Designing and Producing Prints
Introduction
In this post I’ll give you an Inside look at how I design prints that will go into production for JuliaJude Bamboo and all the interesting facts that go into our products fun and colorful designs.
What Are Seamless Prints?
In the context of fabric design, seamless prints are patterns created to repeat endlessly without visible edges or breaks, allowing the design to flow continuously across the fabric. This ensures that when the fabric is cut and sewn, the pattern appears uniform and uninterrupted, enhancing both the visual appeal and versatility of the textile.
Why Choose Seamless Prints for Kids’ Clothes?
Comfort and flexibility — how seamless designs contribute.
Durability and wearability — patterns that don’t distort or break easily.
Visual appeal — fun, colorful, and engaging prints that attract kids and parents alike.
Trends in children’s fashion emphasizing seamless prints.
Key Considerations When Designing Seamless Prints
1. Age-Appropriate Themes and Motifs
Popular themes (animals, toys, nature, fantasy).
JuliaJude Bamboo offers sizes from newborn to Adult 3x; it’s important that we choose prints that’ll work for all ages, we design ideas that we would put on a newborn baby AND a 9/10 year old or even wear ourselves with some of our adult options.
2. Color Palette
Choosing kid-friendly colors (bright, pastel, or gender-neutral). JuliaJude Bamboo has a mixed genre of color palette; we like to give a variety of options allowing you to find somethng special within our brand that fits your families taste.
Balancing vibrancy with wearability. Our products have been tested by our own daughter, she wears her jammies EVERYWHERE, including outside on the swing set, we known our colors and printing process holds up to the challenge!
3. Scale and Repeat Size
Pattern scale—the size of the design elements in a print—has a big impact on how clothing looks:
Large-scale patterns tend to be bold and eye-catching, making a strong visual statement. They can add drama and are often used to highlight certain areas of a garment.
Small-scale patterns create a more subtle, delicate, and intricate look. They can add texture without overwhelming the overall design, often making clothing appear more refined or classic.
Choosing the right pattern scale affects the garment’s style, how it flatters the wearer’s body, and the overall vibe of the outfit.
We primarily work with children’s pajamas so we choose a size that work with their little bodies, around 2-3 inches for main subject element size.
4. Printing Methods
Heat Printing (Heat Transfer):
Transfers designs from a printed sheet onto fabric using heat and pressure.
Works well on bamboo fabric, allowing bright, precise prints.
Good for small batches and vibrant designs.
NO DYES! We use special heat-activated pigments that bond directly with the fibers during the heat transfer process. This also prevents transfer of colors between items. (This is my favorite thing about our brand and coolest in my opinion!)
Step-by-Step Guide to Designing a Seamless Print
Brainstorm and sketch ideas. (We love to base ideas off our home states and lifestyle, but also take ideas directly from your suggestions)
Create the initial pattern tile. (I use procreate on my Ipad for this)
Test the repeat (digital mockups or use fabric samples).
Adjust for color, scale, and flow.
Finalize and prepare for production.
Ideas for making designs stand out in the marketplace.
Be unique enough that the idea is fun and new, BUT stay relatable to your customer base.
Take in customer requests! (Fun Fact: Over half of JuliaJude’s prints have come from customer suggestions, including fan favorites like : Pooh Bear’s Birthday, Under the Sea, and Sweet like Nectar. We have a few more on the way that were customer requests as well!)
Conclusion
Seamless Designs are very important to our brands prints and created that looping effect on our pajamas!
We encourage you to send us your ideas for future prints as we take your suggestions into high consideration!
🧠 How I Started My Own Business: JuliaJude Bamboo
Starting your own business can be one of the most challenging—and rewarding—decisions you'll ever make. In this post, I'm sharing my journey of how I launched JuliaJude Bamboo, what I've learned along the way, and tips for anyone thinking about taking the leap.
🚀 Why I Decided to Start My Own Business
It all began when I realized that I was able to create prints and designs that I wanted to see on my child. Julia had severe eczema and that was our main reason for starting our business, but truly I had so many print ideas that i wanted to see come to life.
I had a passion for a clothing company, and I believed that I could make a difference by creating a company that has five star quality and service.
🛠️ The First Steps I Took
Starting a business can feel overwhelming, but I began by researching all the requirements for having a safe children’s company along with ordering many samples to find the perfect fabric to make our items out of!
Some of the most important early decisions I made included:
Choosing my business structure: We were a LLC at first, but changed to sole proprietorship at the suggestion of our tax representivie
Defining my niche: We defiantly are geared towards Families with small children
Creating a basic business plan to outline:
My goals: Release SAFE clothing items and prints that our family would enjoy
Budget: When we first started we dedicated 20 thousand dollars of our personal savings towards starting this business; it was a huge investment, but we wanted to make sure we gave it our best shot at being successful.
Marketing strategy: Primarily use Facebook as our marketing tool, we use email campaigns, Instagram, and TikTok. Our best marketing tool to date is word of mouth, a good personal review can do wonders for a brand!
💡 Biggest Challenges I Faced
Starting out wasn’t easy. I struggled with learning our customer needs, learning what sizes to order and what sizes would do better was our biggest struggle for the first year, we defiantly have a better idea of what sizes our loyal customers need.
🌱 My First Win
I'll never forget when we SOLD OUT of a print withing 5 days of release, not once TWICE this happened to both Gone Fishin and Junior Park Raner. It validated everything and gave me the motivation to keep going.
These moments showed me that this was worth all the time and effort I had put into our brand.
🧩 Tools and Resources That Helped Me
Here are some of the tools and resources that made a big difference in getting started:
Procreate – for designing promos and prints
Squarespace – helped me with designing my website and sending emails
Community – I have met some amazing women who also run their small businesses and give each other support through social media interaction or orders.
📈 Where I Am Now
Fast forward to today, and we release 15-20 prints a year, have almost 6,000 followers on facebook, and do 4-5 local in person events a year!
I’m currently focusing on Down Syndrome Awareness Month for October prints and models, and the journey has been incredibly rewarding.
🔑 My Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, here’s what I wish someone had told me:
Tip #1 – "It takes time, ALOT of time."
Tip #2 – "Don’t wait for perfection, nothing will ever be perfect and you don’t want to miss the moment."
Tip #3 – "Focus on what YOU want from your business. Priorituze your goals and dreams when building it better."
💬 Let’s Connect!
Are you thinking about starting your own business? I’d love to hear your story or answer any questions you have.
Thanks for reading, and remember— You can do it if youre dedcated enough! Joscelyne Eddy.
