Special Occasion Embroidery Gifts Can be Profitable — and Fun! Part 2

Embroiderers find offering special-occasion gift items is fun, profitable and builds repeat business. Here are some of the categories to consider, suggested gifts to fit the occasion and where to source them.
April 14, 2008

By Deborah Sexton

The range of gifts for special occasions is extensive, so trend and product research is crucial to finding what's right for your customers. First, identify what's being celebrated and look for suppliers that offer unique items for that market. To get you started, consider these proven examples from gift-crazy embroiderers.

•    Babies. For tots, personalized bibs, burp cloths, blankets, Luvies (a baby blanket with a stuffed animal attached to it), hooded towels and diaper bags are always bestsellers.
•    Graduation. "Cotton afghans sell well for graduation orders," says Ginny Fineberg, owner of Sandpiper Embroidery, Wildwood Crest, N.J. "We use a diploma stock design and embroider the person's name, degree and college."
       For Ashley Edmunds, owner, Alphabet Soup, Columbia, S.C., graduation is as profitable as the Christmas season. "People buy graduation gifts for all their friends, so we do a lot of volume," she says. "A mom might come in and get eight towel wraps. We also sell blankets, towels and shaving kits. We embroider on the canvas and nylon [kits] and hot stamp the leather ones."
       Laundry bags are another popular item for college-bound high school graduates. "I like nylon laundry bags because they are more washable," Fineberg says. "If it's a girl, we embroider her name really big. If it's a guy, we do a capital block initial of the first name and then the full last name. Or sometimes we sew something clever like, www.dirtylaundry.mom.
       "For people graduating from college, briefcases also are big. We carry Vera Bradley nylon briefcases, computer bags and rolling bags."
•    Mother's Day. "We sell a lot pajamas for Mother's Day," Edmunds says. "We carry two great lines of pajamas and people just love them."
•    Father's Day. Caps, jackets and luggage are strong sellers for Father's Day. Also, new dads are great candidates for a T-shirt personalized with the child's name and father's name after it.
•    Weddings. Momsen buys placemats from sites like eBay and turns them into stocking or lingerie holders to make unique bridal shower gifts. And Hamm has found that robes, pajamas, lingerie bags, tea towels, linens and sheets with the new couple's monogram are all good sellers as bridal shower gifts.
      "Our bath sheets sell well," adds Fineberg. "People get one for the wife and one for the husband, and the same with our robes. On robes, the name goes on the left chest for the man and the right chest for the woman because you fold them differently. Afghans also are big for weddings. And we sell embroidered bride and groom hats that are just six-panel, unstructured baseball caps."
      Lisa Calder, owner of Lisa Calder Embroidery/R&R Enterprises, Vidor, Texas, also does caps for weddings. "For the dads, we put 'I'm Broke' or 'Father of the Bride.' Sometimes, the entire wedding party gets caps. It's big because people are looking for something to give mom, dad and all the attendants," she says.

Sourcing Solutions
Embroiderers who service the special occasion market agree that finding innovative products is one of the most important factors to being successful. And that means scouring lots of trade shows, especially those displaying unique or niche products. "Gift and kids' shows are really important," says Fineberg. "Fortunately, many industries have regional shows so you don't have to go to New York, Chicago or Los Angeles."

Trade shows aren't the only outlet for great gift merchandise. Auction sites such as eBay also can be a great resource, according to Calder. Because her market is very price conscious, she focuses on coming up with creative, fun ideas that don't cost a lot of money.

"You can click on eBay's wholesale category and find a gold mine of possibilities," she says. "Often, people buy too many shirts or towels for a project and want to get rid of them. I pick up stuff really inexpensively, add a little embroidery and make outrageous gifts."

Calder creates gift baskets for special occasions like baby showers, birthdays and house-warming gifts, and she shops at Wal-Mart and dollar stores to find essentials. "In the fall, the dollar stores mark down all of their baskets, sometimes for as little as 10 for $1. I add a bar of soap, embroidered toilet paper and a couple of hand towels and package everything in one nice presentation," she says. "I've also filled baskets with bath and body products, candles and potpourri."

Helen Hart Momsen, owner, Momsen Enterprises, Winchester, Va., who also says eBay has been a great resource for her, once found miniature Radio Flyer wagon reproductions.

"They were $7 a piece and I got 10 of them," she says. "They make a perfect gift basket for a boy baby. When I see things like that, I buy them because the profit off one order pays for all the wagons I bought. It's all gravy after that."

Deborah Sexton, the former editor of Impressions, has been in the decorated apparel industry for more than 20 years. She currently does marketing and public relations for decorated apparel companies. To contact her, e-mail dsexton@sbcglobal.net.

Special Occasion Gift Sources

Trade Shows

Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS exhibitors*)
PPAI Expo
Promotions East
Gift Shows

Vendors

Afghans/Throws
*Pure Country Weavers

Bags/Purses
*Alycat Designs
*Gemline
Larry Lucas
*Toppers LLC

Infant's Wear
*Daydreamers Inc.
*Kiddy Kats, div. Valtex
*L.A. T Sportswear
*Monag Kids
Mullins Square
Peas & Honey
3Marthas

Linens
*Boutross Imports
Edward Boutross
Ulster Linen Co. Inc.

Plush Toys
*Creature Comforts
*Komet Creations LLC

Towels/Robes
*Agua-Towels and Textiles
Boca Terry Inc.
*Pendergrass Inc.
*Terry Town Inc.

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