It was in the year (June) 2021 that I began working on the brand. It kick-started with a bunch of phone calls, with most of them turning down my requests, because of the quantities involved. Industries wanted a minimum order of 1000 metres! (I was shocked myself!) & if you are looking to work with niche industries, such as GOT certified industries, its slightly challenging to find vendors who agree to deal with low minimums, as they primarily work with export markets & huge quantities.
Talk to a couple of vendors before you begin your artwork so you can learn more about their process, the format they would like the artwork in (PDF etc), and the resolution they require. These are deciding factors to help you develop your work in the format that is compatible with the vendor. The other thing you would have to keep in mind is the document colour version - which is CMYK or RGB.
I can't stress how critical this step is - but, begin anywhere between 3-4 meters to sample your prints.
You'll understand the sizing, proximity between elements, colour & the thickness of the fabric post printing etc.
It's important to treat fabric, each square inch, as a real estate space. Each element you choose to add will take up space, colour & vision. It's important to choose your elements carefully.
As your products' physical journey begins with the vendor, it's crucial to partner with the right ones. I've had my fair share of learnings, and here are a few of them.
In my experience, the red flags you need to look out for in your vendor are:
Someone who is hesitant about printing multiple times and showing you possible variations.
Someone who doesn't listen to your inputs & makes it challenging for you to communicate what you want.
Someone who is reluctant to share knowledge of the process and doesn't fully disclose the details.
In the case of a slight error in colour or anything else with your sample print, the vendor might tell you that this won't be present during bulk printing; Make sure to re-print the sample and confirm the results.
I've decided to document my journey & help as many folks as possible who don't know where to start but want to start something of their own. I've learnt one thing very clearly - any advice you need to take it with an open mind; (When you're a design professional, we know it's hard to listen to someone else..Not Kidding!) whether you decide to use it or not, an OPEN mind is required, but hey, no worries if you're on the other end of the spectrum, we're all a work in progress and if you learn from your experiences nothing like it!
Lots of love & memories,
Deepthi Krishnan
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