Are you interested in starting an embroidery business or do you already own a machine and want to learn how to perfect your craft and grow your business?
We believe that the best crafters and smartest business owners all have one thing in common: the willingness to invest in their education.
In an industry that’s constantly evolving with new tools, tips and technology, the only way to reach expert status is to continue learning from others and practice, practice, practice!
If that sounds a bit overwhelming, then you’ve come to the right place.
We created a list of recommended resources, guides and video tutorials to help you stay up to date on the latest trends and take your embroidery craft and business to the next level.
Below are 9 of the best resources that you can dive into right now:
- Embroidery Hub
- Apparel Academy
- Ricoma webinars
- Free downloads
- Facebook Lives
- Facebook groups
- Explore our blog
- Chroma trainings
- Ricoma Newsletter
1. Embroidery Hub
The first step to becoming an embroidery expert is to master your craft. Whether you’re a beginner that has never touched a machine before or you’re looking to enhance your embroidery skills, Embroidery Hub has you covered.
Straight from Ricoma’s YouTube channel, Embroidery Hub is an excellent, not to mention free, resource for step-by-step embroidery tutorials, information on embroidery machine maintenance and so much more.
From cap embroidery to embroidered toilet paper (yes, you read that right), our Embroidery Hub series is the place to go to learn how to tackle even the most complicated embroidery projects!
If you’re not quite ready to start wowing, or confusing, your guests with custom toiletries, then you can start with something a little more basic, like “The Ultimate Machine Embroidery Guide for Beginners.”
This comprehensive episode goes over everything you need to know about embroidery, from the materials you’ll need to the tools you’ll be working with and more.
With more than 160 YouTube tutorials to choose from, some more in-depth than others, there’s something for everyone.
Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
- Cap embroidery tips and best practices
- 7 major thread breaks and how to prevent them
- The easiest way to embroider a left chest logo
- Stabilizer 101: Everything you need to know about stabilizer
- Best hoops for cap embroidery + tutorial
For another coveted resource, if you haven’t heard about our “Apparel Academy” YouTube series, then you’re missing out on some great business advice from Ricoma CEO, Henry Ma, himself that will be sure to take your business to the next level.
2. Apparel Academy
Are you already a skilled crafter, but feel like your custom apparel business isn’t living up to its full potential?
If spreadsheets, pricing and email marketing aren’t your thing, then you need to set aside some time, grab your favorite pen and take some notes during Henry’s next Apparel Academy episode.
During these videos, Henry sits down to discuss different topics related to the business side of the custom apparel industry, which as we mentioned earlier is constantly evolving.
So, as you can imagine, we have plenty of videos to choose from. With just one click, you can find expert advice on how to attract a larger audience, discover new ways to increase your revenue and so much more.
In fact, on this episode of Apparel Academy, Henry shares 3 tips to help you build a successful 7-figure custom apparel business!
You could easily binge-watch Apparel Academy episodes all day, but we know that most of you don’t have that kind of time on your hands, especially if you’re looking to start or expand your business.
However, it’s important to dedicate time to educate yourself on these business strategies, otherwise, you stand the risk of staying stagnant in an industry that is anything but.
So, to help you out, we’ve selected the top 4 Apparel Academy episodes that you need to watch to start your embroidery business or take it to the next level.
If you want the best embroidery business tips, check out this episode of Apparel Academy where Henry talks about what embroiderers wish they knew before starting their businesses.
You’ll learn why it’s important to have an embroidery business plan before jumping into the custom apparel world and 3 tricks that you can use to avoid pitfalls when starting your journey.
In this episode of Apparel Academy, Henry discusses 5 reasons why crafters and entrepreneurs alike are starting their own embroidery businesses.
Narrowing it down to just 5 reasons was a bit tough, but to give you an idea of what you can expect without giving it all away, Henry will talk about the continued demand for embroidered apparel and the perks that go along with it.
If you’re on the fence about starting an embroidery business because you don’t know how to get it off the ground, then this episode is a must-watch.
Henry will share 7 easy-to-follow steps to help you kick-start your embroidery business, starting with how to choose an embroidery machine manufacturer.
On this episode of Apparel Academy, Henry answers one of the most commonly asked embroidery questions: “How do you price embroidered items?”
Most embroiderers go by the stitch count rule which dictates you should charge $1 per every 1,000 stitches, but there’s a better way to make sure that you price your work correctly to maximize your profit potential.
These 4 episodes are just a small snippet of the kinds of videos that you can expect to find on our Apparel Academy playlist on YouTube.
For more great videos, click here to subscribe and get all of the information you need to start or grow your embroidery business today.
When you’re done with that, or if you’re just looking to change it up a bit, you can also check out our free webinars, which brings us to our next section.
3. Ricoma Webinars
If webinars are something that interest you, or you’re in need of some advice on a specific topic, then we suggest checking out our free 1-hour comprehensive courses.
Regardless of your business or marketing experience, these in-depth online webinars are guaranteed to set you up for success.
Check out our top 2 favorite courses below:
During this online course, you’ll learn the top factors that affect your pricing and the most profitable embroidery projects that can bring in more business.
As a bonus, you can also download our ultimate embroidery checklist that covers everything you need to know to fulfill those profitable embroidery orders.
In this free 1-hour webinar, Henry will walk you through the techniques that businesses across America are using to attract more clients and how to turn them into repeat customers.
You’ll also learn what makes embroidery the most profitable apparel decoration method in the industry, how to overcome common roadblocks, as well as unlock a bonus cheat sheet featuring top embroidery niches that you can use to start your business.
Similar to these online webinars is our downloadable content, which includes guides to help you through learning the ins and outs of your embroidery machine.
4. Downloadable Resources
Whether you’re just starting out or have been embroidering for years, our downloadable content, consisting of guides, charts and educational cheat sheets, is a great resource to help you realize your potential.
Let’s begin with our most popular resource: The Ultimate Embroidery Cheat Sheet.
One of the trickiest parts of embroidery is knowing exactly which combination of materials, stabilizer and needles you’ll need to use for different fabrics.
For instance, the type of needle that you would use to embroider a structured cap is not the same as what you would use to embroider a t-shirt or jacket.
To help, we’ve put together a cheat sheet of 50 of the most popular fabrics and paired them with the materials you should use to achieve the best results.
Click here to download our most popular guide for FREE!
Now that you know what materials you’ll need, let’s go over how to troubleshoot common errors, like thread breaks.
Did you know that there are four different types of thread breaks?
The Ultimate Thread Break Troubleshooting Guide can help you determine what type of thread break you’re experiencing and how to prevent it from happening again.
Plus, you’ll receive a bonus video on “How to adjust thread tension for better quality embroidery,” during which you’ll learn expert tips and tricks to ensure every project you embroider is a masterpiece.
Last but not least, make sure to download The 7 Costly Mistakes To Avoid When Embroidering Caps guide.
If you love embroidering caps, but struggle to produce great results, then this guide is perfect for you.
In fact, most cap embroidery issues are easily correctable.
Not only will this guide teach you what to avoid when embroidering caps, it also includes important information on why needle breaks happen and how to stop them from happening in the future.
But, if you’re looking to become an embroidery expert, you’ll need a bit more guidance than what’s available through pre-recorded content. In that case, why not ask Henry live on Facebook?
5. Ricoma Facebook Live
If pre-recorded, binge-worthy video content isn’t enough, Henry takes time out of his busy schedule to sit down once a month with our social media followers to answer questions about the embroidery business and share any new innovative content or products that you need to know about.
You can watch our Facebook Live events right on our Facebook page or tune in on YouTube or Instagram if that’s more your style.
Either way, you’ll have the opportunity to not only ask any pressing questions about our machines and get free expert business advice, you’ll also qualify to win free prizes, like a 12-month subscription to Hoopmade, a copy of our Chroma Luxe digitizing software or other popular embroidery accessories like the 8-in-1 device!
Click here to download a free trial of Chroma Luxe and become a digitizing pro in no time with an easy-to-use interface, built-in styles and customization tools!
But more on that later…
If for any reason you can’t join us live, you can always watch the recordings of our lives and learn from questions asked by the community in past sessions.
Speaking of learning from your community, you can also join our Facebook group: Embroidery & Printing Business Help.
6. Facebook Groups
Sometimes you need answers right away and who better to ask than your peers?
As a member of Embroidery and Printing Business Help, you can network with more than 27,000 crafters and business owners – many of whom have already experienced the same things that you have questions about.
This may not make them experts, but they’re well on their way.
Why?
Because they’ve chosen to invest in their education.
Not only is this Facebook group a great opportunity to improve your embroidery skills and learn new things, it’s also a great platform to share your work and get inspired by others as well.
If you want to join a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and embroidery enthusiasts like yourself, click here and join Embroidery & Printing Business Help today.
In addition to offering free access to support groups like Embroidery & Printing Business Help, we also have over 80 educational blogs that are guaranteed to help you on your journey to become a master embroiderer.
7. Ricoma Blog
Like this blog you’re reading now, we have tons of written content that will help you learn more about the embroidery business, trends, ideas for inspiration and more.
Have you ever wondered what the most common embroidery accessories are? We have a blog on that. What about materials, wholesalers and business tips? We have blogs on that too.
In fact, here’s a recent blog we wrote on the top 5 reasons to dive into embroidery – and why it’s so popular.
But, if you’re an avid embroiderer, hobbyist or custom apparel business owner, then you’re already well-versed in the benefits of embroidery. In that case, these are likely of more interest to you.
Best blogs for business advice and tips
- Outsourcing your digitizing versus keeping it in-house
- 7 time-saving tips every embroiderer should live by
- 5 efficiency tips for embroidery businesses
- Top 10 embroidery business costs + ways to reduce them
- 3 ways to find clients for your embroidery business
- 4 questions to ask before hiring an embroidery operator
- 5 tips for selling embroidery on Etsy
- 10 profitable niches in the embroidery business
- 3 ways to never underprice your bulk orders
Resource-packed blogs
- 10 helpful embroidery tools you’ll want (and need)
- Top 10 wholesalers for all of your embroidery needs
- 5 best machine embroidery accessories of all time
- 5 most popular embroidery items for your custom apparel business
With more than 80 blogs to choose from, you’re bound to learn something new every day!
8. Chroma Trainings
If you’ve already mastered hands-on embroidery, then the next logical step is to learn how to successfully digitize a design.
For beginners, digitizing is the act of converting standard images, like jpegs, into embroidery files that can be stitched onto bags, caps, t-shirts and more.
Click here to see how the digitizing process works.
As you can see, without digitizing, there would be no embroidery, so if you’re really looking to become a master of your craft, learning how to digitize is a must.
Ricoma’s Chroma digitizing software has an auto-digitizing feature that is perfect for creating simple, less-intricate designs, but if you’re looking to master this important step in the embroidery process, auto-digitizing alone isn’t going to cut it.
That’s why Chroma training is included with all of our embroidery machine packages; however, it is not exclusive to just our machines and neither is our support.
Free training and support are included with any Chroma purchase. In fact, you can even download a free trial version of Chroma Luxe today and get started learning the basics with free training videos on our YouTube channel.
You can also schedule your Chroma training with the click of a button when you sign in to your customer portal.
Chroma is also compatible with both Mac and PC. It’s also available in three tiers. which depending on your experience, can be used to create anything from patches to 3D puff embroidery and more.
It’s hard to believe, but that brings us to the last resource that we’ll talk about in this blog…or is it?
Last but not least on our list of embroidery resources is our Ricoma newsletter.
As a subscriber, you’ll be the first to know about exclusive offers and content you can’t find anywhere else.
You’ll receive regular updates about our latest content, sales, and promotions so you know that you’re getting the best deals.
Not only will you be the first to know about monthly sales announcements, you’ll also be notified about our latest educational blogs, videos and live webinars, as well as updates on Ricoma news and events, trade shows, open houses and more.
Click here to join the Ricoma newsletter today!
BONUS! DecoSummit
And if all of these resources weren’t enough, we’re throwing in a bonus.
If you haven’t heard of DecoSummit, it’s the epicenter of custom apparel education in Miami, FL with classes and seminars led by industry leaders on embroidery, digitizing, screen printing, sewing, heat transfer printing and even sublimation. Not to mention plenty of business workshops and classes tailored to beginners, intermediate and advanced embroiderers.
With 40+ seminars and training sessions, DecoSummit is where decorators come together to learn what’s new, what’s hot and what’s actually working RIGHT NOW in the industry.
Stay tuned for more information about future DecoSummit events.
Bottom Line
We guarantee that with our 9 resources above you’ll be able to master embroidery and become an expert in no time. But if you’re still not convinced and craving more information, subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly emails with brand-new content and resources every week.
And if you’re interested in starting or growing your existing business, then simply contact us here for our latest promotions, or to see our machines running live right from your home, click here to schedule a free virtual demo.
