Supply chains – they’re talked about often, especially in times of economic change, uncertainty, and global pandemics. When manufacturers face pressures from tariff hikes, shutdowns, or slow shipping times, decorators feel that strain. Whether it’s delayed shipments, low inventory, increased prices, limited product range, or unreliable vendor support, supply chain volatility can hugely impact decorators.
To avoid delays on deliveries and missed deadlines, apparel decorators need to diversify their supply chains to stay competitive. The pandemic and the more recent tariff changes are a perfect example of when changes outside a shop’s control can expose its vulnerabilities. Those businesses with diverse vendor networks have kept things moving – often being the difference between struggle and success.
And it’s not just about crisis management. Having a diverse list of equipment, blanks, and consumables suppliers means an opportunity to explore new product offerings and technologies you may not have considered.
At the end of the day, you don’t want to lose clients because of limited or poor vendor choices.
Why Diversifying Your Vendor Network Matters
Meeting deadlines in this industry is the name of the game, and if your vendor network isn’t up to snuff, it can cause hiccups in production and workflow.
“Decorators live and die by deadlines,” Mitch Cahn, founder and president of Unionwear, stresses. “The difference between keeping and losing a client often comes down to delivering the right product on time. That’s why a diverse vendor network isn’t a luxury — it’s mission-critical.”
Cahn says his company learned this the hard way when FDA-approved materials weren’t available in the U.S. during the pandemic. Materials were sitting overseas in containers, causing logistical nightmares.
“Suppliers were shut down, but because we had 10 to 20 vendor relationships already in place, we could pivot immediately — from hats and bags to producing face shields and gowns,” he shares. That agility within a vendor network allows a decorator to say yes when opportunity knocks — whether it’s switching product categories, pivoting amid price increases, or jumping on a viral campaign or event, Cahn explains.
A diverse vendor network brings flexibility and resilience, adds Taylor Landesman, vice president of Lawson Screen & Digital Products Inc. “It ensures access to a broader range of products, better lead times, and alternative options if a supplier has delays or stock issues,” he says. “It also increases competitiveness, enabling printers to search around for better products and prices.”
Read this full story on Apparelist, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
