Shining Stars

Jan 5, 2009

Freeman's Towing, a design from Andy's Tee Shirts Inc., Concord, Calif., took home the Grand Champion: Best in Show award.

By Susie McManus, Assistant Editor

Despite an overcast economic forecast for many industries worldwide, the decorated apparel trade continues to glimmer through the clouds, as is evident by the finely crafted entries Impressions received for the 30th annual Impressions Awards competition. For 29 years, we’ve seen amazing artwork expertly replicated on shirts, jackets, hats and more. But the submissions mailed in for this year’s competition pleasantly surprised us yet again, and the apparent high level of attention that went into each one proves that those who thrive in apparel decorating don’t hold back on ingenuity, artistic capacity and technical precision — even when times are tough.

Though 2009 may be an uphill battle for some, we know that the precedent for the Impressions Awards has been set, and anticipate to be wowed once again when next year’s competition rolls around. Entry details for the 31st Impressions Awards contest will be available online at impressionsmag.com in springtime.

In the following pages, we’re honored to present a profile on Andy’s Tee Shirts Inc., a company in Concord, Calif., that not only took home the Grand Champion: Best in Show award, but also earned four additional wins. Continue reading to learn about the 45 winning designs that shone the brightest out of the nearly 200 entries submitted in 15 categories from screen printers, embroiderers and digital decorators.

Click here to view the profile on Andy's Tee Shirts Inc. and part 1 of the Impressions Awards winners.

Click here to view part 2 of the Impressions Awards winners.

Off the Cuff: Selling to Religious Organizations: Part 1 of 2
In our industry we decorate a massive assortment of items by a broad variety of technologies. Then we distribute what we produce to virtually every economic sector in every nook and cranny of society.
September 14, 2009

How to Apply Foil
Editor’s note: In the following pages, the authors take you step-by-step through the process of adding foil to your T-shirt artwork. First, they detail how to incorporate foil into the workflow of an automatic press. The process differs significantly for printers using a manual press, so the authors also detail how to apply foil when printing with a manual screen printing press.
September 04, 2009

Foil Adds Sparkle and Margin 
While getting started printing with foil will be a trial-and-error process, here are some tips to reduce the learning curve. 
When we get an order at our shop, it’s not uncommon to hear an employee exclaim, “Foiled again!” That’s because as many as 15% of our orders involve some kind of foil printing, making the process somewhat of a specialty for our shop — Forward Printing, Oakland, Calif.
September 03, 2009

Diversifying Your Customer Base  
Learn to evaluate and adjust your mix of clientele for optimum profitability and stability.
While the economic lows that many American markets have been experiencing for the past year are certainly painful, they’re also nothing new. Historically, the tide of business success continually ebbs and flows, with one market experiencing a rush of good fortune while another watches its revenue all but dry up. This cyclical nature of business is precisely why decorators must have a diverse customer base that allows them to weather slowdowns — or even meltdowns — in parts of the economy.
September 02, 2009

Tunes Lead Teen/Tween Trends
Music — bands and celebrity performers — is influencing the graphics, styling and colors that teens and pre-teens want to wear.
If you’re ever wondering how to tap in to the teen and tween (pre-teen) market, the evidence is all around you. The apparel worn on TV, in magazines and on the Internet by rock stars, actors, models and other celebrities is going to give you the greatest clues about what teens want in decorated apparel.
July 31, 2009