Hidden Gems: Meet Cristal Del Toro Rubio of CDR Threads

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristal Del Toro Rubio.

Hi Cristal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m the owner of CDR Threads. My journey began early 2020, at the time I offered only stickers and received a great amount of support which encouraged our expansion. I had previously worked in the embroidery field and decided that I should purchase an embroidery machine and create my stickers into pieces that you could wear.

I had a lot of self-doubt of taking the risk because of the huge investment of all the equipment and machine itself. I would overthink the situation but I had so many signs that would lead me to taking the risk and to go all for it.

At the beginning, I did not have any sales but I continued to promote my new services. I kept going and I would remind myself, “You Got This!” which actually helped me stay positive.

I had created Bernie Sanders with the mittens into an embroidery sweatshirt. I decided to post it on TikTok next thing you know the video went viral. Thanks to that, it helped my shop be recognized by people all over the US as well as receiving my first orders on Etsy.

Over time our community grew even more and now we have more machines and equipment. We are now a resource to those who want to promote & brand their business.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been an easy journey but it’s also not impossible, I try to maintain myself positive along the way and I strive for solutions.

One big factor was the supply chain and it is still a problem that is out of my control. I always try to keep my shop stocked with a variety of products so my customers can get the latest items but sometimes it’s hard to get certain styles or colors. I have found that if I have different providers, there’s a bigger chance I can get my hands on some items.

A personal struggle is that running a business by yourself is hard. I take care of everything from customer service, emails, creating designs, embroidering, social media, etc. Which becomes overwhelming, I have found that making a to do list and a schedule has really improved the whole perspective of my business but I am still learning everyday.

We’ve been impressed with CDR Threads, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
CDR Threads offers embroidery services for personal and promotional needs.

As we grow, we have found how hard it is to find a supplier that can manage all needs that’s why we strive to accommodate all our clients and we take care of them equally doesn’t matter how big or small the order is. Our shop focuses on all the hard work so all you have to do is enjoy your finished product.

We also create unique designs inspired by Pop Culture that we often bring to our market events so we can also demonstrate our embroidery skills and brand. Our business has also been featured in Popular Pages like We Are Mitu.

CDR Threads now has a local shop at the Vaquita Flea Market in Pendergrass, GA.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My younger sister Andrea has been my right hand throughout my business. Andrea has been my supporter as well as a great helper when I become overwhelmed with tasks. She is a student so whenever she has the ability, she will help me complete orders as well as attend market events. I cannot thank her enough for all the hard work she does for me when I need it the most.

On my worst days, I had the support of my husband who would encourage me to keep going that the results would be so rewarding if I didn’t give up. He has helped me through the toughest situations even when I didn’t believe I could.

My father has been the person I admire most because he also had started a business and he did not have the tools that I have today like social media. He was an immigrant and he did not have any idea where to start but he did even if he did not speak English very well he found clients and that business grew.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.cdrthreads.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cdrthreads/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDRThreads
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CDRThreads

Image Credits:
CDR Threads, Cristal Del Toro and Sister Andrea Del Toro