By Todd Hirschman, Adrian Ferguson, Tyler Bowman and Chris Bernat, Contributing Writers The ins and outs of cut and sew. S o you really think you want to offer cut-and-sew services? You have seen the demand for customized sublimation growing all around you. You have maximized your traditional spot hit and all-over-print business and you still want more? Or maybe you are in the uniform business and you need to react to the constant increase in customization requests to help your business stay in step with the market. Lots of people are talking about sublimation and cut and sew together. It sounds like a great business to enter and it may be right for you. But it is not the same as traditional embellishment. It is manufacturing, and the list of tools you need to do it right is longer than that of screen printing, all-over-print dye sublimation or embroidery. Before you do dive in, you may want to ask yourself some questions: 1. Have you reviewed the demand for this product with your current customers? What price can you get for the end product? Who are you going to sell to? Who do they buy from now? Why will you win the business? Should you sub out the work for a period of time before you invest in all of the equipment? These are all questions that should be on your mind if you want to increase your likelihood of success. 10 FALL 2015 2. Do you have the right team of people in place? There is a lot to this business - cutting and sewing are only part of the equation. You need a real art department and people who know how to manipulate pattern pieces so that art flows in manufacturing to maximize workflow and material. You need inventory management of trims and materials to ensure that your supply chain is in order. Th is requires people who understand the concept of a Bill of Materials (see sidebar). Do you know who is going to sew the work? Are they outsourced? Do they have the right machines for this type of work? Let's say you do have the market for cut-and-sew sublimation and you have identified the right people on your team to help it be a successful part of your business. Now let's look at some things you need to know to move forward.