Hey Landon,

You should reach out to Mal Maher, CEO of NC Carpet Binding & Equipment. He's a super nice guy and knows everything there is to know about industrial sewing machines. He can definitely point you in the right direction.

If you do wind up buying an NC machine, ask about their 12-month, 0-interest financing. It's an amazing deal.

Nadeem

There's definitely a fear in the industry that if you train someone, that person will eventually leave your shop and start a competing one down the street. It's not an unfounded fear, as I've heard some pretty unfortunate stories of it happening.

That said, shop owners can prevent this from happening by requiring apprentices to sign a no-compete agreement, that legally forbids them from opening a competing shop within XX miles of their shop. If you really like your employee and want him/her to stay long term, you can also offer incentives -- like bonuses, vacation or even a small share in the business or profits.

Thanks for the thoughtful answer. You hit the nail on the head with this: "Basically, I think it is important to establish yourself or your business as a brand. If you manage that, I think it is relatively easy that the customers accept it."

In my opinion, the embossing is definitely the classier way to go. As you say, it's discreet. Plus, I think it adds to the handcrafted look and feel of the project.

BTW, your example about the gullwing cracked me up! X-)

No offense taken. I think you raise some really important points. And I'm sure there are others in our industry who would have similar concerns. I think anyone who takes on the challenge of launching an industry association needs to consider these points, whether or not they agree.

I love the idea of labels, vinyl decals and leather impressions. It's a great branding tool.

However, I don't think many shops can get away with this. It's usually just those that focus on custom builds. Am I right?

Those that do it, has a client ever asked you not to leave your mark? How do you respond?

That's beautiful Jens. Where on a customer's interior do you usually leave your mark? Or does it change depending on the layout / project?

Good question. We touched on the subject in a 2012 article: "Branding Your Work With Custom Labels"

However, we didn't discuss it in much depth. I'd also love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Thanks for starting a new thread Jim. This one will definitely be easier to search for as we continue to discuss this important subject.

I agree with everything you said above. And ASA sounds like a really great association. I wonder how close they are to expanding to include upholstery shops. Maybe it's something you can ask them?

You're right that it's not impossible to start our own association. It would definitely need a handful of organized and dedicated people. But I'd like to think there's enough folks in the industry to make that happen.

Either route you chose, THR could definitely help publicize it -- making sure every shop in the country knows about its existence and the benefits of membership.

Is this something you're looking to spearhead?

Thanks Charles, Natalie and Jens! We're glad you're members of The Hog Ring!

You're spot on that SEMA caters more to restyling than upholstery, but that's likely a result of its membership. If upholsterers joined in greater numbers, the organization would naturally change to reflect our interests. Wouldn't it?

Another option is to launch an industry association of our own, similar to UTIC, the association that most of our suppliers and manufacturers belong to. It's not impossible, but it requires someone with organizing or union experience to take the reins.

That said, I don't know that having an association solves the issue of our craft being "mysterious," as you say. Does it?

I think there are a lot of reasons why auto upholstery isn't as prominent as other automotive sectors. Just off the top of my head...

1. It's a craft that takes years to learn and master. So, naturally, the industry will grow at a slow pace.

2. There aren't many institutions in place to train and educate new trimmers. Most learn on their own or are born into families that already do it.

3. Not a lot of shops can afford to pay apprentices what they need to make ends meet.

4. Most auto upholstery shops are family businesses, not franchises of a larger corporation. So it's difficult (and expensive) to devote time and energy to anything industry wide. Shops are far too busy working to keep food on the table.

5. There's no industry association advocating on behalf of independent upholstery shops. The few associations available to us (i.e. SEMA Pro), we don't join or participate in meaningful numbers.

6. Upholstery isn't as vital to a car's operation as its body or mechanics. So car owners, especially those on a budget, can go long stretches without repairing their interiors.

The situation is getting better. Now, more than ever before, people are realizing the importance of quality interiors and appreciating their fit and finish. A lot of money is being invested into their materials, design and craftsmanship. This is evident from automakers to everyday builders, and everyone in between.

If there ever was a time to focus on growing the industry, it's now. But more trimmers need to step up to the plate.

Bingo. But we did archive the most popular how-to guides on our website. This bigger, better forum is on an entirely new platform -- which is export-able. So no worries from here on out.

Check with Hydes Leather. They offer some original Porsche tartan fabrics. Tell Aaron, the owner, that The Hog Ring sent you. He's a great guy, will treat you right.

Check out this Instagram post: https://goo.gl/JUVTTQ

Now that is seriously cool! Points for thinking outside the box!

Hi Andy. Great question. The previous forum is no longer available. So you can go ahead and create an entirely new profile. It will not conflict with anything you've done on The Hog Ring in the past.

Haha, maybe so!

Thanks very much Jim! We appreciate the kind words.

Good call Jim. We just created a category called "Grow Your Business," where trimmers can exchange ideas on how to take their shops to the next level.

Great idea Dan. I just created a new category called "Beginner Questions."

Thanks very much Fred! It took longer than expected, but we're very excited with the end result. We hope trimmers from all over the world will join and help us to unite the industry.