Tech Tips — Screen Printing: The Value of Proofs

Jan 1, 2009

Many customers ask for or require a screen printed proof of the final product before releasing the order. Make sure that you have a complete understanding of who has approval authorization before you determine if you are going to offer this service. Also, associate a value, even if you intend to waive or forgive the cost at some future time.

A preproduction proof, by its nature, means that you will set up the job, print it and tear it down to allow production to continue at some future time. This could be because of having to overnight the sample, print one to present to a weekend committee meeting or that the job's parameters call for needing the shirts next winter but the sample right now. Always charge art, screen prep and materials fees for this service unless you view this as a speculative marketing opportunity.

A press proof implies someone will be on site to approve the art, color, placement, etc. It is always best to schedule these at the end of the day so if the customer tries six different shades of red before it's "just right," you don't have a production team of three trying to look busy while the press is occupied with proofing.

Make sure the client is aware that if the job is not approved on press, additional charges will be incurred as well as time delays for each change requested. Most importantly, if he does not show up at the assigned time, let him know that there will be a significant no-show service charge. It is best not to set up the job until the client is on site to avoid the no-show service charge situation. — Information provided by Greg Kitson, Mind's Eye Graphics, Decatur, Ind.

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