Are you planning to set up your own business that revolves around the services with the involvement of embroidery machines? If you are going to say yes in response to this question, then you should definitely read the following blog. We have talked about machine embroidery in our previous blogs. If you have time, do check them out too! But this blog is specifically going to talk about the machine embroidery supplies which are very crucial to make the overall process smooth.

When it comes to custom embroidery digitizing service, the machine has a very fundamental role and for the machine to work, you need proper and quality supplies to make your end product to be perfect in the best way possible. Note that, when it comes to essentials, starting from stabilizers to needles and moving to threads, you will need them to complete the orders you get!

Moving on, if you are not aware much regarding the supplies, read ahead to know about all of them in detail:

1- Embroidery Stabilizer

The first thing to discuss in the list of machine embroidery supplies is the embroidery stabilizer. In simple words, it is a material that is used at the back of the item or fabric you are planning to embroider. In addition, it has a very crucial role because its use will directly affect the stitches accuracy on the fabric.

 Moreover, there are different types of stabilizers that are part of the process depending on the use case and fabric’s variety. The ideal case should be to invest in all types of stabilizers so that you can get ready to perform all kinds of jobs. Now, let’s talk about some different types of stabilizers:

Tear-Away Stabilizer

A widely used stabilizer in the industry. It is perfect for non-stretchy fabrics such as towels, twill, and much more. For convenience, you can buy a pre-cut tear-away stabilizer. Note that, it should be torn from the back of the fabric after the completion of the embroidery process.

Cut-Away Stabilizer

Next on the list, we have a cut-away stabilizer. It has minimal stretch which makes it suitable for knits and stretchy fabrics. Moreover, they are best known for providing good support to stitch designs that are dense which enables the embroiderers to handle the stitch density without the issue of puckering.

Remember that, you have to remove the stabilizers from the design after the completion of the embroidery process. Similar to the tear-away stabilizers, they are also available in rolls or you may buy them in pre-cut sheets for better convenience.

Polymesh Stabilizer

It is also called a no-show mesh stabilizer in the industry. These are very much identical to cut-away stabilizers but they are more soft which makes it best for light fabric or knits when you want to reduce the show-through. In addition, you can pick from the feasible (iron-on) or the non-fusible options for the polymesh stabilizers.

Water Soluble Topping

If you desire to embroider a fleece blanket, towel, or fluffy fabric, then buying water-soluble topping should be on your list of machine embroidery supplies. These will help you to keep the stitches from getting lost and from falling. Once you have completed the embroidery work, you can remove the topping by dissolving it in water. Moreover, you may purchase a heat-dissolving topping that you can remove using an iron.

Sticky Stabilizer

As the name says, these stabilizers come with one sticky side so that you can attach them easily to the fabric. With these, there is no need to use external temporary adhesive. Furthermore, you can buy any variety of sticky stabilizers like sticky cut-away, sticky tear-away stabilizers, and more.

Wash-Away Stabilizer

Lastly, we are going to talk about the wash-away stabilizer. It is an ideal choice when you are working with free-standing tulle or lace.

2- Embroidery Needles

When you buy the embroidery machine, you get some needles at that time too. But it is still best that you purchase different types of embroidery needles in bulk as you will need them later. With this, you will not have to worry as you have the backup inventory available with you in case of emergency requirements and you can accept any embroidery project.

Moreover, embroidery needles as part of the machine embroidery supplies have a size ranging from 70/10 to 90/14 and even bigger. The needles also have different concerning points that include ballpoint, sharp point, and universal embroidery needles. If you are not sure about the right pick for your project, it is best to use a 75/11 universal embroidery needle as they are versatile and are most suitable with many projects of machine embroidery digitizing.

3- Embroidery Thread

Similar to needles, you will get multiple spools of thread in the package of your embroidery machine. However, they are not sufficient to run the embroidery business in an efficient way. For smooth operation, you should buy additional supplies. In the case of thread, it is always good to proceed with cotton, rayon, and polyester.

Moreover, you will find different branded embroidery threads and you can pick as per your preference. But don’t forget to do the cost analysis of the multiple brands and pick one that provides you with the best value for money.

4- Blank Apparel

There is no way that you can start your business without getting your hands around the blank apparel. Before you kick start the marketing, your embroidery business needs to invest in blank towels, t-shirts, hats, and other products you are planning to embroider.

You must know that you have multiple options to cheaply source these machine embroidery supplies. You can connect with online apparel stores that specialize in blank apparel and big box stores. Moreover, if you wish to produce bulk merchandise, the ideal way is to identify the wholesale distributor of embroidery items to source the bulk products.

5- Embroidery Scissors

Now, let’s talk about the embroidery scissors. You may start the work with the regular ones but there will always be a risk of puckering and fabric damage. Due to this, it is best that you invest in purchasing specialist embroidery scissors available in different types. Some of the popular options are the duckbill applique, double-curved embroidery scissors, and embroidery snips.

6- Marking Supplies

It is not very important but temporary marking supplies are important. The markings are necessary for keeping the accuracy of embroidery designs. You should purchase washable markers to remove the marking after the completion of the embroidery process. However, if you are working on fabrics with dark colors, you may use chalk wheels as your temporary markers.

7- USB Drive

USB drive is also on the list. Some new models of the embroidery machine will have Wi-Fi connectivity. However, some are only dependent on USB for transferring the data and installing the updates.  

8- Temporary Adhesive

It is a must-have supply as you need it for attaching the stabilizer to the fabric. However, we do have sticky stabilizers too but may not be feasible for every project. The best part about them is that they remain sticky even after multiple repositioning of items.

Conclusion

This is the list of necessary and good-to-have machine embroidery supplies that will be really helpful for you to start the embroidery journey. With these supplies in hand, you can easily create professional and elegant embroidery projects.

Do you want custom embroidery digitizing services or vector conversion? Absolute Digitizing is the company you can trust. The price starts at $5 and you can opt to pay as per the stitching or a flat rate. Get a free quote!