Help :)
Hi everyone! I'm in the process of starting a clothing brand and will primarily be embroidering t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, bag tags, and other apparel/accessories. My goal is to eventually fulfill larger order volumes, so I'm looking for a commercial machine that is fast, reliable, and built for production.
From my research, I think I should be looking at a machine with around 12–15 needles, strong customer support, and software that's beginner-friendly since I've never owned an embroidery machine before. I'm a quick learner and I'm excited to put in the time to really master it, but I'd love to start with something that has a good reputation.
The problem is that every time I search TikTok or Instagram, I see completely opposite opinions on every brand.
So far I've looked into:
- Ricoma Marquee 15-Needle Commercial Embroidery Machine
- Smartstitch S1001
I'm open to any other recommendations as well.
My budget is ideally under $9,000. If you were starting a business today, what machine would you buy and why? I'd also love to hear about your experiences with customer support, reliability, maintenance, training, and anything you wish you had known before purchasing.
Thanks so much—I really appreciate any advice!