A new video from Hirsch Intl. shows how to print oversize designs on the Mimaki inkjet garment printer the company distributes. To see the video, visit hirschinternational.com . Click on “Direct To Garment Printer” and search the right navigation bar for available videos.
September 28, 2009
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
Impressions interviewed apparel decorators from all corners of the industry to discuss the promise and the real-world results of investing in digital inkjet-to-garment printers.
Since its introduction to the decorated apparel industry several years ago, direct-to-garment printing has been heralded as a game-changer — a disruptive technology that would dramatically change the way shops conduct business. It would allow decorators to tackle small orders, suppliers said. It would let shops offer personalization and print photographs with amazing detail, they promised. And it would dramatically reduce set-up time, they’ve claimed.
September 01, 2009
Corel Corp., Ottawa, recently announced the winners of the CorelDRAW International Design Contest, which drew submissions from users in more than 60 countries. Junior Souza of Brazil won first place in the Fashion/Textile category. Impressions Senior Editor Terry Murphy was among the international panel of judges for the competition.
August 10, 2009
- Source:
Nielsen Business Media
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
Even in a down economy, fleece buyers will find lighter weights among basics and a healthy dose of fashion and color.
As consumers tighten their belts, fleece remains popular and decorators should look to vendor lines with lighter weight fabrics making value-added changes to basics, as well as and some fashion-forward styles and sizzling colors.
July 31, 2009
Equipment Zone, Fair Lawn, N.J., has introduced the Veloci-Jet, a new digital direct-to-garment printer. According to the company, it is one of the fastest inkjet-to-garment printers on the market, printing a full-size design on a light shirt in about one minute.
July 06, 2009
Decorators on Impressions’ annual list of top-volume shops prove that an economic downturn doesn’t necessarily mean a slump in production, sales volume or mindset.
As America’s collective business community continues to struggle with the longest recession since the Great Depression (though not near the same magnitude), stories of resilient companies — such as Impressions’ 2009 Top-Volume Shops — offer a beacon of light during this overcast time. Though the largest companies can be the hardest to fall in weakening economies, this hasn’t been the case with our industry’s top shops. That these big players remain securely at the top of their game may have a little to do with luck, but probably a lot more to do with resourcefulness and well-earned reputations.
July 01, 2009
Kidswear is trending more than ever toward adult and juniors styles, even as the majority of the market remains tried-and-true basics.
Oooh, baby! Today’s kids are sporting some decidedly progressive, adult-driven apparel, including sun dresses with Affliction-style heraldry designs, diapers decorated with abstract sublimated designs, vintage-wash fabrics and organic cotton one-piece body suits. These fashion-forward offerings are part of a bumper crop of products from industry suppliers, who continue to unveil new twists for tots, even as classic kidswear items retain their perennial popularity.
July 01, 2009
Give your clients’ orders a fashion edge with big designs and trendy placements.
Following the trends in retail, custom apparel decorating shops can expand their product mixes and bottom lines by offering garments with allover embellishment and oversized designs in unorthodox placements. There are numerous production methods to achieve this end, from fitting your screen printing press with oversized pallets and screens, to mastering certain techniques of digital printing. The method with perhaps the lowest cost of entry and one that’s easy to manage is buying (or printing) oversized transfers.
July 01, 2009
Whether you are buying a cappuccino or getting your oil changed, chances are the person assisting you is outfitted in custom workwear or servicewear of some type. It’s hard to say exactly when the first uniform was worn and by whom. Perhaps soldiers going into battle started the phenomenon. Or maybe it was railroad workers who wore bib overalls in the late 1800’s that popularized the trend. Either way, from traditional to non-traditional, workwear has become a staple of various sectors in our labor force.
June 22, 2009
More publicity. Less competition. These are great reasons to start a business during a recession. Whether you’re new to the industry or already established, here are a few promotional ideas to help give your business a boost.
June 05, 2009
Beginner's luck has its place in the apparel graphics industry. Veterans can tell great stories about beginners who happened on our shores and made a big pile of money — fast. But for every such tale, there are scores of others where entrepreneurs' dreams of success were dashed upon the rocks of conventional wisdom, wrong assumptions, poorly researched solutions, shopworn strategies and poor execution.
May 22, 2009
Learn how the right software can pump up profit potential for your apparel decoration business.
If knowledge truly is power, then no other tool gives you absolute power over your business like information management software.
May 01, 2009
Despite tough economic conditions, the ladieswear category continues to perform surprisingly well, thanks in part to new fabrics, details and colors.
While the ongoing recession may have prompted suppliers to narrow their product offerings a bit, that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of stylish, new options this year in ladieswear. See-through sheers, eco-friendly cottons, red-hot layered looks, deep V-necks, bright colors like apricot orange and lime green, and standby styles like baby ribs are giving decorators plenty of alluring choices. Eye-catching looks inspired by retail are in abundance.
May 01, 2009
A close-up look at the most profitable applications and markets for the red-hot laser bridge machine.
Eric Withaar knew the look he wanted to offer customers — the hip, creative style that's so popular now at retail. "It's that look of cotton twill with frayed edges," he says. However, it simply wasn't cost-efficient for his shop to offer customers the highly sought-after look — until he purchased a laser bridge machine last year.
May 01, 2009
As the landscape continues to change, here's a look at what's being worn and how it's being decorated.
In these daunting economic times, even team sports are feeling the crunch. While it's true that participation remains healthy, the dollars-per-player spent on decorated apparel has dropped along with consumers' disposable income. "The numbers that people are spending [on team sports decorated apparel] are dropping," says Keith Ritschard, owner of RSB Activewear, Argyle, Wis. "[For example], screen printing nowadays is preferred more than it used to be [when it comes to] basketball designs. The economy has hit everybody and it gets more dramatic as you move down the line. Schools are not resistant to the changes."
April 01, 2009
Use this overview to pick the best method for your shop.
There are about as many ways to number athletic team uniforms as there are teams in the ever-expanding playoffs of professional sports — in other words, lots. But you have to know which decoration process works best in various situations. With that in mind, here's an in-depth look at the six main ways to number uniforms, as well as the pros and cons of each process.
April 01, 2009
By knowing the capabilities and limitations of this technology, you can rely on almost any major brand to print without problems.
So many inkjet-to-garment machines, so many choices, so many varied and confusing stories. If you read the forums, go to the trade shows, or listen to the guy down the street who bought an inkjet machine three years ago, you might be even more confused about the differences in the growing variety of equipment available. Despite what you hear, there are more similarities among these machines than differences.
April 01, 2009
Here's how to assemble a board that can work wonders for your business.
When you think of a board of directors, you probably think of a big-time, publicly traded company full of Wall Street bigwigs. However, a board of directors is a proven concept that actually works for companies of any size, providing business owners unbiased insight and suggestions that can have a positive impact on the bottom line.
April 01, 2009
Multimedia decoration on caps can return high margins.
The tough economy challenges all decorators, but those who print or embroider hats may have a little advantage over the competition. The price point for caps — which varies by style and brand, of course — is lower in general than for many other types of garments that customers may pass on this year due to budget restraints. Multimedia-decorated caps can fill that gap for you and your customer.
March 01, 2009
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Learn the Newest Digital Decorating Tips from Impressions
The apparel decorating business is constantly evolving. Each year apparel manufacturers look for the most up-to-date digital techniques and methods for advancing their apparel decorating businesses. Subscribe to Impressions and get all the information you need about the latest innovative digital decorating process.
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