges your phone and tablet?

Downside?

Still, if the price comes down and the tech becomes more subtle, it may well be the next big thing–provided it can also prove itself as being useful (or else sufficiently “cool”). Will we see an “iHoodie” from Apple? The tech world is full of examples of both unexpected technology that took off and became a huge success or promising stuff that flopped. The iPhone took off when most people would have laughed at the idea, but then it arguably solved a problem–you could far more easily check email, browse the web, keep on top of social media, and do all sorts of other stuff with apps on the go. This replaced both laptop computers and far bulkier solutions.

Reality

So the question is: what are smart watches, fitness trackers, and smart apparel replacing? A Guardian article points out that anecdotal evidence and customer device abandonment statistics show that many of the new wearable devices just don’t seem to be taking off—many people tend to buy or else receive a wearable device free with something else, then forget about it. For example, 41% of people already run with their smartphones, so yet another device to track their steps (and that might be fooled by waving their arms) might be redundant if they’re already carrying your phone with a much more accurate movement tracking app. Any other potential problems waiting to be solved–usefulness, battery life, appearance, a killer app–just doesn’t seem to be there.

All in all, it remains to be seen whether the wearable tech trend becomes mainstream–and whether t-shirt shops might have a cut of the market.

In the Meantime

In the less tech world of decorated apparel, one of Shopwork’s clients won as a Top Shop, chosen from several criteria including “innovative business/decoration practices.” They use our promotional business management software. See Black Duck Embroidery and Screen Printing’s story here.

Embroidery Technology Then and Now

History of Machine Embroidery – The Early Days

The evolution of embroidery technology needed a seed to start. Machine embroidery began in the middle of the 19th century with the invention of the hand embroidery machine. The operator was required to move the fabric above and below the needle with a hand crank and guided the needles along a pattern. Despite the effort it took to work the machine, it was an efficient innovation, doing the labor of four hand embroiderers. Just after the turn of the century, in 1911, the first multi-head embroidery machine was invented, allowing users to produce multiple pieces of work at once.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that embroidery machines became common and it was 30 more years before computer-controlled machines were invented. In the 1980s, the earliest versions of the modern computerized embroidery machine were developed.

Wilcom and Melco were two of the pioneers in the field. Wilcom introduced the first graphic design system for embroidery that could be run on a microcomputer, and Melco produced the first embroidery sample head and the first digitizing system for embroidery machines.

Since the 1990s, computerized machine embroidery has become widely popular for both commercial and personal use. Now, new technology is making the process even more efficient and profitable. Modern innovators are looking at new ways to increase the efficiency, ease of use, and versatility of computer-controlled embroidery machines. Some of the latest developments include higher speeds, more needles per head, more attachments per head, and more precise cutting with laser technology, to name a few.

Evolution of Embroidery Technology – Recent Hardware Innovations

Melco Industries, Inc. recently released the EMT16 Plus, which introduces a significant upgrade to their previous model. The new machine offers the advantage of embroidery heads that can be stopped or started independently. Traditional multi-head machines require all heads to shut down if one needs a bobbin changed, for example. The new model increases machine productivity by 50%. Another factor that contributes to the machine’s efficiency is the Acti-Feed thread control system, a monitoring system that adjusts the feed and tension automatically.

Another recent innovation was introduced by Coloreel. Their Embroline thread coloring attachment applies color instantly to threads during the embroidery process. This method opens up a world of possibilities in terms of color design and effects. In addition, it allows an embroidery machine to use a single reel of thread per embroidery head, eliminating the necessity of maintaining a large stock of threads and taking time to rethread the machine frequently. With a minimum of thread cuts and lock stitches, the quality of the embroidery increases with this new technology.

While technology has revolutionized the embroidery business, there has also been a renewed demand for hand-design techniques, such as beadwork and sequins. To answer this demand, Barudan has introduced a 4-in-1 machine that does sequin embroidery along with coiling, chain-stitching, and cording. The company has also released a sequin attachment for round embroidery heads that allows any needle on the rotary head to attach a sequin.

Another advance in embroidery technology decreases time spent on maintenance. Lubrication is a time-consuming task, but newer machines are replacing gears with sealed bearings and belts that don’t need to be oiled. In addition, many newer machines are quieter, more durable, and have more options for accessories and attachments.

Embroidery Shop Management Automation

More recently, the evolution of embroidery technology moved from hardware to software. Onsite business management software is a software package designed specifically for the embroidery industry. It has features that are especially geared toward embroiderers, such as design and production variables. With Onsite, embroiderers can manage all aspects of their shop with a single business software solution designed for their business. The proofing software also allows customers to approve a piece of artwork online. The software includes a price calculator that can base prices on stitch count or the number of colors. Another benefit is the size matrix that lets the owner enter multiple sizes for a single item. These features are of great benefit to businesses that sell embroidered products.

Streamlining Your Apparel Business

There are many parts of an apparel screen-printing business. There is marketing, ordering, designing, accounting, shipping, and delivery. Managing all of these different aspects of your t-shirt business just got easier, thanks to OnSite. OnSite is an apparel software designed to help you streamline the way you operate your business.

Now, you may be thinking that you have enough software programs helping you run your business. Why would you want more? Why would you want to take the time to learn how to use new software? The answer is in the convenience that OnSite offers. Instead of having multiple programs running at once, our suite of software puts everything in one neat, little package.

Right now, you have design software to help your design team create the images for t-shirts. You also have accounting software to manage your expenses and income. You have software running on your website that is specifically for ordering. Then, you have software dedicated to shipping out orders. You also have to find a place for keeping in touch with customers and updating them on the status of their orders.

With OnSite, you can do all of that with one suite of software. Instead of having all of these different programs working separately, you can have programs that work together. When an order is placed, the software takes care of it. When the design is created, the software monitors it. When customers need to be contacted, the software handles it. When the order is shipped, the software takes note of it. If you are tired of juggling so many programs, contact ShopWorks today. Let us bring streamlined convenience to your t-shirt business.

Google AdWords can be a powerful tool for marketing your screen printing, embroidery, or decorated apparel business. For a couple of cups of coffee a day, you could be driving quality traffic to your website, getting your phone to ring, and landing great leads. In the presentation, Google AdWords for screen printing & embroidery, ShopWorks provides step-by-step instructions and advanced tips on how to create a winning keyword campaign. In addition to helping you create screen printing ads, the presentation also covers how to do basic reporting to ensure you’re using the best keywords and ads that drive you more business.

The presentation, Google AdWords for Screen Printing & Embroidery, is hosted on SlideShare at https://www.slideshare.net/secret/DLmWZFX6SHH0a2.

ShopWorks software, OnSite, provides all-in-one business software from sales & marketing to inventory & order management to accounting & payables… plus much more.

OnSite 7 has been personalized to fulfill different functions for companies in a range of industries, including those operating at all levels of the apparel industry. Here are three reasons that make OnSite 7 a perfect apparel software solution.

1. The screen printing software includes design specifics that have been specially chosen for apparel items, including different colors and hues of ink, screen, thumbnail images, as many as fifteen custom parameters and squeegee properties.

2. The different apparel industry software applications allow managers to track production efficiency by either individual or department. This in turn allows businesses to maximize their productivity by focusing on the specific areas that need improvement.

3. The embroidery business software has a range of machine parameters, such as the time of set up for different jobs and the stitch rate based on either the number of stitches in a certain length of cloth or the set stitch rate.

Onsite software and other software solutions for business come with many pre-programmed tools that can help streamline your business and make it more efficient and productive. We detailed several of these tools in our previous blog, including accounting services, information services like blogging, and recovery and backup. Here are a few more business software tools that you can look forward when you purchase or update your business software:

• Calendar: Business software systems provide a comprehensive calendar that allows you to schedule all of your projects, jobs, payments and other such information. You can make it public within your company so that employees at every level can see it, or you can create your own calendar that only you or your managers can access. This helps make sure that everyone within your organization is on the same page and can avoid miscommunications and mistakes.
• Matrixes: Apparel software and other similar programs allow you to store matrixes, including sizes, color, thread count and more, which helps simplify future orders. With these matrixes, you simply have to select options, instead of entering them separately and new each time you enter an order.
• Marketing: Most systems have several marketing tools to help simplify your campaigns, like email marketing. Some integratable systems allow you to host websites on your clients’ pages so that their clients can place orders directly on your site. They also help give your site a consistent interface that allows you to interact professionally with your clients every time they visit your website.

Replacing Out-of-Date Software

The most common reason that businesses purchase new software solutions for business, including entirely new apparel software systems or commercial screen printing software, is because their previous software system has become so out of date that it is now obsolete.

This brings us to one of the most important considerations you should think about when you are purchasing business software: how often is the system updated? Is it the kind of software that is a one-time purchase and doesn’t receive updates? Or will the software company be in contact for updating technology and training you, as new functions and improvements become available? If the answer to the second question is yes, then you want to keep looking until you find a system that will remain current for years to come. If you are going to spend a significant amount of money on a program to support your company, you want to make sure it is being well spent, not wasted.

ShopWorks makes it a point to constantly update their software and make these updates easily available for you. Updates are important, even if they are as simple as new training opportunities to make sure that your employees are using your ShopWorks system to its fullest extent. These training opportunities range from the ShopWorks University and ShopWorks Central premises, training DVDs, On Premises training opportunities, consultation, and more. If you have questions about how ShopWorks remains current in today’s technology-fueled world, or how training and software updates are available, call ShopWorks for more information.

Managing a company takes more than just a good nose for business. Sure, you can be smart and savvy when it comes to accounting programs. You can have a good sense of what customers want. You can be great with advertising. However, even with all of those qualities, you are still only one person. You cannot do more than your mind and your body can handle — and neither can your employees. Wouldn’t it make more sense to streamline your business, to find print estimating software and other software programs that essentially run certain aspects of your business? The answer, of course, is yes.

Here at ShopWorks, we understand that the printing apparel industry is full of many details that must be addressed with each order. We also understand that each order is different. That is why we have worked hard to develop a suite of software that can handle all of these various aspects. OnSite is more than just a program to manage your expenses or help you tweak a design. It is a suite of programs that work in conjunction with each other to help you manage every step of every order from your computer.

You and your employees can monitor every order from start to finish. When tweaks are made to a design, notes can be added, so everyone, including the client, can see the proof. The entire process from start to finish can be monitored. You don’t have to be in the same room to see what is going on with your design team. You don’t have to juggle ten different programs to keep track of an order, a payment, an expense, and marketing. You can keep track of everything with OnSite screen printing solutions.

ShopWorks has spent years developing this suite of software to meet ALL of your business needs, not just a few. OnSite even works with other well-known programs to ensure that all aspects of your business are managed in the easiest manner possible — and you don’t have to spend hours learning new software for every aspect. Contact us today at ShopWorks to learn more about OnSite and how it can be a valuable asset to your business.

As discussed in previous blogs, it can be a real hassle to run your business with multiple systems rather than one integrated business software solution.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software was specifically designed to be just such a solution—it can run your entire business from one platform, keeping track of and coordinating:

• Sales and marketing
• Order processing
• Purchasing and inventory
• Production management
• Shipping and receiving
• Finance and accounting

With all the advantages of ERP software, why aren’t more small and medium businesses using it? The answer is simple: most ERP systems are expensive, complicated, overkill for smaller, simpler businesses, and, most important, are often too generic for vertical industries such as the decorated apparel business.

However, a growing business (i.e., anything beyond a mom-and-pop operation) still generates a ton of information. All that data is often spread over multiple specialized cloud applications (such as cloud-based CRMs), spreadsheets, generic accounting software (Quickbooks), and even paper documents.

This cobbled-together arrangement might work fine for up to a five-man shop, but in a growing business, it far too often allows orders, customers, and finances to slip through the cracks, resulting in lost or delayed business and many headaches.

So an ideal solution would be an ERP system for small businesses that can: (1) Be simple yet powerful, (2) Handle all your company’s data (sales, orders, purchasing, production, and accounting) in one place, (3) Allow you to analyze trends to spot untapped market opportunities, (4) Have just the right balance of power and cost-effectiveness to justify the investment, (5) Fit perfectly with your vertical industry.

As that last point says, the key issue to making an ERP system work for small businesses is how well suited it is for your vertical market. If it’s already customized to your industry’s unique requirements, it will make all the difference. Large businesses may have the budget for customization and integration with legacy systems…but the little guy does not. So their mission is critical to find an ERP that is already close to a perfect fit for how your industry works…preferably coded by people who have actually worked in the industry and have spent years perfecting the system based on feedback from customers just like you.

If you’re in the decorated apparel, screen/digital printing, or trophy industry, ShopWorks has developed the perfect small business ERP solution: OnSite. And these folks have deep industry experience…they’ve worked in the decorated apparel industry for years and have served the industry for years more. Read ShopWorks’ and OnSite’s story to learn about their integrated business technology solutions.

OnSite was made to be the central information hub of your business, fulfilling all the company data needs described above. It’s built on the flexible, powerful FileMaker Pro platform, and it comes either as client-based (self-hosted) software or in the cloud, depending on your needs. Our small business ERP software is made specifically for your industry, with all the quirks and special needs fully accounted for. Call us at 800-526-6702 with any questions you have about our integrated software solutions.

Interested? Schedule an OnSite demo to see if our integrated small business ERP software is right for you!