On model Kris Miller: from Monterey Bay, the Bravo cowboy hat with air-conditioned screen/mesh crown, shown in brown. Reader Service #166. From Carefree Casuals, a mens long-sleeve Western dress shirt (71105), made of 55% cotton/45% polyester piece-dyed broadcloth. Reader Service #167. From Wrangler, cowboy cut jeans (13MWZPW). Reader Service #168. From Julie of California, an exquisite bolo tie (WBL-01) with metal fittings, white string and medallion insert, and on the belt a solid metal Western buckle that can be engraved. Reader Service #169. From Bench Craft Leather, a Western embossed belt with snaps to attach the buckle (9386W). Reader Service #170.
Cover Story:
Go West
The Western wear market is sizzling – you may be surprised at how many embellishable garments and accessories you can offer your customers.
By MaryAnna Clemons
Western wear has evolved through the years as part functional, part style, part identity. Hired cowhands turned into cowboys, cattle buyers turned into ranchers, and showmen with a flair for shocking behavior and style became Wild West promoters such as Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok.
If the only things that come to mind when you think Western wear are denim and lace, think again. While these two fabrics are still a staple in Western wear, the industry has evolved into a niche market that’s modern, edgy and even chic. From shirts to jackets to horse blankets, there’s embroidery work to be had in cowboy land.
Welcome to the West
Even if you don’t deal in high-end clothing, the Western wear world has a niche for you. Recently, as one of the awards committee members for our local roping and riding club, it was up to me to deliver the goods to the embroidery business for stitch work for the year-end awards, such as jackets, business bags and sweatshirts. Because we’re such a small club, we chose canvas jackets that were an off-brand name, but most clubs chose name brands known for product style and durability – in fact, Laurel Bing of the Cowboy Shop/The Stitchin’ Post in Pinedale, WY, says the majority of her clients choose Carhartt Clothing.
Carhartt started in 1889 as Carhart to supply railroad workers with durable clothing that would stand up to the rigor and stress of their jobs. Hamilton Carhart created a product that’s withstood the test of time and is used by more than a few industries – Western wear is just one. Bing has plenty of business from local rodeo clubs and ranches, but says some of her biggest customers are local oil and gas companies, who, like the rodeo clubs, give out numerous awards that they’ve embroidered with their employees’ names and the company logo.
‘You just can’t underestimate your Western wear
customers – they’re looking for quality and style.’
Jacque Ray, Jacque’s Apparel
Bing, a firm believer in her name-brand Western wear, has ready-made advertising for her embroidery business via her location: Her shop is smack dab in the middle of the Western clothing store, Cowboy Shop, whose claim to fame is that it’s “Still Western After All These Years.” Venturing into her business just six years ago, Bing has stayed so busy she hasn’t even had time to advertise or seek out business – business just keeps coming to her. With two small children, Bing is a one-woman show, and she’s excited by the changes she’s seen in the Western wear industry in the last few years.
“We’re seeing more and more style in the Western wear industry, such as low-rise jeans that are embroidered with flowers, and embroidered shirts and silk scarves,” Bing says. “The clothes are getting hipper, and big name designers have re-discovered us.”
From Berne Apparel, a heavyweight Western flannel work shirt (SH08AHT). Features include snap front, pearl snaps and dress sleeve placket with closure. Comes in assorted plaids; sizes M-6XL. Reader Service #171
From Image Developer, a solid, genuine suede leather cowboy hat (GFSCBHL) with woven hat band. Leather accessories feature extra-durable simulated leather trim. Reader Service #172
Bing is 31, and a lifelong Western woman, having been raised on a Wyoming ranch. “As a younger person, I love to see leather jackets with embroidery on them,” she says. “I’ve thought about branching out into crystal work, but I just don’t have the time right now. I’m that busy.”
The Cowboy Shop carries Denver-based Rockmount (the company that introduced the Western snap shirt and has a storied history of its own) products, such as silk scarves that working cowboys, cowgirlsand ranchers often embroider in the corner with their brand, blank shirts, blankets, pillows, ties jackets and leather goods.
“Brands are very particular,” Bing says. “You really need to have the person who knows the brand draw it for you before you try to digitize it. I won’t do it any other way.”
‘I love going to the big barrel races
because that’s where you can find the shirts
with the bling, embroidery and fringe.’ ’
Fran Carrick, competitive barrel racer
Bing embroiders cuffs and collars with brands as well. In fact, anything that can fit in her machine is likely to be branded by a person who loves his Western heritage, or even just the Western enthusiast or the person whose family used to have a brand but has moved on to other ways of supporting themselves.
Find your customers
Finding a club to market your business to could be as easy as having a prime location, such as Bing has, or putting fliers in the local feed store, farm equipment business, tack and saddle shop, or even lesser known businesses such as the local leather and shoe repair shop.
However, word of mouth is still the best way to find clubs that need work done. Talk to people you see at the local arena – ask them who they’re with and if the club or group has a Web site or contact number. Don’t be shy: All clubs give out some sort of awards at one time or another. Many have a need for embroidery year-round for club vests, jackets, bags, patches, horse blankets, rope bags, duffel bags and boot bags – you name it, it’s probably been given as an award at some point. Talk to the salesperson at the feed store, since most have grown up in the area and know about the available riding clubs, even if they don’t participate.
Besides wearables, here are some other embroiderable items you can offer clients.
From Southwest, a marseilles pillow (DP524 320) featuring a Dakota Mustang design. Measures 14 inches by 14 inches or 22 inches by 22 inches. Reader Service #173
From Purely Custom Weavers, a beige tapestry throw (3286-T) features wild horses and is accented with a southwest border. Measures 54 inches by 70 inches. Reader Service #174
Youth rodeo associations are another market that’s often overlooked. For example, the Heartland Youth Rodeo Association in Kansas has year-end awards that are extensively embroidered. Kansas has about six youth rodeo association choices, and most states will have at least one or two. And if you live in Texas, you’re likely to stumble over one in every small town you visit. Here in Colorado we have Little Britches, which is nationwide, the Colorado Junior Rodeo Association and the Wrangler Junior High and High School Rodeo Association. The list goes on and on.
Barrel racers are another prime market. By and large, barrel racing is open to all men, women and children, but it’s mostly the women who are looking to bring some bling to the arena.
“I love going to the big barrel races because that’s where you can find the shirts with the bling, embroidery and fringe,” says Fran Carrick, a 60-year-old competitive barrel racer from Fountain, CO. “That’s where the vendors are, at the races –
some of the prettiest shirts I’ve bought were at races in Colorado Springs.”
‘We’re seeing more and more style
in the Western wear industry, such as low-rise jeans that are embroidered with flowers, and embroidered shirts and silk scarves.’
Laurel Bing, Cowboy Shop/The Stitchin’ Post
Barrel racing’s popularity has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, and the participants love quality jackets and vests. You’ll find club award jackets and shirts by Land’s End, Wrangler, Rockmount, Lee, Eddie Bauer and more. Scottsdale, AZ-based CareFreeCasuals.com is a great example of the one-stop shopping the Internet can provide us with today, and this supplier carries Carhartt and Wrangler. In the case of our small club, we ordered our awards through Logo Sportswear, a Cheshire, CT-based company that has a wide variety of goods to choose from, and delivered on time for us.
From Golden Bear Sportswear, a cow Nubuck jacket (I-SL-J1010) with hand lacing. Available in sizes S-2XL. Reader Service #175
Jacque’s Apparel out of Weatherford, TX, is a small shop that creates one-of-a-kind leather outfits, chaps, jackets, vests, shirts, dickies and more for horse show people. Owner Jacque Ray got started sewing like a lot of young rural girls do, in 4-H Clubs. Years later, as a horse show competitor, she looked for show outfits she could afford. While there were a few to pick from, the competitors all looked alike in the ring. There was nothing special about the outfits, nothing that stood out and said, “Look at me.” So, like most creative people who can’t find what they want, Ray started creating her show clothes.
“The thing about Western wear is that it covers such a large area. You just can’t underestimate your Western customers – they’re looking for quality and style,” Ray says. “From small riding clubs to performance show horses, from rodeo to trail riders, the market’s wide open. What people might wear for rodeo, the show people wouldn’t go near, and it’s the same for rodeo people and say, trail riders.”
Most of Ray’s creations are done with appliqué, but she has some older show jackets that have beautiful flowers embroidered up and down the sleeves and into the waist. She enjoys working each piece into one-of-a-kind show outfits and has a waiting list for her creations.
While most Western wear customers won’t need an outfit that can cost thousands of dollars, the takeaway lesson is that a business is only limited by its creativity to fill a need.
MaryAnna Clemons is a contributing writer based in Colorado.