Commodity Or Luxury?



There is a running discussion about the present state of the custom embroidery industry and its future as a luxury embellishment or as a common commodity. Some see this period as a turning point in the development of the industry, others see it as part of a natural progression, and still others see it as a time of business as usual. Which is it? Take your pick — it is whatever you make it.

When we look around and see the many different ways embroidery is being used and sold to consumers in discount outlets around the country, it is very easy to adhere to the commodity point of view. Just about everything is embroidered: curtains, pillows, garments, sheets, towels even Custom T Shirts. You can pretty much name anything and find an example that is embroidered, and if you take a look at the prices, you will find that they are incredibly inexpensive. What you are looking at is embroidery as a commodity, and if you are trying to compete with that as an American embroiderer, you have a monumental task to accomplish.

Most custom embroiderers are not selling mass-produced embroidered products to be distributed through retail outlets. They are offering their customer a service or a product that has become unique because of the way it has been embellished with embroidery. This is a very important distinction. The way in which we use embroidery is what determines what the industry is, or what it will become.

So I hope this discussion about the industry will go on forever, and I hope there will never be a resolution to it, because as long as there are many different and ever-evolving uses for embroidery, there will also be many different values attached to each segment of it. And as long as this diversity of uses exists, our portion of the industry will continue to prosper as a high-end embellishment.

Creative embroiderers are constantly searching not only for new markets, but also for products that are in line with the image they are trying to portray through their work and their business with shirts etc. This month we are looking at both high-end and creative approaches to the embroidered T-shirts. Custom T-shirts have always been in demand for their comfort, simplicity and versatility. In the past, however, the variety of choices was somewhat slim and this limited their popularity. This has changed and it's time to take a second look at the viability of this enduring garment. It's a whole new world now, and there is a Customized T-shirt for every customer's need and price point. Take a look, there are a lot of great choices out there.

So, those of you still in the midst of the luxury versus commodity debate, continue, but be assured that the answer to the original question is yes, yes and yes — depending upon what direction you have chosen for your business — and, alternatively, it is no, no and no for the same reasons.