New Thread Company Advice

[Garyspruill]

Folks,

New to board, new to leatherwork, learning.

Found this site by accident through google.

I am more of a reader of posts, rather than a writer.

Name: Gary

Have built several projects and proud of all of them. Wife is happy anyway. I get a lot of satisfaction from the detail work that goes into what I am making and have a much higher appreciation to other’s work now as well.  

Personal life: business owner. High stakes entrepreneur, husband and father of 3 boys, 2 great daughter-in-laws (my now daughter's) and (5) great grand-kids

In all things I do, I can never set idle nor on the sidelines. Never!

I have a business idea, and wanted to see the “if” there was an interest in it?

I have read many posts on this forum about different types of hand sewing thread. OK? I started studying all the different types there were since this was such a huge topic. I have used and respect the “Tiger Thread” due to its ease of use and likability from other user's.

Here lies my humble question:

Is there an interest – market for a like product to this thread?

Polyester, braided high strand count, flat, lightly waxed, super high tensile strength.

I know this topic is covered all the time. I am approaching it from a different side of things. I am very used to new company start ups and know, I need to know the market before I jump in with both feet and asking for your assistance to let me know if there is even a market for such a thing.

I have already reached out and visited several thread companies with my ideas here in the US. Several have even told me to pound sand and did not want to even get involved with such a project. I never take a “no” about anything.

Your feedback would be grateful and rewarded if take on this crazy adventure.

Let me know the “what” you are looking for, what you would want to “see” in a leather thread. I will be a sponge and soak it all in. Reminder: I am on the Tiger Thread path.

Thanks a million in advance,

Gary

PS: If you can’t tell, I am not a huge “poster” on forums 

Edited August 4, 2018 by Garyspruill

[ScoobyNewbie]

That sounds good, I am new to leather work as well, but I like the waxed braided cord from Tandy and the artificial sinew more than the “thread” threads. The hemp thread knots and snarls on my projects often very tightly before I notice, which makes to take longer to unknot. They, the braid and sinew, seem to lie better on (in) the work, smoother and not so puffy and amateurish.

I also like having more than black, brown, cream and white to work with. After years of sewing projects, it’s a very limiting color range.

I’m a variegated gal if I can get it. Lol. Seventies yarn.

[chrisash]

To make new thread is relatively easy to do, the problem arises with the marketing of such tread.Where are you going to place your thread in the current market, at the top end, middle or lowest cost.

The low cost is quite a large market but covered well by the Far eastern countries.

The top and middle area's mainly covered by a very traditional group of people who will require a lot of proof the item is significantly better then existing threads and will require a massive amount of marketing to make headway into both area's

Also with thread it's quite a slow moving item, people don't go out and buy 1500 meter cops every month, so stock costs could be very high especially if selling many colours

Can it be done Yes, but very hard to challenge existing market,  

[Fowlingpiece]

It appears to be plenty of competition with the modern synthetics. Why not work on some quality linen cordage?

[Garyspruill]

10 hours ago, ScoobyNewbie said:

That sounds good, I am new to leather work as well, but I like the waxed braided cord from Tandy and the artificial sinew more than the “thread” threads. The hemp thread knots and snarls on my projects often very tightly before I notice, which makes to take longer to unknot. They, the braid and sinew, seem to lie better on (in) the work, smoother and not so puffy and amateurish.

I also like having more than black, brown, cream and white to work with. After years of sewing projects, it’s a very limiting color range.

I’m a variegated gal if I can get it. Lol. Seventies yarn.

Thank you scoobynewbie,

I have never used the Tandy sinew. I may have to go to a Tandy store and see what it even is.

Colors: I am thinking somewhere close to 30(+) colors for what I am doing.

Gary

[Garyspruill]

8 hours ago, chrisash said:

To make new thread is relatively easy to do, the problem arises with the marketing of such tread.Where are you going to place your thread in the current market, at the top end, middle or lowest cost.

The low cost is quite a large market but covered well by the Far eastern countries.

The top and middle area's mainly covered by a very traditional group of people who will require a lot of proof the item is significantly better then existing threads and will require a massive amount of marketing to make headway into both area's

Also with thread it's quite a slow moving item, people don't go out and buy 1500 meter cops every month, so stock costs could be very high especially if selling many colours

Can it be done Yes, but very hard to challenge existing market,  

Hey chrisash,

Market looking at: Middle to High end at consumer level: yet at a cost of about 1/2 of what we are paying for the same here in the US from brothers and sisters Italy and Germany. 

I am very used to marketing, aka: getting the word out and tested. Understood what your saying. Better product at 1/2 the costs is not always going to knock the top dog off the hill. I am thinking of the "user" market, not the big boys. 

My game plan: if I pursue, make the product, test - test and test some more, then; get it in the hands of the user's by sending out free samples to try out. Not 1500 meter cops, but at least a couple of 25 meter spools. Get feedback and make the needed changes. I am going to be relying on folks that "know" a ton more than I do. I live on the marketing basis of: let the market tell you what they want and they drive the market.

Thanks for the input, helpful.

Gary

Edited August 4, 2018 by Garyspruill

[Garyspruill]

2 hours ago, Fowlingpiece said:

It appears to be plenty of competition with the modern synthetics. Why not work on some quality linen cordage?

Hey Fowlingpiece,

I like your idea. Linen Cordage, maybe in phase (2) add an additional line of product to the lineup. Something like the Lin Cable from France that would be lightly pre-waxed. Hmmmm??? Good idea. Thank you!

Gary

[Garyspruill]

My goal would be to offer a product that is equal to or better than what we currently have access to here in the US and to our brother's and sister's across the pond that would offer more color selections and at about 1/2 the costs.

Me paying $7.00 for 25 meters of thread is telling me in my head, there is a market there. Then when I order it, and am told they are out of this or that color, tells me even more, there is a market there. I am not putting the re-seller's down or anything negative, I am only thinking: at $7.00, and they are selling out, a lot of folks are selling - buying a lot of it.

Gary

Edited August 4, 2018 by Garyspruill

[chrisash]

Trouble is you only make to meet demand, they will have a minimum amount that it's economical to make in one batch, often in slow moving colours it's just not worth making more and having a large stock holding (money) tied up

If you are making as for the half way house then strong possibility that the buyers are not that interested in the cost of the thread as cost is low in proportion to other costs, but still at the same time interested highly in quality

Just my thoughts, could be well wrong

[Garyspruill]

1 hour ago, chrisash said:

Trouble is you only make to meet demand, they will have a minimum amount that it's economical to make in one batch, often in slow moving colours it's just not worth making more and having a large stock holding (money) tied up

If you are making as for the half way house then strong possibility that the buyers are not that interested in the cost of the thread as cost is low in proportion to other costs, but still at the same time interested highly in quality

Just my thoughts, could be well wrong

Hey Chrisash,

Agreed in your comments.

Pick the colors you want to run with, let the market dictate the strongest colors, keep those colors on a consistent 30 day turn around time at factory. Let the slow seller's be on a order as needed basis to restock. Doing it this way, your core group will always be there to pay for the stranglers - non-sellers. 

Quality: design it to be the best, test it, let the market decide if your right or if changes need to be made.  

Striving for the best, hoping to get to the end user at a niche price point.

Thanks again,

Gary