What are the benefits of an Online Uniform Program?

 

#1. Uniforms at a touch of a button

The internet is a beautiful and easily accessible thing, so why not take advantage of it? Online shopping is incredibly relaxed and convenient for many consumers and in this case, employees, franchise owners, and store managers. An online store features custom uniform garments for employees to order and pay for whenever needed. By creating an online ordering platform, it helps managers and franchise owners simply click to order.

#2.Complete customization

An online uniform program is a customized store that is designed to fit your unique set of needs. It is important to feature quality items that are stylish, functional and offers a flexible fit. Online stores provide your company the opportunity to feature custom apparel unique to all of your store locations and is readily accessible for all store managers and employees.

#3. Supports all franchise locations 

An online platform is ideal for those that have multiple locations but want to keep all locations brand consistent. A consistent employee appearance is vital when creating a unified image for your company.

#4.Hands free

When producing a uniform program, many efforts come with it. When choosing to partner with an online uniform program consultant, all the work is done for you— hassle-free. The consultant will (or should) build and manage your online store, develop apparel and promotional products, process orders/returns, warehouse and ship the products all in-house. Add customer service and a customer inquiries team to the mix and you will have one less thing to worry about! Sounds like a win, win to us.

#5.cost effective

Partnering with an online uniform program provider can help a growing business. Your partner should provide an in-depth analysis of your current fulfillment and shipping methods. Having a fulfillment partner create an analysis of your current inventory, labor, shipping and packaging options can open many opportunities for cutting costs and save you a lot of time. A true fulfillment partner will offer you cost-savings along with guaranteed, on-time shipping and accurately fulfilled orders. You also benefit from cost savings and the satisfaction of having a one-stop-shop for all your transport, production, and order processing needs for your employees.

The Takeaway

Finding a well established online uniform program partner is ultimately the best route to take for your business and employees. In addition to value-added services, the convenience of connecting with an online fulfillment consultant takes all the burdens out of uniform programs out of your hands and into theirs. All the work is done for you, with a touch of a button!

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If you are interested in starting your own online uniform program, we can help develop a custom e-commerce platform to support your needs. Find out why we are the perfect partner for you here.

Keep Your Customers Plugged In

Are you looking for popular promotional items that your customers will love? We have partnered with some of our top vendors to gather a list of the best customizable tech items. When you consider investing in promotional give-away items, you want things that your customers and prospects will be excited to keep. You want to find items that they will actually use time and again. Right now, tech accessories are all of the rage when it comes to promotional swag. Customers love them and it allows companies of all sizes to expand their brand reach!

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The Universal Keyring Cable

Expand your brand reach with this stand-out promotional item. This keyring charging cable is not only innovative, but is something your customers will actually use!

When you take the keyring apart, the USB end easily connects to any power source: a computer, vehicle, external power bank and more. The smaller end plugs into your mobile device. This handy promotional item can be ordered with your choice of iPhone, Android or universal compatibility.

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Bluetooth Headphones

The newest trend in smartphone technology has shaken up how we use our devices. The removal of the headphone jack from most new smartphone devices has made the traditional set of earbuds obsolete. It is also frustrating to keep your headphones plugged in when you are on the go.

Now is the best time to get your brand logo on an item that your customers and prospects are dying to get more of: Bluetooth headphones. 

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3 in 1 charging cable

These metallic charging cables are fun and functional for promotional give-aways. Their multiple uses make them appealing to customers of all ages and demographics.

By adding your company logo to such a handy item, you will expand your brand's reach every time your customers and prospects plug-in their mobile device.

These 3 in 1 charging cables are great for trade shows, client gifts or promotional give-aways.

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Mobile card holders

Card holders continue to be the most popular trend in custom promotional items. 

These are a favorite among both men and women as they are convenient and useful. 

Imagine your company logo on the back of your customers' and prospects' most used device. This is an excellent choice for expanding your brand reach!

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POp Sockets

The newest, top-selling trend in promotional items is Pop Sockets. These small devices stick to the back of any smartphone or smartphone case.

They "pop" out to make it easier to hold on to the device and "pop" back in when the device is not in use.

This innovative new tool is sweeping the market in promotional give-aways. Put your logo on some today!

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If you are interested in ordering any of these items or would like to learn more about custom tech accessories, please Contact Us!

Screen Printing Vs DTG (Direct to Garment)

We sometimes get the question, "why do you have a 12 shirt minimum?" Threds has a minimum of 12 garments for screen printing orders because 12 items is the least number of garments that can be efficiently screen printed. With time it takes to prep the artwork, burn in the screens and set up the press, producing under 12 shirts would make the price per shirt astronomical. 

Enter Direct to Garment. The industries answer to cheap, affordable one-offs. Or is it really what its cracked up to be? I like to think of Dad’s advice on this one: Products can be cheap, quick, and quality— but they can’t be all three of those things.

What is Direct to Garment (DTG) printing?

Technological advancements have made DTG more popular in recent years, and DTG fans will tell you that they are able to replicate artwork and designs with a high level of detail. But that’s where the devil is, isn’t it?

"Well, why don't you print direct to garment?"

Direct to Garment (DTG) printers offer lots of versatility, but they not up to par with the quality, as illustrated below, you have come to expect from Threds. We only produce the highest quality prints and cannot offer anything less than the best to our customers. But that’s just one reason. We’ve assembled a list below of all the reasons we chose not to use Direct to Garment printing.

The top photo is a print using a direct to garment machine. The art is blurry and the negative spaces fill in during the printing process. The screen printed version below creates a crisper and cleaner print that retains a high level of detail.

Top Reasons NOT to use Direct to Garment Printing.

1. Quality. We mentioned this already. But it’s worth repeating. Did we mention quality?

2. Fade. If you’ve witnessed the magic of a DTG machine, you know it suspiciously looks a lot like that desk jet printer you used back when computers only came in beige or tan, or…what was that color? As such, you probably know what happens to ink when you inadvertently set your coffee on it or a document gets rained on. Now imagine your DTG Tee after a few washes. You get the idea. While many DTG printers will tell you that it all depends on how the application is carried out, we will tell you that we would take that challenge any day of the week.

3. Maintenance. Ever own a luxury car? Everything is great until it isn’t. Repair bills can add up quickly and if your the type of person who doesn’t mind a lighter wallet then all is well-and-good. But if your car breaks down you don’t pass the bill on to your employer because you were on your way to work. DTG machines aren’t exactly known for their reliability and businesses have to make the cost up somehow. Hmm…I wonder how they might do that.

   To give an example, DTG machines use print heads, just like your old computer printer. Remember what happens if the ink dried out from sitting too long, or the job you printed used a ton of color? The heads become clogged and useless. Then you had to head over to the office supply store, and buy new cartridges and so-on and so-forth. If your DTG machine has clogged heads and you don’t have the part on hand, you’re stuck waiting for a new one.

   It’s not really a screen printing problem but, if screens become too clogged, we print a new screen to replace it and get back to work. We wash out the old one, make sure the frame and silks are up to par, and reintroduce it back into the cycle.

   There’s a significant difference between down time, and a bad time.

4. White Inks. Ask a DTG printer about white inks and watch their reaction. Industry leaders will tell their clients that the DTG problems of the past have been solved by newer technology and new methods. However, that still requires business to invest and train people on those new technologies and methods. Sounds like another checkbook-buster. Screen printing doesn’t rely on a limited palette to create a rainbow. It’s a little simpler and more straightforward. With screen printing, if you are looking to replicate an image, the same four-color palette can be used with extra colors added to make the image really stand out. The process adds another level of control that DTG simply doesn’t have.

5. The Blame Game. Everyone knows how its played and some DTG providers aren’t shy about telling owners the reasons they think their product isn’t selling. While sales and marketing are important parts of a business (and they’re very important), they aren’t everything. It’s an issue that could be argued for days. So the next time you see a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, ask them what they think.

   Personally, we don’t dump truckloads of money or investment into marketing.

   For some unfathomable reason, we’ve gained hundreds and thousands of customers over the years just by word-of-mouth alone. Is it because of our excellent customer service? Well...yes, probably. Is it that our customers love our knowledgeable sales staff? That’s certainly part of it. Is it our commitment to quality and a reputation for delivering an excellent product time and time again? Most Definitely.

   We’d rather spend time serving our clients and community, than going back and forth with some sales rep about the warranty just because they want to keep their commission.

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Want Excellent Service & Products?

Contact Threds today and let us know about your next apparel project. We’d love to hear from you!

Custom headwear at the same price as your regular promo hat.

It's easy to pick a hat from a catalog for your logo but, imagine that you could create a custom hat from the bottom-up for the same cost, and you wouldn’t have to pay for them until they were delivered. Sound good?

In today's noisy and cluttered market, it has become increasingly difficult for consumers and retailers to differentiate themselves. Rather than being forced to choose from headwear that is mass-produced, let's look at what goes into creating a more unique option for your brand.

With a bit of pre-planning, an amazing custom hat could be yours for the right price. Our overseas programs can create entirely custom hats from your unique design. Custom headwear options feature unique fabrics, multiple embroidery styles, patches, trims, colors, closures, profiles, custom labels and so much more! Such options can transform an ordinary hat into a true original, retail-quality piece of headwear. 

The entire process does take time. To take a piece of headwear through that process of ideation, design, and creation is generally about four months long. However, from the initial concept to the design, to construction and shipping, the sky is the limit! With so many options to choose from, a custom retail quality hat almost always outsells the competition. Consumers tend to appreciate the small details in a custom hat and are often willing to spend a few more dollars for something unique. In our book— that's worth the wait.

Take these two hats for instance. They are comparable in price. The primary difference is that the hat on the right took an extra 90-120 days to produce. Well worth the wait if you’re in need of 144-288 pieces, the standard production requirements. Get more bang for your bill, and try our overseas program today!

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Interested in unique, retail-quality custom headwear?

Contact Threds today to get started. We have great relationships with our overseas vendors, and our sales team and artists will work hard to help transform your idea into reality.

T Shirt Vocabulary

Sometimes, communicating apparel details can have your tongue tied in knots. We’ve assembled a handful of terms that will help you choose the right garment when browsing options for your next project.

Ring-spun cotton

These shirts are made from smoother and longer yarn compared to open-end yarn. It also goes through a spinning process that softens and straightens each fiber, creating cotton that is softer and more durable.

Combed and ring-spun cotton

Refers to a two-step process that occurs when turning cotton into yarn. First, the staples are combed to remove impurities or inconsistencies in the yarn, creating a softer touch. Next, in the ring-spun process, the yarn is made by continuously twisting and thinning the strands, creating a very fine rope of cotton fibers.

Carded open-end*

This is a cheaper way of turning cotton into yarn in which the fibers are bonded by a wrapped fiber that runs perpendicular to the fiber bundle. In ring-spun cotton, all of the fibers are aligned in the same direction. Up close you can see that carded open end fiber is bulky, fuzzy and creates an uneven knit. These are the hardest to get a quality print on but, we have tips for printing on lower quality cotton.

*A historical side note: The industry standard used to be a carded open-end tee but, as we move into an era where purchase decisions are driven by quality and not just price there has been more demand for combed and ring-spun tees in wholesale space.

Side Seams

These create the tailored structure a tee needs to fit correctly. Although more expensive to make, these are the only type of tees you’ll find in a retail store.

Tubular Tees

Cheaper to construct because they require less sewing. They are made of tubular bodies and don’t really fit right on people—they’re exactly the same on the front and the back, the only difference is the neck drop.

Single

A term that refers to the diameter of a yarn, determined by the number of times you twist the fiber. The smaller the number, the thicker the yarn, and the higher the number the softer the yarn. Think about it the same way you think about sheets—the higher the thread count, the softer the sheets! Most cheap shirts are made from 18 or 20 singles. For a super-soft garment, aim for a single count of 30 or higher.

Weight

When referring to fabric, it is the number of ounces per square yard. Lighter fabrics tend to be made from combed and ring-spun cotton and are typically much softer than the heavyweight, open-end alternatives.

Staple

Another term for a cotton fiber. The fluffy piece of cotton (often called a “boll”) is plucked off the plant, contains about 250 “staples.” The high-quality thread is typically made from longer staples which are easier to spin into a fine piece of thread.

Hand

A Term used to describe how a garment feels. Combed and ring-spun tees have a soft hand, meaning they are super soft to the touch.