COVID START-UP
Three years ago, we all remember exactly where we were when we received the news that all gigs had been cancelled. We also recall how little work we had. 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. A few people have even retired.
Only a few people had the courage to try their hand at starting a business. Statistics show that 9 out of 10 businesses fail within their first year. This is a very distressing statistic. With the uncertainty and lockdowns, it didn’t seem like the best time to start a business in 2020.
Karen Skillen began her career in the industry in 2007 as a follow-up operator. Lionel Richie was her first gig. She, like many others, had been in the business almost exclusively until Covid came along.
She decided to make her own job. Her first online sale was of T-shirts she printed. After reading up on printers (Covid left many people with spare time), she started her own T-shirt printing business. She used a Kennards storage unit that measured 3m x 2.5m in Moore Park. Kolour by Kaz was founded.
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. The first printer was installed on the day that printing began. 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.
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. This allowed for public access, allowing people to enter the shop from any street. The shop would remain there for two years. This shop was also outgrown by the company and the move to Oxford Street was made late last year.
Business has seen a tremendous increase in its success since moving to Oxford Street. The location has allowed for better street visibility, exposure, visibility, and increased foot traffic. Word of mouth has been a major factor in the continued growth of business. Location and visibility are key factors in many sales.
In order to move to a better location, the printing equipment was also upgraded. The upgrade has more than doubled the printing capacity. The store currently has Sublimation, DTG, and DTF printers. This allows for a wide range of printing.
Sublimation printing (or dye sublimation) involves the first printing of text or images onto special transfer papers, and then transferring that information to another material (typically polyester or mixed 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 print a design on film and then transfer it to the desired surface such as fabric. DTF Printing is becoming more popular due to the fact that you can print on almost any surface.
Karen now runs the shop from 9-5, but will also take on additional follow-up work outside of these hours. Three people are now employed by her on a casual basis. Kolour by Kaz specializes in custom printing. There is no minimum order. If you have a single design to print, you can get it done while you wait. Today, you can get printed on almost any item, such as t-shirts and hoodies, coffee mugs and cushion covers, pillows, cushions, 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 grow. She is optimistic about the future and recently won a tender to supply merchandise to Sydney World Pride.
www.kolourbykaz.com.au