In this episode of Shirt Show, host Dylan Gilligan is joined by Cody Klimper, the founder of Infinite Studios in California. Cody details his professional background, tracing his path from early work with a fitness brand to establishing an independent screen printing and custom embroidery operation. The discussion offers an industry grounded look at the persistence and technical adaptability required to build an independent apparel business from the ground up.
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Managing the Complexities of Cut and Sew Production
Cody entered the apparel industry through the fitness sector in 2015, helping manage operations for an athletic clothing line. Working directly on the streets of Los Angeles, he handled the complete production lifecycle. This responsiblity required sourcing raw materials, working with pattern makers, and coordinating with domestic contract sewing facilities. By the time he left in 2018, the brand had grown to generate significant revenue volume.
Transitioning to Independent Equipment Ownership and Training
When Cody launched his independent company in October 2018, he focused on securing direct ownership of production equipment. Lacking extensive technical experience with commercial apparel decoration systems, he secured commercial funding to buy a six-head embroidery machine and signed a warehouse lease. He immediately committed to mastering commercial embroidery standards and programming through daily volume.
To broaden his shop capabilities, Cody cross-trained in commercial screen printing by volunteering at an established printing shop. He worked unpaid morning shifts to learn screen exposure, screen reclaim, squeegee pressure, and plastisol ink behavior before returning to his own facility to run embroidery orders at night. This technical training cycle allowed him to execute complex multimedia decoration contracts and manage production workflows accurately.
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Evaluating the Risks of Used Machinery
Expanding print shops often encounter the temptation of discounted used automatic screen printing machinery. Cody outlines a major operational lesson involving an older precision oval press sourced from a facility in Las Vegas. Driven by potential high-volume contract printing opportunities, Cody invested facility space, transport vehicles, and capital to retrieve the massive press. The projected printing contracts did not materialize, and the machine required significant technical troubleshooting.
Catering to the Small and Midsize Regional Market
Infinite Studios established a profitable regional footprint by serving small to midsize local businesses without imposing rigid order minimums. While many automated printing facilities reject short-run production due to labor setup times, Cody utilizes direct-to-film transfers and efficient manual press configurations to serve this segment. A single small corporate account can source small batches of screen printed shirts, embroidered headwear, custom stickers, vehicle signage, and engraved tumblers simultaneously.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Understand manufacturing metrics. Precise tracking of material consumption, raw fabric usage, and production costs protects custom apparel profit margins from hidden facility overhead.
- Audit used equipment stringently. Legacy automated machinery can introduce significant hidden mechanical, electrical, and spatial liabilities to a growing production floor.
- Service the localized business sector. Fulfilling lower volume orders across multiple product categories allows custom decorators to capture regional accounts without low-margin volume requirements.
- Establish distinct mental processing windows. Dedicating regular time to workflow reflection outside active production cycles prevents chronic burnout and improves operational strategy.
- Incentivize accounts with physical proofs. Creating custom, branded promotional samples using existing client vector logos reliably generates high-margin add-on business.