In celebration of reaching a remarkable milestone – 10 years in business – unLTD sat down with James Smith, Director of We Do Workwear, to reflect on the company’s journey. From humble beginnings in a spare room to becoming a thriving provider of customised workwear and merchandise, James shared insights into the key moments that shaped their growth and resilience.

“To say that more than 65% of businesses fail within the first 10 years makes me incredibly proud of what our team have accomplished and where we are,” he told unLTD. “It goes without saying that we would not be here without the loyal support from our customers, friends and suppliers so thank you to everyone who has made it all possible. Here’s to the next 10 and many more after that!”

2014: SMALL BEGINNINGS

We Do Workwear, originally known as Direct Print & Promotions, was founded in October 2014 by James Smith and his father, Alex. The business began operations in a small spare room of their home, where they initially focused on buying and selling printed materials such as flyers, banners and booklets. James handled the design work, while Alex managed sales and invoicing.

Driven by a desire to expand capabilities, James began making small investments in equipment like heat presses and printers. This led to the production of hundreds of phone cases each day and provided the duo with valuable experience in merchandise and other revenue streams, such as customised clothing.

2016: TAKING THE PLUNGE

After two years of operating from the home office and running out of space, the decision was made to take the business more seriously. In 2016, they moved into an office space at Sheaf Bank Business Park, which allowed them to invest further in machinery. They hired their first salesperson and a part-time production staff member, enabling James to focus more on business growth.

During this period, they invested in their first embroidery machine, gaining significant insight into how to embroider various workwear and merchandise products.

2017: MOVING ON UP

After a successful year in Unit C1, it became evident that the business was quickly outgrowing its space. In 2017, recognising the need for expansion, they relocated to a larger unit within the same business estate. This move quadrupled their available space and enabled them to bring more team members on board, as well as make substantial investments in state-of-the-art equipment.

2020: DEALING WITH COVID

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 posed a serious threat to the business, with a significant loss of orders occurring almost overnight. However, amidst the challenges, new opportunities emerged, allowing the business to adapt and serve emerging needs.

They began printing a large number of face masks and supplied high-visibility vests to several national COVID-19 testing sites, demonstrating their commitment to supporting pandemic efforts. Additionally, some customers continued to require customised clothing for their online retail stores.

During this challenging period, they created hundreds of pin badges and donated all profits to the NHS, enabling them to remain engaged and contribute meaningfully to their community.

2022: A NEW HOME

In February 2022, after a tough couple of years rebuilding the business, the team took a leap forward by moving into their current premises, Unit H12. This provided 4,000 sq ft of space over two floors, creating a foundation for further growth and strengthening their offerings to loyal customers.

Alongside the move, a fully integrated e-commerce website was launched, enabling customers to choose and customise their own clothing and merchandise. The development of this platform was a significant undertaking, requiring over 12 months of fine-tuning and ongoing updates.

October 2022 marked another milestone as the company invested in its first DTF (Direct to Film) printer, complete with an automatic curing oven and extraction unit. This investment rapidly reduced turnaround time from two weeks to just five working days and helped to significantly lower print prices. The DTF printer is capable of printing 10 metres per hour, or 350 linear metres every week.

2023: IMPROVING TECH

Towards the end of 2023, We Do Workwear doubled its embroidery capacity to 10 Melco embroidery machines. This enhanced setup offers significant versatility, allowing the team to simultaneously produce 10 different logos or focus on replicating a single design across all machines. Such flexibility positions the company as a dynamic player in the market, enabling them to respond effectively to orders of varying sizes and complexities.
Collectively, these machines can produce an impressive 1,750+ logos each week.

“In the past two years, additional team members have been brought on board, making a strong team of eight.”

2024: REBRAND AND PUSHING FORWARDS

In January 2024, the company rebranded from Direct Print & Promotions to We Do Workwear, reflecting its evolution over the years. Significant investments in people, machinery, and software have established the company as a dedicated workwear and merchandise provider.

Rebranding was not an easy decision, requiring considerable thought and planning. However, the team is proud of what they have built together. The company maintains a strong family ethic and is dedicated to providing high-quality service with customers at the heart of the business. By offering top-quality products at competitive prices, We Do Workwear has achieved continuous growth over the years.

In the past two years, additional team members have been brought on board, making a strong team of eight. With four staff in production and four in the sales office, We Do Workwear is well-positioned to push further and take on more new customers.

If your business requires custom workwear and merchandise, the team at We Do Workwear would love to collaborate and help you succeed. Call 0114 398 9454 or email sales@wedoworkwear.com for more.

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