feb17_images_digital

IS

DECORATOR PROFILE

I’ve watched

these three companies with an envious smile

A new 14-colour M&R is on order with another planned in the spring

petitive markets and it’s ‘price lower, price lower, price lower’ when you’re dealing with higher volume. It’s the pressure from all links in the chain I guess.” He keeps a close eye on the market in general, having followed two companies in particular: T Shirt & Sons and Awesome Merchandise. “T Shirt & Sons is very good, they’re doing a great job; Awesome is different and they’re young–they’re not constricted by the norm. When you em- brace technology, it brings efficiency. One of my main rivals is TOTShirts in Edmon- ton–another great example of technology driving the efficiency of the business. I’ve watched these three companies with an envious smile” With his vast experience of the garment decoration industry, what words of wis- dom can Graham offer newcomers to the industry? “My advice to anyone starting in the industry is to do a business course. Understand the numbers and marketing. I made a mistake of not believing what the numbers were telling me–they’ve told me on occasion that I was working for noth- ing, for turnover with no profit. Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity. “Then move forward by looking at every- one else and what they’re doing and pick the best. Do a mix of digital with some screen or some embroidery–have two strings to your bow–and build up your business with great service. Be fair with people, it’s important. And experiment. You can’t afford to stand still. “And always remember: we take a piece of cotton and put a piece of art on it. How cool’s that?” w www.things.co.uk w www.retroactivewear.co.uk

and ‘just-in-time’.” Indeed, the company came close to being bought out last year by a major UK retailer looking to take advantage of Retro Activewear’s ability to provide ‘just-in-time’ production. As well as the digital side, Graham has two 14-colour M&R screen printing carousels and two 10-colour M&Rs, with another 14-colour M&R Sportsman on order and another Sportsman due to be ordered in the late spring. He also has two hand carousels for basic sampling along with two ASP back neck taggers and small area printers. “I think M&R is made to last; it’s not massively sophisticated, but in a hundred years time it’ll still be doing the same job, and doing it well,” he explains. Graham’s company is also doing well: when he came back to Things three years ago it was turning over under £700,000 a year. This year he expects to do £3 million, bringing the turnover back to the level it was when he joined over 30 years ago. Attila the Hun In spite of his early education through books, there are some things about the industry that books can’t explain to Graham, such as how a white T-shirt cost him £1.10 when he started out in the 80s, yet the same quality shirt now costs him only 90p. “It doesn’t seem right, because these all come from third world countries. I’m a rank and file Tory, by the way, right up there with Attila the Hun, but with a conscience, and I just don’t know how the price of the good old T-shirt hasn’t gone up.” Does this line of thinking affect his purchasing habits? “No, then I become a businessman and I want to buy as cheap as possible. Many clients are in uber com-

Graham has always enjoying experimenting with decoration techniques to discover what’s possible

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