When I was a kid, I longed for things with my name on them,  but there weren’t that many out there.  My mother,  in an effort to be unique,  spelled my name Kristine instead of Christine,  which is the more popular accepted spelling.  Although I now like the more unique form of what is a rather common female name,  it bothered me when I was growing up.  I longed for personalized items with my name on them,  but most items that carried my name carried the more common spelling.  Sadly,  sublimation wasn’t around when I was younger,  so I’ve had to wait until now to have my very own personalized items.  Just think of all the things I missed.

A mug with my name on it could keep others in my office from accidentally drinking my tea or hot chocolate.   A bowl that said “Kristine’s cereal”  could keep my Cheerios safe from marauding cereal thieves (should such creatures exist).  A mongrammed keychain wouldn’t help me find my keys in my purse that is always bigger than it needs to be,  but it would guarantee I’d look cool when I do the triumphant grab and display move when the keys are unearthed.

Coasters with my name on them would protect my tables and, suitably monogrammed, would also make a great hostess gift, or a shower gift for someone who is about to be married.   Luggage tags would ensure I could always find my luggage,  and are a great gift for colleagues or friends who travel a lot.   A personalized car flag will make sure that I will always find my car in a crowded parking lot and is also a great way to show support for groups or causes.

A personalized business card holder is a something I still want and is a great gift for the executive in your life, and a terrific way to celebrate a promotion or new job. A personalized award plaque is a meaningful way to recognize an employee or volunteer who has contributed a lot to the organization.   A personalized book mark is a great gift for the librarian,  teacher or reader in your life.

If my mania for personalization got out of hand,  it would be comforting to know that custom sublimated patches allow  personalization of  almost any item,  even if it isn’t suitable for sublimation.  All that’s necessary is to create a patch design with a logo, name or graphic and then have EnMart create the patches.  Once the patches are finished,  they can either be heat sealed or sewn on the item in question for instant personalization.

If you have spent any time looking through EnMart catalog of sublimation blanks,  you know we offer a wide variety of items on which you can sublimate.  As a Rowmark distributor,  we have access to the entire Rowmark line of products as well.  Today, I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Mates line of Rowmark products.   If you’ve not heard about Mates before,  you may find that they’re just what you’ve been looking for to fill a niche in your business.

EnMart offers white Mates stock in 12″ x 50 ft rolls and in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets.  Mates is a flexible,  pre-adhesive plastic material  that can be used for electronic, appliance and computer labeling, recreational, automotive and aviation applications, signage, nameplates, awards, promotional products, packaging and point of purchase displays.  It is a versatile material that can be cut into whatever size and shape you need it to be, but durable enough that your finished design will look great for a long, long time.

Like almost any product that can be sublimated,  Mates does have certain requirements that must be fulfilled to help ensure a great finished product.   If you are just starting out with Mates,  Rowmark offers some sublimation tips and techniques for the product that are sure to be helpful.   If you do run into a problem sublimating your Mates product,  Rowmark also provides troubleshooting tips for common issues.

Mates can be attached to almost any substrate,  so they’re a great option for the occasions when you want to sublimate an item that wouldn’t otherwise be suitable for sublimation.  In addition to white,  the Mates product is also available from Rowmark in clear,  brushed sliver,  brushed gold, brite gold and prism.  White is the only color EnMart has in stock,  but we can certainly order the other colors.  If you would like Mates in a color other than white,  just contact us and we’ll be glad to get those items in stock for you.

Tags: Mates, Rowmark, Rowmark Mates, sublimatable plastic, sublimation supplies

I live in a resort town.  Every Summer the town in which I live swells with tourists,  coming to enjoy our beautiful Bay,  the gorgeous scenery,  the great restaurants and the opportunities to hike and fish and swim.   As with any tourist town,  our town has a plethora of local gift shops and souvenir stands,  all selling mementos of the local attractions or just the general area.  In short, the town is a dream for someone who has a sublimation business.  There are just  so many possible ways to make a sale.

One potential sale would be t-shirts.  I’m kind of a t-shirt junkie myself and like to try and buy at least one t-shirt as a reminder when I’ve been to someplace new.   When I’m home,  I can walk into any of the local gift shops and see a huge variety of t-shirts and sweatshirts with my town’s name on them.    From cute sayings,  to pictures, to the shirts that simply have the name of the town,  souvenir shirts are always in demand.

Another potential sale would be mugs.  Whether they’re emblazoned with a famous local view,  or simply have the name of the town or attraction on them,  mugs are a memorable and useful souvenir.

Ornaments also make a good souvenir.    I’ve always thought a fun idea for those who travel a lot would be to have a travel tree instead of a Christmas tree one year.    Collecting ornaments when you travel would allow you to create a Christmas tree that would be a complete record of your travels.   Not only would your Christmas tree be full of memories,  it would also be a unique depiction of the sites you’ve seen and the places you’ve been.

Plates are a popular souvenir for a lot of people.    When I was a kid my grandmother collected spoons and plates from various places that she had traveled.  The were displayed all over her house,  and were a great record of the places she had been.

Keyrings are also a popular choice when it comes to souvenirs.    Instead of flashing the logo of your favorite car company or model,   use your key chain to remind you a favorite place you’ve been and some special memories.

Keep in mind that the items  a gift shop owner finds useful and attractive may vary by region and the theme of the store.  Also keep in mind that for a gift shop owner a big selling point for working with a local vendor is the possibility of just in time inventory delivery and the ability to quickly deliver a certain item if sales are beyond what was expected.   In these case,  sublimation may be the ideal option,  but it’s up to you to sell that option to your potential customer.

Tags: gift shop, gift shop ideas, selling to gift shops, souvenir plates, souvenirs, Sublimation, t-shirts

I’ve never made a claim to be a sublimation expert.  I’ve sublimated exactly one thing in my life,  and that was a ceramic tile.  It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself,  but I don’t consider my one success as qualification for the title of expert.   At best I’m a dilettante.   I know a reasonable amount about the craft and practice of sublimation because I listen and I ask questions.   Where I’ve been very lucky is in the fact that I have experts with whom I work who patiently, some of the time at least, answer my questions about what and how and why.  After I’ve gotten my answers I bring them here and share them with you.

One of the oldest adages in writing is “write what you know”.   In my case,  particularly since I started writing for EnMart,  that’s the last thing I’ve been doing.  When EnMart began, what I knew about thread, machine embroidery, bobbins,  sublimation, ChromaBlast and the other supplies and disciplines that EnMart encompasses wasn’t enough to write more than one or two blog posts at best.   Since the first post I wrote my job has been a combination of archeologist and town crier.  First I go dig up the nuggets of information and knowledge I need.  Then I come here or to EnMart’s other blog,  EmbroideryTalk,  and share what I’ve learned.

If you wonder where I’m going with this, I’m mainly trying to reinforce what I said in yesterday’s post,  which was about educating yourself so you can then educate your customers.   When you’re first starting out,  machine embroidery or sublimation can seem overwhelming.  There’s so much to learn and remember and it can seem like you’ll never know what you’re talking about,  or how to answer even the simplest question.  If, however,  you take the time to ask questions of others who have more experience,   to practice your craft,  and seize every opportunity to learn more,  eventually you get comfortable with the techniques and procedures,  and you’re able to answer questions and make suggestions easily.

What seems overwhelming is only that way if you let it be that way.  There are tons of resources out there,  websites like Sawgrass Ink’s site,  forums like the Apparel Decorator’s Forum and T-shirt Forums,  and blogs like this one,  not to mention the many experts who offer seminars at trade shows and do webinars and video classes.   The information is out there,  but it’s up to you to go and find it and spend the time absorbing it.  If you do that,  you’ll soon find that the stuff that you didn’t know has become the stuff that you do know,  and your business and your customers will both benefit.

Tags: Apparel Decorators Forum, EmbroideryTalk Blog, Sawgrass Ink, sublimation education

As I mentioned yesterday, there can be a great deal of value in attending a trade show.    One of the greatest values is the education you can receive from a show.   Every time we go to a show,  even though I usually attend as an exhibitor,  I learn something,  either from someone visiting our booth or from taking the time to talk to another vendor.   The more I learn,  the more valuable I am to my company and the better able I am to help our customers.   That same equation applies to all of you.

Say, for instance,  that you’re selling sublimation services in your shop.   You can sell those services better if you’re fully aware of the capability of your machines.   If you have a printer which only handles 8 1/2 x 11 paper,  you don’t want to promise to print a 13  x 19 design.   If your heat press is only capable of doing flat goods,  you probably don’t want to promise to get an order of mugs out by next Tuesday.   Knowing what your equipment can do and how fast it can do it can save you a lot of stress and allow you to provide timely service to your customers.

As another example,  let’s suppose a customer comes to you looking for a great Christmas gift to commemorate the anniversary celebration of a local landmark.  The customer doesn’t want shirts or hats,  but rather something that people will display and keep as a memento of the occasion.   If you’re conversant with the type of products that can be sublimated,  you could offer key chains,  or ornaments,  or jewelry/keepsake boxes.   New sublimation blanks are entering the market every day.  Keeping current with your favorite vendor web sites and keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry will help insure that you have the right product available when your potential customer walks in the door with a question.

Learning and understanding the latest techniques is another way to provide the best service to your customers.  Sawgrass Ink provides a variety of educational seminars and webinars that will help you learn the latest techniques for sublimation,  and can also teach you how to enter various markets.   Forums like T-shirt Forums or the Apparel Decorators Forum are a great place to ask questions and get tips and help in mastering the latest sublimation processes.   Trade shows also generally offer classes and seminars on a variety of topics,  so you can learn a new discipline from the ground up.

Of course, you should also stay current with the blogs,  Facebook pages and Twitter feeds of your favorite suppliers.   These social media venues are a great place to ask questions and get answers in real time.  They also tend to be the places where announcements about new products, new services, and special offers are made.    Staying current will allow you to be the first to pass the latest trend or the greatest savings along to your customers.

What it all comes down to is this:  the more you know the better able you will be to provide service and support to your customers.   You will also be more aware of all the options available to you,  which gives you more chances to make a sale.   Time spent learning is never time wasted,  and it can often translate into increased revenue.

Tags: EnMart, Sawgrass Ink, sublimation education, sublimation seminars, trade shows

EnMart just finished a great weekend in Nashville at the NNEP Embroidery Mart.  It was a fantastic trade show and we were able to talk to a lot of people about sublimation and how it can be used.  The show was really fun and very informative, and it made me realize how valuable attending a trade show can be,  both from an exhibitor standpoint and from an attendee standpoint.   Particularly when you’re considering a garment decoration technique like sublimation,  attending a show and getting to see equipment and demonstrations and ask questions can save you a lot of time and money and anguish.  No one likes to purchase equipment that doesn’t suit their business and won’t be useful.  Attending a trade show can help you avoid those kinds of issues.

Although EnMart generally attends trade shows as a vendor,  I’ve certainly spoken with enough attendees to get a sense of the value that attending a trade show can provide.  I thought I’d remind everyone about that today by listing a few of the ways I believe trade shows provide value.

1. Trade shows let you see equipment and supplies up close and personal – Catalogs and websites are great,  but nothing replaces actually holding a product in your hand and seeing it with your own eyes.

2. Trade shows allow you to talk to vendors one on one – Granted exhibitor booths can be crowded and understaffed,  but almost every exhibitor will have some time where they can speak with you one on one.   If you have concerns or questions or just need guidance,  this one on one time is invaluable.

3. Trade shows help you sort out your requirements – Exhibitors have a vested interest in helping you find the equipment that is right for your business.  They know the questions to ask that will help you determine what you need.  They also know which equipment will best serve that need.

4. Trade shows also often offer classes or seminars – At the Embroidery Marts in Houston and Nashville,  Sawgrass Ink did a seminar about sublimation.   Other exhibitors held classes as well.   The classes give you an opportunity to learn a new technique or add a profit center to your business while learning from industry experts.

5. Everything you learn at a trade show is yours to keep – When you leave a trade show you should know more than when you arrived.  If you take the time to visit vendors and ask some questions,  you can learn a lot for only a minimal expenditure of your time.

My thanks to everyone who saw the value in trade show attendance and stopped by to see us in Nashville last weekend.  We had a great time there,  and we look forward to providing more value for our current and new customers at ISS Atlanta in September.

Tags: EnMart, NNEP Houston, NNEP Nashville, Sawgrass Ink, seminars, trade shows

Yesterday I was having a mini discussion on Twitter with Erich Campbell from Black Duck Inc regarding all the awesome things that can be done with sublimation.   He ended the discussion with this plea:

We can do incredible work, all I need is the customer with vision to order it! Break the mold, people! We’ll make you stand out!

It is fun to think about all the different things that can be done with various sublimation blanks,  if you just let yourself think outside the box.   Your customers may not see the possibilities until you point them out,  but figuring out multiple uses for one type of blank gives you that many more ways to sell that sublimated product to your customer.  Since a sale is what it’s all about,  I thought it might be fun to brainstorm some different ways that the sublimation blanks EnMart sells could be used.

Let’s take our jewelry boxes for instance.  They can obviously be used to hold jewelry or other accessories, but that’s not the only option.   The jewelry boxes could be personalized with a corporate logo and given as gifts to be kept on an employee’s or customer’s desk.  They could be used to hold post it notes or paper clips or other small things that generally collect on a desk.    The boxes could also hold cigarettes or cigars, which would be perfect for a cigar bar.  A box with a baby theme could be used to hold diaper pins in a nursery or the keepsakes that a new mother treasures.   The options for a simple box are endless.

Another example of a multi-purpose item would be our metal pet tags.  These don’t have to be just for pets.  They could be used as customized zipper pulls on garments or bags.  They could be used as unique and creative curtain or blind pulls.   They could be made into personalized friendship charms for bracelets or necklaces.   The title of item may include the word pet tag, but the tags don’t have to be just for pets.

Our pet bowls are another example of an item that has the word pet in the title,  but doesn’t have to be used for pets.   The large and small pet bowls could be used to create a one of a kind serving set.  They could be personalized for candy dishes or used as a dish to hold keys or paper clips.

The ceramic tiles that EnMart sells are other item that has a lot of options for use.   One tile can be a trivet used to protect a table from hot dishes.   It could also be used to display photos or artwork on a desk.  A series of tiles can be used as  a mural or a one of a kind backsplash for a shower or sink.

The lesson here is that the labels that are put on an item don’t necessarily dictate how that item should be used.   It’s up to us as decorators to use our imaginations and help our customers discover all the wonderful things we can do for them,  if we all just take a minute to think outside the box.  If you have any out of the box ideas for one of our sublimation blanks,  please share it in the comments.

My guess is that, when most people think about sublimation,  they don’t think about sublimating patches.   The items that are most often mentioned when sublimation is discussed are things like t-shirts or mugs or mousepads.  Sublimating a patch most likely doesn’t come into the conversation until later, if it comes up at all, and that’s kind of a pity.  Sublimated patches are a great way to add color to a garment,  and a terrific way to put a complicated logo on a patch relatively easily.   Best of all, EnMart offers you two methods of creating sublimated patches,  so you can pick the one that is right for you.

Method 1 is what I call the “DIY” method.   Using this method,  you purchase blank patches from EnMart to use as your sublimated patch canvas.   Our blank patches are made from 100% polyester fabric, so they are ideal for sublimation.   These patches are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes,  so you’re sure to find one that suits your proposed design.

In addition to purchasing the patches from us,  you can also get all your sublimation supplies,  like ink, paper or even a printer from us.    Once you have all the necessary supplies,  all you need to do is print your transfers and sublimate the designs on the patches.  Once the patches are sublimated,  you simply attach them to garments or tote bags or whatever item needed a sublimated patch and you’re ready to go.

Method 2 of creating a sublimated patch is the “let EnMart handle it” method.   If you want to add sublimated patches to your product offerings but don’t have the equipment or the time to create them yourself,  EnMart can do it for you.  Our custom sublimated patches are available in the same variety of shapes and sizes as our blank patches.  The only difference is that EnMart will sublimate the design on the patches for you, instead of you doing it yourself.   The prices on sublimated patches are some of the best in the industry as is our turnaround time on orders.   If you’re looking for a stress-free way to produce sublimated patches,  it doesn’t get any easier than placing an order and sitting back to wait until the finished patches arrive on your door step.

If you have any questions about which method is right for you,  you can always contact us for more information or assistance.   Rest assure that, which ever method you choose,  you can always be confident that your product will be made with quality ingredients and backed by EnMart’s years of sublimation and emblem making experience.

Tags: blank patches for sublimation, sublimated patches, sublimation blank package, sublimation blanks

One of the questions we often get asked where potential customers can see a live demonstration of the sublimation or ChromaBlast process.   Of course, one of the things we plan to do is create videos that will demonstrate our products,  but we also know that sometimes nothing can replace an on the spot demonstration.

If you’re interested in seeing a live demonstration in the next few months,  your best best would be to stop by the EnMart booth at either Embroidery Mart East in Nashville or at ISS Atlanta.   Tom Chambers, our sublimation expert will be at both shows, and we will have a full set up,  with printers and heat press in our booth.  If you have questions or want to see the equipment in action,  visiting our booth is a great way to see a live demonstration and also a great time to ask your questions.   Tom is always happy to help customers find the system that will best suit their needs,  and to answer questions.  We will be in booth 401 in Nashville and booth 243 in Atlanta.

To keep up to date on EnMart’s trade show schedule,  you can always check the front page of our web site.  Up in the right hand corner of the site there is a box labeled 2010 Trade Shows.    This box is updated as we add new shows,  or are given our booth number for shows that are already listed.

If you would like to see a live demonstration and can’t make it to a show,  the other option would be to visit our corporate headquarters in Traverse City, Michigan.  This is where the management team is based, and where our sublimation demo room is set up.  Appointments for demonstrations can be made by contacting us and asking to be added to the demo schedule.  Demonstrations are set up based on availability of our sublimation personnel and as our trade show schedule permits,  and generally last about an hour.  As of right now, demonstrations are only available from our Michigan location.    If you can’t visit us in Michigan and you are unable to attend a trade show,  it may be possible to set up a demonstration through the account manager for your region,  but those demonstrations are rare and are set up on a case by case basis.

Tags: EnMart, ISS Atlanta, live sublimation demo, NNEP Nashville, sublimation demo, sublimation demonstration

Since we started offering sublimation supplies,  our customer service department has fielded a lot of inquiries from people who have questions about some technical aspect of their systems.   Since we answer the same questions a lot of the time,  I thought it would be useful to put our answers in writing so they can be found 24 hours a day,  7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Q1:  Is the necessary driver included with the printers you sell?

A:  Yes.  We include a CD containing the correct driver for the printer that has been sold with each order.

Q2:  My printer driver isn’t working.  Where can I get a replacement?

A: Sawgrass offers downloads of the latest Power Driver software for each printer on their website.  You can find and download drivers for either sublimation printers or ChromaBlast printers there.

Q3:  I’m not sure how to set-up and install my printer.  Can you help?

A: We certainly will be happy to help,  but we may also direct you to the installation videos on the Sawgrass website.  These videos offer step by step instructions and may be a better learning tool for some people.  Sawgrass offers vides for each sublimation printer model they support as well as for each ChromaBlast printer model.

Q4:  My workplace requires we have MSDS sheets for the products we use.  Where can I get MSDS sheets for the ink you sell?

A: Sawgrass has downloadable versions of the MSDS sheets for their inks available on their website.  You can find Sublijet MSDS sheets and ChromaBlast MSDS sheets there.

Q5:  I have a question about Sublijet or ChromaBlast ink that you haven’t covered.  Where can I find more information?

A: Sawgrass has an extensive FAQ section of their very own.    You can find Sublijet FAQs and ChromaBlast FAQs on their website.

Q6:  What if I still haven’t found the answer I need?

Let us know.  Our first commitment is always to customer service.  We’ll do our best to help you get the answers and assistance you need.

Tags: download printer drivers, Power driver, printer driver, Sawgrass Ink, techinical support, troubleshooting your printer