ELGIN, Ill. — Howard Custom Transfers (HCT) has launched HCT Assist, a new decoration and fulfillment service designed to help apparel decorators accept larger, more complex or capacity-stretching projects without immediately investing in additional equipment, employees or production space.
Built around the message, “You sell it. We’ll handle the rest,” HCT Assist can provide support ranging from garment coordination and professional transfer application to finishing, packing and shipping.
Extra Production Capacity When Apparel Decorators Need It
HCT developed the service as an extension of a decorator’s existing operation rather than a replacement for it.
Decorators maintain control of their customer accounts and the programs they sell, while HCT can handle production and fulfillment processes that may be difficult to accommodate internally.
“Our customers work hard to create opportunities and grow their businesses,” says Marcus Howard, president and owner of Howard Custom Transfers. “HCT Assist gives them another way to say yes when the right project comes along.”
Howard says decorators retain the customer relationship while HCT provides behind-the-scenes production support to complete the program.
Potential applications include large orders arriving when a shop is already operating at capacity, one-time projects exceeding a decorator’s normal order volume and recurring school, team, corporate or organization apparel programs.
The service can also support projects requiring individual bagging, folding, size labeling or sorting, as well as approved programs that could benefit from a customer-facing online store.
From Heat Transfers to Finished Apparel
Depending on the project, HCT Assist services can include:
- Garment sourcing and coordination
- Professional application of screen-print and digital heat transfers
- Folding and individual bagging
- Size labeling and sorting
- Packing and shipping
- Web-store support for approved programs
Customers can have HCT coordinate garment sourcing or arrange for approved garments to be shipped directly to the company’s Elgin facility.
Rather than using a standardized model for every order, HCT says each HCT Assist opportunity will be evaluated individually based on project requirements, pricing, available production capacity and scheduling.
