8 Embroidery Business Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start An Embroidery Business

Demand for embroidery supplies is growing globally, so starting an embroidery business in 2024 can be a great opportunity. The industry is experiencing a boom, and it has never been the best time to start your own embroidery business.

Before starting the business, weigh whether you have the right skills and knowledge of different fabrics and stitching. The size of embroidery equipment will depend on the size of the business you are looking to set up and how much you are expecting to grow.

Popular items within the embroidery business include:

  • Caps
  • T-shirts
  • Polo shirts
  • Shirts
  • Jackets
  • Sweatshirts

When choosing the items to stock up on, consider the types of customers always looking for embroidered goods and factor in the market size.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a embroidery business:

1. The Patchsmith ($78K/year)

Cailey Golden, the founder of The Patchsmith, came up with the idea for her business when a representative at a bank asked her if she could embroider patches for his fantasy football league. After successfully completing the job, Golden realized there was a market for custom embroidered patches and decided to start her own business, which has now grown to make $6,500 a month on average. She plans to transition to full-time entrepreneurship in the near future and is currently working on a rebrand and expanding into B2B customers.

How much they make: $78K/year
Current team size: 0

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How I'm Turning My Patch Embroidery Side Project Into A Full Time Business

A patch embroidery business based in New York City has grown to earn $6,500 per month on average within 18 months of starting, thanks to no custom embroidered minimum patches and a strong Instagram presence, with a future focus on B2B customers.

About
Cailey started The Patchsmith over 6 years ago
Revenue
Cailey grew the business to $6.5K/month
Read by 14,035 founders

2. Vagabond Heart ($120K/year)

Mike’s idea was a combination of his interest in vintage clothing, style, and old movies, with his love of menswear and fashion, and travel.

How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
Current team size: 0

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How I Started A Successful Brand Selling Vintage Patches On Etsy

Serial entrepreneur grows modern vintage-inspired travel patch company to over $5,000 in monthly sales volume with a 100+% growth rate by expanding product line and utilizing online marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon.

About
Mike started Vagabond Heart almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Mike grew the business to $10K/month
Costs
It cost Mike $2000 to start the business
Read by 7,727 founders

So... can you actually make money with a embroidery business?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

5. Embroidery Designs

Visit EmbroideryDesigns.com for thousands of machine embroidery designs, patterns, and fonts. We also offer custom digitizing services, embroidery software, embroidery blanks, machines & equipment

Where they're located: Arta, Djibouti
Website traffic: 370K/month

article

So... can you actually make money with a embroidery business?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

7. Ricoma

Start or grow a profitable custom apparel business with an embroidery machine package complete with unlimited support and training. Ricoma is a leading brand in the embroidery industry and is committed to providing excellent service and high-quality machines.

Where they're located: La Cautiva, Córdoba, Argentina
Website traffic: 70K/month

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8. Shopworks Business Software

ShopWorks business software helps screen printing, embroidery, decorative apparel, and promotional products shops grow. Improve management of your business.

Where they're located: Long Beach, California, USA

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