Decoration Diaries: How Outsourcing Apparel Decoration Allows PromoShop Inc. to Focus on Creative, Retail-Driven Solutions

Los Angeles-based PromoShop Inc., a minority-owned distributorship led by Memo Kahan, has been providing promo solutions since 1998 and now has nine North American offices and five satellite sales teams. But even with PromoShop’s large presence in the promo industry (that landed it at No. 27 on Promo Marketing’s 2020 Top Distributors list), the business has no interest in providing in-house decoration. Aside from a small, limited edition Mickey Mouse anniversary program for Disney, the distributor hasn’t done decoration internally and doesn’t have any future plans to do so.

That doesn’t mean it hasn’t seen substantial success in decorated apparel promotions, though. While many distributors cite the control and cost-savings offering in-house services can provide, PromoShop takes the reins in another way—by offering specialized attention to what its clients need.

“PromoShop likes to follow retail trends when it comes to decoration,” said Kris Robinson, the distributor's executive vice president. “Doing the decoration in different facets allows us to be creative and have a boutique brand for our clients.”

There are no limits to decoration when outsourcing: embroidery, screen printing, heat transfer, direct to garment, woven labels, chenille, rubberized patches and more. Even creatively combining two or more decoration methods is an option PromoShop routinely provides to clients.

A stock photo of a worker pressing ink on frame in screen printing workshop. | Credit: Getty Images by heshphoto

“Getting creative with the decoration process sets us apart from our competition and allows [us] to go to market with a creative approach,” Robinson said.

Continue reading as Robinson explains how PromoShop finds unique solutions for clients, specifically for an employee gifting program where the distributor combined a rubberized patch and transfer as well as embroidery and appliques for the customized apparel in the project.

The client’s need: [A] client wanted to see some artwork with screen print and embroidery. We presented what they wanted to see, but then presented the same artwork in four to five other decoration methods that showed them a more creative approach with [a] combination of other options.

The execution: Upon presenting the new concepts in decoration, [the] client chose one of the new concepts versus what they thought they wanted to see.

The obstacles: Fine detail in the artwork made it difficult to do embroidery, so that is why we did a combination of other decoration techniques so they could see something new and more precise.

The outcome & advice: Not to do just the bare minimum, [but] show something new and unique.

For details on how to participate in a future edition of Decoration Diaries and share your apparel decoration project success, email Amanda Cole at acole@napco.com. Click here to read more Decoration Diaries, or click here to download "The Promo Distributor's Guide to Apparel Decoration," a free resource from Promo Marketing.