COVID START-UP
All of us can recall where we were three years ago when we got the news that almost all of our gigs had been cancelled. Some of us went out of the industry to find a different job as an ‘essential worker’, others hung around and took what little work was left. Many of us had JobKeeper, and were able to live on our savings until the end. Some people retired even though they were only a few.
Few people were brave enough take the plunge and start a business. Statisticians will show us that 91% of all businesses will fail within the first year. That is quite harrowing. Add to that the uncertainty and lockdowns in early 2020, and it doesn’t seem like a good time to start your business.
Karen Skillen was a followspot operator when she started in the industry in 2007. Lionel Richie was her first gig. She was out of work after working in the industry for almost all of her career, right up to Covid.
In response, she created her own job. She printed a few T shirts to sell online and they were a huge success. After researching printers for a while (Covid left many of our spare time), she decided to spend her money and start a T-shirt printing company in a Kennards at Moore Park 3m x 2m storage unit. Kolour by Kaz was created.
Although a majority of the entertainment industry was shut down, Karen’s first T-shirt printing contract was with Marvel for the crew shirts on the film set of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This was the first day the printer was installed. There would be many more contracts for T-shirts for movie crew members, including those that have been signed by Thor, Mad Max, or Planet of the Apes.
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The storage unit was outgrown in less than a month and an even larger space was found and rented. It was a shopfront on Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst. Public access was possible because people could walk in from the street. It would stay there for approximately two years. This shop was also outgrown by the company and the move to Oxford Street was made late last year.
The business environment has changed dramatically since the move to Oxford Street. This is partly due to the improved street frontage, visibility, exposure and foot traffic. The word-of-mouth has helped to increase business. Many purchases are made right away by passersby. This is why visibility and location are so important.
In order to move to a better location, the printing equipment was also upgraded. These upgrades have doubled the printing capacity. At the moment, the store has Sublimation and DTG printers. This covers a broad range of printing.
Sublimation printing, also known as dye sublimation, is a method that prints text and images on special transfer paper. Then the information is transferred to another material (typically polyester (or a mix of polyester)). The ink is heated until it dissolves (sublimates).
DTG Printing (Direct To Garment Printing), also known digital printing, has been around for only 20 years. This printing technology has changed the fashion industry in a way that no one expected.
DTF printing (Direct-to Film) allows you to print on a film and transfer the design to the intended surface. DTF Printing is becoming more popular due to the fact that you can print on almost any surface.
Karen manages the shop 9-5. She will also do extra followup work during non-working hours. On a casual basis, she now has three employees. Kolour by Kaz is a specialist in custom prints. There are no minimum print requirements. You can order single custom prints by bringing in your design while you wait. The shop can print almost anything these days, including t-shirts, hoodies and coffee mugs, as well as cushion covers, pillowcases and tea towels.
“Having the entertainment Industry background has been extremely helpful with my business right from the start, and getting movie contracts is a huge bonus,” says Karen. “I’ve also done print jobs for bands and corporate events and the support has been amazing from industry colleagues.”
Karen plans to keep Kolour By Kaz going strong, even though she is still very active in this industry. The business has seen tremendous growth and is continuing to do so. Her future is bright and full of promise. She recently won a tender for merchandise supply to Sydney World Pride.
www.kolourbykaz.com.au