Local artisan runs successful embroidery business servicing the film industry
Creating movie magic takes more than just cameras and stars — it requires the hard work and dedication of thousands of Georgians employed by local businesses.
Consider Netflix’s “A Man in Full,” filmed in Georgia at Cinespace Studios. The production relied on more than 200 local vendors, showcasing the state's diverse capabilities. From Optimum Security Solutions in Crawfordville to Georgia Fire Safety Operations in Stockbridge and Cofer Brothers in Tucker, businesses across our state played a crucial role in bringing this story to life.
A recent economic impact study, conducted by a 30-year-old London-based firm known for documenting the film industry’s impact around the world, found that in an average year productions spend billions of dollars on goods and services across Georgia. With an average budget of nearly $50 million per production, almost 70% of a production's below-the-line (jobs outside of the creative development, production, and direction of a show) spend goes to a wide range of industries.
There are industries that you might never think of that support the film business. Take, for example, Tulipcake Embroidery, who provided embroidered police and security guard patches to the costume production team of “A Man in Full.” Founded by entrepreneur Katie Culp, Owner and Chief Executive Artisan, this niche business serves the film industry in a unique way.
Katie, whose background includes costume, puppet and public art fabrication, worked for a costume company when she first noticed film productions needed custom embroidery. Realizing there were no local embroidery companies capable of meeting the film industry’s tight deadlines, Katie purchased a semi-industrial sewing machine and worked from home after her regular job to supply the products needed.
“When ‘Baby Driver’ was filming, they required a huge order of embroidered patches for police officers, security guards, bank tellers and more,” says Katie. “I saw my window of opportunity, took a chance, and quit my job to start Tulipcake Embroidery. We’ve been steadily growing ever since.”
Katie now employs two full-time employees and one person who fills in when needed. The company has provided products for hundreds of film and television productions including “Stranger Things,” “Spider Man: No Way Home,” and “Ozark.” A native of Georgia, she sees the film industry as a blessing for artisans like herself and her team.
For three years, Katie and her team focused exclusively on embroidery. In 2018, she purchased a digital garment printer capable of printing ink directly onto fabric. This new capability allowed the company to fill another niche — custom printing on small quantities of garments.
“Cobra Kai” has been their best client to date. The show needed to exactly recreate the original karate uniform featuring the iconic Cobra Kai insignia. The production rented the original costume from a private collector, from which Katie digitized the artwork stitch by stitch. She nailed it, and the production was thrilled with her work. The Tulipcake team worked on all six seasons of the martial arts comedy-drama television series.
“The industry in Georgia continues to grow, requiring partners who understand the quick turnaround needed by productions,” says Katie. “People working in the costume department come to me stressed out. It’s my job to fulfill their needs quickly and continue to be a trusted resource they can depend on for years to come.”
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