Bleach accident launched design business
New Generation Clothing began by accident in 2017 but is today one of the go-to local businesses for t-shirt and other designs.
Owned and operated by Anicia Williams, New Generation was founded by her fiancé Joel Waldron, who has since ventured into photography.
Waldron, who was nearby when Stabroek Weekend spoke with Williams, gave the background on how the business came into existence.
“… I used to work for the RDC [Regional Democratic Council] in Region 10 at the time,” Waldron recalled. “One day, I was soaking down the clothes to wash while I was already dressed to go out. I was dressed in all black. I used bleach to soak down the clothes and somehow I got bleach on my clothes.
“I was going back inside to change it when I noticed the sunburst design created by the bleach. I decided to wear it… While I was out, somebody saw it and liked it and bought it from me after. The next day, I decided to do a Superman design. I cut out a Superman logo, put it on the t-shirt and sprayed the bleach around it. Somebody bought that one too.” That was all the encouragement he needed.
Soon, having a bleach designed t-shirt became the trend in Linden and in time it also caught the attention of people living in and around Georgetown. Waldron’s clientele grew.
About a year later, when Williams became part of Waldron’s life, he taught her the ins and outs of the business.
“It took me a while to learn as I didn’t know anything about designing and had to learn from scratch,” she said. “There were a lot of mistakes that were made. It took me almost an entire year to learn everything. I could say I’m an expert now though, there’s always room for improvement.”
Williams, who is also a runway model and former pageant participant, said becoming an entrepreneur was one of the best decisions she has made. She said it was amazing to be her own boss, to be independent and work at her own space.
“It means a lot to me to have this skill. I’m thankful to Joel,” Williams said.
For the past several years, New Generation Clothing has been providing designs in acrylic print, bleach design, and tie dyeing. It has also incorporated other services such as vinyl printing, printing of logos, business cards, plates, hats, bags, signs, and banners, among other things.
As the business grew, a branch was opened on the West Coast Demerara, where Williams is from, and she managed it, while Waldron ran the Linden operations at Wismar Market. The branch, which was situated at Vreed-en-Hoop, had customers from both Region Three and Region Four, but they were forced to close under the restrictions imposed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Linden operations closed as well and since then Williams has been working from their home.
According to the young woman, she was still to get some printing jobs, while Waldron earned doing body piercings. Despite that they reached a tipping point and had to rely on relatives for financial help. However, they have since bounced back financially. It was during the onset of the pandemic that Waldron ventured into photography as a profession.
Williams shared that business began looking up during October last year and while things are not back to normal as yet, she is optimistic that they will flourish again and looks forward to growth as well.
Under this new normal, she said, after she is done with basic house chores, she gets settled in with her printing from around 10 or 11 every morning. Working from home is easier, Williams said, explaining that she can afford to prioritize her work or do other important things during downtime.
She pointed out that while New Generation designs might be inspired by others, they are never the same. “If somebody sends a design, I use that as inspiration to do a different design. I would create it on the computer first. Before I print it on a t-shirt, I would consult with them first because it’s not exactly the same design, but I need to be sure that they are satisfied with what I’m giving them. Some of my customers would wait for me to finish since a t-shirt design would only take about 20 minutes average,” she said.
According to the entrepreneur, New Generation also stands out for its quality tshirts. While some customers provide their own t-shirts, New Generation buys a good quality locally. The paper that the design is printed on is imported and because each design requires a new printing sheet, this is purchased in bulk.
From time to time, Williams said, she is challenged by a client requesting a discount. While she tries to meet their need, this is not always possible. There are customers who habitually want discounts and she has to gently refuse. It is not always easy, as she wants to help them but understands she needs to keep the business afloat.
With many classes going online as a result of the pandemic, Williams decided she would take the opportunity soon to further her studies in computer science and business. She also foresees New Generation reopening its branch at Vreeden-Hoop in time, as well as a new branch in Georgetown.
Orders can be placed via 673-2584.