There are zero out of pocket expenses to start! We supply all the fabric, parts, tools, station, and the sewing machine. We can even include a garbage can and chair if you like.
If you earn at least $150 a week, we will waive the lease fee on the machine. If you do not, the lease fee for the sewing machine is $50 per month. We also give new sewers a grace period for the first 3 months with no lease fees. The reason for the lease fee is to ensure placed machines are not sitting idle. We are looking for people that want to earn $200-$600 or more per week. If we do not have enough work for you, we will also waive the lease fee for that month.
See our lease agreement here for full details.
If you consistently produce, you will never have to pay for anything!
You are paid by the piece so you can work at your own pace. Our piece rates are all backed up by videos of the process being done (showing time/how) so you know that we are paying a fair wage. Motivated sewers can average $12 to $15+ or more an hour depending on their skills. We even include material handling times and packaging overhead in our piece rates.
- We make payments via Zelle (Zelle is an easy way to receive money, that most banks use) on the 1st and 15th of each month.
- Any work completed 5 days prior will be paid on the upcoming payment.
- 3 days prior you will receive a report of all orders you completed and totals of the piece work.
- You must submit via email an invoice matching the total of the piece work for us to cut a check. This can be as simple as a handwritten invoice or use this online tool. All it needs to show is the total of the work done from the report we sent and your information.
You will cut materials and sew cases on an industrial sewing machine. Orders will be transmitted to you by email/web. You will invoice us for the work you complete.
I have never sewn
We offer some general videos on how to operate our machines. We recommend you get additional training and study the owner’s manual. You can also search for other resources as the web offers quite a few. Operating the machines can be dangerous if used improperly. They will put a needle through your finger if it gets under the needle! As a contractor, you are responsible for yourself and need to make decisions accordingly. We can offer training on-site or at a commercial facility if you desire at a rate of $50/hr. Someone that listens well could probably be up and running in an hour. We can provide scraps for you to practice on. We can provide a sample order for your cell phone so you can build your first case for practice. If you share your lack of experience, we may be able to also start you on some very simple orders to get you some experience.
Also see “What sewing machine will I be using”
I have sewn but not on an industrial machine
If you are able to follow instructions/examples and troubleshoot, you should be able to handle the industrial machine. The only real difference is the power. In many ways, they are simpler with less buttons etc. If you read the owner’s manual and review the training videos, you should be ready to practice. We can provide scraps for you to practice on. We can provide a sample order for your cell phone so you can build your first case for practice.
Also See “What sewing machine will I be using”
Tablet and Internet
A 8”+ tablet is ideal; this allows you to be able to accept orders, watch instructional videos, and post updates on your piece work. While a phone, laptop, internet TV, or computer will work, we strongly recommend that you have a tablet at the station while you are working to easily review instructional videos. We can add this to the lease, if needed. However, you will need to provide the internet connection.
Transportation for getting supplies
While you are working from your own home you will need to pick up materials from our location (Storage unit North of I-10 on E Colossal Cave behind Quick Mart), usually 1-3 times a week depending on how much you are producing. You will also need a phone or tablet with internet access (we do not provide wifi) with bluetooth abilities in order to utilize our scanner.
Transportation for dropping off finished goods or shipping orders
Post office (offers free pickup if you schedule a day prior online)
UPS/FedEx shipping location (PostNet at Houghton and Rita works great)
Our (Storage unit North of I-10 on E Colossal Cave behind Quick Mart ), when you are working on a larger order or something we need to inspect
Space
See “How much space will I need?”
You will need a clean area to work in. Ideally, it will have a tile or laminate floor. This simply makes it easier to clean up all the little bits of thread that fall.
A spare room or home office is ideal. However, our setup can be used in a number of locations; dining rooms, bedrooms, etc can all work. Typically, you will want an area with about an 98” X 88”. See the diagrams below for more ideas. You may split the station apart in different rooms, but this will affect your productivity.
We ask that you give us as much advanced notice as possible. We will then pick up the station, sewing machine etc. You will not be paid for any work that is not completed.
If you are independent, self-motivated, and pay attention to detail, you may be a great fit. Sewing from home can be a great opportunity. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, you can have the flexibility to work around home and school schedules, using those few down times you may get to make extra money.
As you box the orders, on occasion you will need to handle boxes of up to 50 lbs safely. Most of our work is light weight but as the cases fill a box, the boxes can get heavy. It is your responsibility to get these to our storage unit or dropped at UPS/FedEx etc as the order specifies.
You can work days, nights, weekends; basically you can work whenever we have work available for you. You can take any personal time/vacation time you need. We do ask, if you know you are going to be unavailable for more than a few days, you let us know so we can schedule accordingly.
Orders will be submitted to you for your acceptance (via email). The order will show a description of the products needed, due date, skill level, and piece rate total for the order. Keep in mind that you will need to meet the due date, and we are only available to answer questions during normal business hours. If you procrastinate and run into a question on an order and are delayed, you will be penalized if the order is late. Typical lead times are 3-5 business days for small orders.
When you accept an order, it will have a required date.
Orders that will be shipped
You will be responsible for delivering the product to the designated shipping company by the shipping deadline on or before the required date. We use the UPS/FedEx/USPS tracking to verify this. To obtain a shipping label, you will need to notify us with the required information (typically weight and dimensions) when you package the order. Shipping label requests can only be fulfilled during normal business hours and will be processed within 3 hours of request. You need to plan on this to ensure on time delivery.
Orders that you will drop at our storage unit
You are responsible for dropping the order at our storage unit located behind the Quick Mart on at 13200 E Colossal Cave Rd , North of I-10 before noon on the required date.
To meet our customer’s expectations, we need to make sure we have enough sewers available. Therefore, we ask that you let us know the minimum and maximum you would want to earn on a typical week. You need to base this on the available time you have throughout the week. This allows us to balance orders to sewers so that we don’t hire more help than needed.
Here is an easy way to figure
(Min Hours Available) X (Amount you typically produce an hour) = Minimum
(Max Hours Available) X (Amount you typically produce an hour) = Maximum
Whenever we can, we will try to stay between your minimum and maximums.
You can be conservative on this number and increase on a monthly basis.
If orders are available, and you do not accept the level you committed to for the week, we will assume you cannot be depended on. This will result in us having to bring on more sewers, reducing the amount of orders available for you in the future.
If you know you are going to be out of town etc., please let us know. We ask that you give us your schedules 2 weeks in advance.
When you first start
We will inspect all of your work. If something was done wrong, you will be asked to correct it.
Our mistake
If a video or instructions are incorrect, we will pay you for any work done and will pay you to build a new case.
Your mistake/Poor sewing quality
We will destroy the case, and you will have to remake the case. You will not be paid for the poor quality/mistake case but will be paid for the new case. We will supply the materials at no cost to you. If you are consistently having issues, we will terminate our relationship.
As your skills/dependability grow
We will occasionally audit cases to make sure the product are to our standards. If a customer reports a problem with a case that you made, we will provide photo documentation of the issue from the customer. You will be asked to remake the case; we will supply materials. You will only be paid for one case. We will cover the shipping and material costs of the new case.
On larger orders, we will audit a couple of cases. If we find an issue on a case, all the cases will be returned for you to inspect/correct. We will not go through each case, as quality control is your responsibility! If you are consistently having issues, we will terminate our relationship.
Machine Trouble
We have videos and documentation showing how to correct most problems. If you cannot resolve the problem, we will come to your home within normal business hours (8-4 Monday-Friday) typically within 1-2 business days to resolve it.
Questions on an order
We do our best to create full instructions and provide video demonstrations of all the process to make the cases. In the event that you have a question, you can email us, and we will typically get back to you within 1-2 business hours.
I am leasing a machine
No. Our machines are specifically setup for the brand and type of thread we run. It has a specific coating on it. Using other threads with the machine can cause severe problems and you could have a stuck machine. If we ever find any evidence of other thread (it’s amazing where it can get jammed) or evidence that other things were sewn, we will terminate our relationship. The machines are leased to you, but, in the lease, you agree to only sew our products.
I bought the machine or used my own industrial machine.
It’s yours, do as you wish. We do not offer service/repairs on purchased machines.
As a contractor, you are an independent business. You are responsible for your own tax filings. You can easily do this with an accountant/tax preparer or many online services (some free). We are not accountants or tax advisers, and, for legal/liability reasons, we suggest you contact an accountant for more information. Having your own business can be an advantage as you may be able to write off a portion of your rent/utilities/mortgage/internet if part of your home is dedicated to your business. You should also keep track of your business miles, as it is likely that any miles to pick up supplies/ship items would be deductible against your income at a rate of $.58 a mile (2019 IRS Rate).
Typically, an employer has you decide on your withholding amount and deducts this from your checks prior to paying you. As a contractor, you will pay this directly to the IRS along with 15.4% SSI (the social security that your employer normally pays a part of).
You can read more about how taxes are handled for free lancers/ contractors here…
We currently limit our contractors to the 85641 and 85747 zip codes. This is done in case you have an issue with our sewing machine and need assistance.
Our cases must be sewn in a clean, smoke/vape free environment. We cannot have customers noticing odors on our cases. This can even be from certain foods, as neoprene can absorb odors. With leased equipment, we have the right to inspect our equipment at any time. Obviously, we won’t come by at 2 in the morning, but you do have to allow us access when requested. This is rare and usually not an issue. If we are getting complaints from customers, we will simply terminate the lease and relationship and pick up our equipment. If necessary, with the documents you have signed, we can have the sheriff get involved.
As cats are more likely to climb on product/equipment, we require the work area to be kept cat free. If you have other pets, you must be responsible for keeping pet hair/odors away from the stock rolls (on bottom shelf etc..) and off the finished goods. Please keep in mind, this can be as simple as a transfer from your clothing to the case. We will not pay for work that is dirty or has odors.
Once approved as a possible contractor, you will receive a packet with the following. All agreements will need to be signed and notarized.
- Non-compete agreement
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Non-disclosure agreement
- Mediation agreement
- Tax W-9
- Lease agreement
- Liability Release
Once selected as a possible contractor, we will provide the above documents for your review.
