feb17_images_digital

68 / 82

68 images FEBRUARY 2017
IS DECORATOR PROFILE
and ‘just-in-time’.” Indeed, the company
came close to being bought out last year
by a major UK retailer looking to take
advantage of Retro Activewear’s ability to
provide ‘just-in-time’ production.
As well as the digital side, Graham
has two 14-colour M&R screen printing
carousels and two 10-colour M&Rs, with
another 14-colour M&R Sportsman on
order and another Sportsman due to be
ordered in the late spring. He also has two
hand carousels for basic sampling along
with two ASP back neck taggers and small
area printers. “I think M&R is made to last;
it’s not massively sophisticated, but in a
hundred years time it’ll still be doing the
same job, and doing it well,” he explains.
Graham’s company is also doing well:
when he came back to Things three years
ago it was turning over under £700,000 a
year. This year he expects to do £3 million,
bringing the turnover back to the level it
was when he joined over 30 years ago.
Attila the Hun
In spite of his early education through
books, there are some things about
the industry that books can’t explain to
Graham, such as how a white T-shirt cost
him £1.10 when he started out in the 80s,
yet the same quality shirt now costs him
only 90p. “It doesn’t seem right, because
these all come from third world countries.
I’m a rank and file Tory, by the way, right
up there with Attila the Hun, but with a
conscience, and I just don’t know how the
price of the good old T-shirt hasn’t gone
up.” Does this line of thinking affect his
purchasing habits? “No, then I become a
businessman and I want to buy as cheap
as possible. Many clients are in uber com-
petitive markets and it’s ‘price lower, price
lower, price lower’ when you’re dealing
with higher volume. It’s the pressure from
all links in the chain I guess.”
He keeps a close eye on the market in
general, having followed two companies
in particular: T Shirt & Sons and Awesome
Merchandise. “T Shirt & Sons is very good,
they’re doing a great job; Awesome is
different and they’re young–they’re not
constricted by the norm. When you em-
brace technology, it brings efficiency. One
of my main rivals is TOTShirts in Edmon-
ton–another great example of technology
driving the efficiency of the business. I’ve
watched these three companies with an
envious smile”
With his vast experience of the garment
decoration industry, what words of wis-
dom can Graham offer newcomers to the
industry? “My advice to anyone starting
in the industry is to do a business course.
Understand the numbers and marketing. I
made a mistake of not believing what the
numbers were telling me–they’ve told me
on occasion that I was working for noth-
ing, for turnover with no profit. Turnover is
vanity, profit is sanity.
“Then move forward by looking at every-
one else and what they’re doing and pick
the best. Do a mix of digital with some
screen or some embroidery–have two
strings to your bow–and build up your
business with great service. Be fair with
people, it’s important. And experiment.
You can’t afford to stand still.
“And always remember: we take a piece
of cotton and put a piece of art on it. How
cool’s that?”
w
w
A new 14-colour M&R is on order with another planned in the spring
Graham has always enjoying experimenting with
decoration techniques to discover what’s possible
I’ve watched
these three
companies with an
envious smile