Virtual samples of mixed-media designs are one way to sell, but the author strongly recommends creating samples for prospective clients. (All images courtesy DAS)

When clients of the decorated-apparel industry go online or to the local mall, they’re seeing all of the popular retailers featuring multi-decoration rhinestone apparel. This includes brands like Guess, Ed Hardy, Victoria Secret and Affliction. Apparel manufacturers and retailers spend huge financial resources developing multi-decoration design concepts. They test market graphics, conduct focus groups and have access to some of the top designers in the apparel industry. 

The product of this research says that the retail world is evolving past standard rhinestone transfers into dynamic multi-decoration graphics that combine direct-to-garment printing, screen printing, embroidery, appliqué and heat transfers with rhinestones. With the proper software, equipment and training, this trend can be incorporated at the same level as top retailers; something I call the Robin Hood concept. That is, take ideas from the graphically rich and give to them to the graphically poor (this might be you).

 

Tools of the trade

In order to produce multi-decoration rhinestone apparel, rhinestone heat transfers are a necessity. Stock transfers are available or it’s possible to create them in-house. If you already own a vinyl cutter and a heat press, you have all of the equipment you need to get started. Start simply by buying stock heat transfers and combining them with cut vinyl transfers or D2 prints. Once the market opportunity has been confirmed, look at a system to produce transfers in house.

Heat transfers can be produced with a rhinestone setting machine, an investment averaging $30,000. Or, there’s another technique that involves creating a stencil with a vinyl cutter and a laser or rotary engraver. The stones are dumped onto the stencil, magically falling shiny-side up and then are lifted off with heat transfer film. Of course there is a lot more to it than that, but that is the basic process. 

Professional graphics software is also required. While great for composing the overall design, CorelDRAW and Illustrator are not very efficient for creating the rhinestone patterns that will be incorporated into the graphic. The killer in rhinestone production is designing patterns. Our staff routinely produces patterns with more than 2,000 rhinestones, which might take 15 minutes in rhinestone-specific software and maybe half a day in CorelDRAW or Illustrator. 

A production-oriented business will usually have professional rhinestone design and production software, stock patterns and rhinestone fonts to quickly produce a spec sample for a prospective client. A custom spec sample is not practical for anyone spending hours drawing circles in CorelDRAW or Illustrator. 

There are a variety of techniques that can be used to combine rhinestones with embroidery, screen printing, direct-to-garment printing (D2), cuttable heat transfers and appliqué.

The trick is designing graphics around the production process. Not every graphic will work with every production process, so it’s important to know the capabilities of your equipment. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to combine rhinestones with embroidery, screen printing, direct-to-garment printing (D2), cuttable heat transfers and appliqué. The more equipment you own, the more options available for multi-decoration apparel. If you have an embroidery machine, D2 printer or vinyl cutter, you have a great arsenal of equipment for multi-decoration with rhinestones.

I am a big believer in repurposing existing equipment for new decoration techniques. Our staff is always experimenting with new decoration processes. My latest invention is a rhinestone decal system which repurposes a vinyl cutter for another decoration process. If you have the equipment, why not use it to its maximum potential? This is especially true for owners of direct-to-garment printers. 

A D2 printer is the ultimate multi-decoration machine for producing rhinestone apparel. We have seen the market move rapidly in this direction in the last year. Direct-to-garment prints look best with more complex graphics, so investing in a collection of high-end design templates is definitely something to consider. 

 

Sample platter

I always gauge the success of rhinestone-apparel samples by how long it takes for them to evaporate from our trade show booth. Any sample that combines rhinestones with another process such as vinyl cut transfers, appliqué, embroidery or direct-to-garment printing will eventually walk off. This happens so often, in fact, that we have considered printing a heat transfer on the sleeve of all of samples indicating “This sample was stolen from Digital Art Solutions Booth number….” 

The reason that we are so protective of these samples is because they are very effective at demonstrating the design potential of rhinestone apparel. If trade show attendees are walking off with these awesome-looking samples, chances are that their clients will be equally impressed. If you are going to succeed with multi-decoration apparel, you are going to have to invest time in producing great looking samples. 

Consider, for example, this true story from the field where a decorator used spec samples with his D2 printer for a prospective client. Even though the client did not ask for it, he added rhinestones to each sample. The client loved it and wanted to move forward. After deciding what to charge he got a huge order, made fat margins and created an ongoing revenue stream from a very happy client. This decorator told me that he can see the difference in customers’ eyes when they see the difference the stones add. This is the magic of multi-decoration rhinestone apparel. A little bling goes a long way. 

This concept is about perceived value. People like shiny things because shine makes them feel young. Yet over-the-top “blingy” rhinestone apparel is not for everyone, especially men. Adding a subtle rhinestone embellishment to another process widens the potential market and also appeals to men. The irony is that multi-decoration rhinestone apparel costs less to produce than typical rhinestone apparel, has a higher perceived value and results in higher margins. What more can one ask?

 

Rhinestones are not just for feminine designs as demonstrated in this example, which was a winner at DAS’ Bling Camp.

Get in the game

Rhinestone apparel has not reached its peak, but it is evolving into multi-decoration apparel. If the volume of rhinestones moving through our warehouse is any indication, rhinestone apparel is hotter than ever. If you are going to sit on the sidelines, you are missing a huge opportunity to leverage a popular apparel trend. 

Despite the common notion, multi-decoration rhinestone apparel is not just for women. Many of the top retail brands have incorporated rhinestones, rhinestuds and metallic domes into their men’s lines. There are many market segments that you can sell with multi-decoration apparel: sports teams, “Mom” shirts, corporate apparel, dance and cheer, the bridal market, events, festivals and more. 

Many will find this mixed-media decorating trend to be the key to growing business not only with existing accounts but also with new accounts. A boring old “arch, logo, line of text” design or corporate logo is not going to open any doors. The key is getting out of your comfort zone and producing a few samples. If you make the samples, the sales will happen.